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Come Receive the Light

June Theme - BeingHeard

Christmas in Tanzania

Fr. Steven Tsichlis of St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church in Irvine,CA, tells us how Christmas is celebrated by our Orthodox brothers and sisters in Tanzania. But first, iconographer Elias Damianakis explains the symbolism of our Orthodox Nativity icons, and contrasts it to the popular Western imagery.

Are you a fan of the Orthodox Christian Network? Then please share our Come Receive the Light page with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, +Google, and Linked In. A world in crisis needs to find its way to our Lord Jesus Christ. Have you seen our new video?  Click here to learn more about our theme for the month of December and watch our new video. 

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Christmas and Loss

Fr. Anastasios Kousoulas of St. Anna’s Greek Orthodox Church in Flemington, NJ, discusses the Conception of the Theotokos, a feastday that is celebrated every year on December 9th. Plus, His Grace Bishop John of Worcester talks with Fr. Chris about the challenges of celebrating the Nativity when you've experienced a loss - whether it’s a death, divorce, or other major life change.

Are you a fan of the Orthodox Christian Network? Then please share our Come Receive the Light page with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, +Google, and Linked In. A world in crisis needs to find its way to our Lord Jesus Christ. Have you seen our new video?  Click here to learn more about our theme for the month of December and watch our new video. 

Click below to listen to this week's Come Receive the Light program.

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The Nativity in Our Lives - December 2012

From the desk of Father Chris Metropulos, Executive Director of the Orthodox Christian Network

Dear Faithful,

The Celebration of the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is here once again.  Families around the world will begin to buy Christmas Trees and Christmas lights.  We all try to adorn our homes and shrubs with lights each and every year, but I must confess personally, I have yet to figure out why some of those electric bulbs work and others just don’t light up after the first year.  Once I put the lights up, I usually have to go to confession...how about you?

We love the decorations and the sentimentality of the Nativity feast.  But I wonder, though, how many of us really comprehend the reality of this great feast of our Faith.  Our Lord becomes one of us so we might become like Him.  It is remarkable, when you really think about it. Our Lord, who created the universe and came to save us from our sins, is now a small baby like we once were in our early stages of life.

Read more: The Nativity in Our Lives - December 2012

Christmas & Hurricane Sandy

Carol Myers of the Saint Nicholas Center joins Fr. Chris to talk about who St. Nicholas was and how his memory is commemorated all around the globe today. We’ll also hear from Fr. Luke Melackrinos of the Cathedral of St. Paul in Hempstead, NY, about the damage done to that parish by Hurricane Sandy and its impact on their lives.

Are you a fan of the Orthodox Christian Network? Then please share our Come Receive the Light page with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, +Google, and Linked In. A world in crisis needs to find its way to our Lord Jesus Christ. Have you seen our new video?  Click here to learn more about our theme for the month of December and watch our new video. 

Click below to listen to this week's Come Receive the Light program.

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From Buddhist Monk to Christian

Tune in this week to hear from Klaus Kenneth - a man who has been a Buddhist monk, once tried converting Mother Theresa to Hinduism and eventually found his way back to Christ. To purchase your copy of Mr. Kenneth’s new book, Born to Hate, Reborn to Love, visit his website - www.klauskenneth.com. Plus, Fr. Chad Hatfield tells us about a new series of books from St. Vladimir's Seminary Press whose aim is to give intimate knowledge of significant Orthodox figures. To visit the Orthodox Profile area of St. Vladmir’s Orthodx Theological Seminary, visit www.svspress.com/orthodox-profiles.

Are you a fan of the Orthodox Christian Network? Then please share our Come Receive the Light page with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, +Google, and Linked In. A world in crisis needs to find its way to our Lord Jesus Christ. Have you seen our new video?  Click here to learn more about our theme for the month of October and watch our new video. 

Click below to listen to this week's Come Receive the Light program.

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Bearing Witness in Alaska

Sharing with us on our monthly theme of "Bearing Witness" is Aleut priest Fr. Thomas Andrew of Holy Assumption of the Virgin Mary Church in Kenai, Alaska. But first, Christopher Hetrick of Patristic Nectar Publications is here to tell us about some of the amazing products this non-profit organization is producing to help make the timeless wisdom of the Orthodox Church accessible for the 21st century Christian! For more information on this organization, visit www.patristicnectar.org.

Are you a fan of the Orthodox Christian Network? Then please share our Come Receive the Light page with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, +Google, and Linked In. A world in crisis needs to find its way to our Lord Jesus Christ. Have you seen our new video?  Click here to learn more about our theme for the month of October and watch our new video. 

Click below to listen to this week's Come Receive the Light program.

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Bearing Witness

Prof. Stamatis Vokos from Seattle Pacific University’s Department of Physics is back on the show to give his perspective on this month's theme - Bearing Witness. Also Fr. Chris talks with Dan Christopulos to get an up-to-date report on the recovery and cleanup work being coordinated by the IOCC in the aftermath of hurricane Sandy.  You’ll also hear how you can get involved and play an important role. For more information, visit at www.iocc.org.

Are you a fan of the Orthodox Christian Network? Then please share our Come Receive the Light page with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, +Google, and Linked In. A world in crisis needs to find its way to our Lord Jesus Christ. Have you seen our new video?  Click here to learn more about our theme for the month of October and watch our new video. 

Click below to listen to this week's Come Receive the Light program.

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We Are Witnesses for Christ - November 2012

From the desk of Father Chris Metropulos, Executive Director of the Orthodox Christian Network

Dear Faithful,

In world news this month, we were introduced to a young teenage girl in Pakistan. She is in the U.K. fighting for her life because she believed she would have to render an account to her God about her witness and life in the world. As Orthodox Christians, what do we ask of ourselves in return for the gift of life given to us by Christ our God? This month at OCN, we want to reflect on how we share our faith in Christ and His Church as his witnesses to the world. We will explore three simple questions:

How can my life bear witness to Christ?
How can I better serve God with my life?
When and how should I speak out for what is right?

It's been said that life happens while you are making other plans! I know we can all feel that way when life really seems to get the best of us. When things don't seem to go our way, we have a choice. We can go under, or we can draw on who we are as Orthodox Christians to rise up. The times when we feel we have lost our way are the very times when the life of Christ and His witness help us transform our suffering. We can use His way to find ourselves, to find our way and move forward. Life may seem to get the best of us, but we never have to bear it alone. The Scriptures say all of us must take up our cross, but those same Scriptures also teach us that Christ is there to lighten the burden of our cross by His love for us.

Read more: We Are Witnesses for Christ - November 2012

Witnessing for Christ through Philanthropy

CRTL philanthropyCharles Ajalat joins Fr. Chris to discuss how he has attempted to bear witness to Christ throughout his life using philanthropy as a gift from God. To learn more about this ministry, visit http://www.focusnorthamerica.org/. But first we’ll hear from IOCC’s Mark Ohanian about the agency’s latest efforts in Syria. To learn more about IOCC, visit www.iocc.org or call their toll free phone number 877 803-4622.

Are you a fan of the Orthodox Christian Network? Then please share our Come Receive the Light page with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, +Google, and Linked In. A world in crisis needs to find its way to our Lord Jesus Christ. Have you seen our new video?  Click here to learn more about our theme for the month of October and watch our new video. 

Click below to listen to this week's Come Receive the Light program.

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The Memory of St. Demetrios

CRTL 26-DUMITRUFlyerOne of the show's youngest guests, 13-year-old Jessie Beddoe, joins Fr. Chris to talk about the stories she writes for publication. We'll also hear from Fr. Demetrios Tonias about St. Demetrios, whose memory we celebrate on the 26th of October.

Are you a fan of the Orthodox Christian Network? Then please share our Come Receive the Light page with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, +Google, and Linked In. A world in crisis needs to find its way to our Lord Jesus Christ. Have you seen our new video?  Click here to learn more about our theme for the month of October and watch our new video. 

Click below to listen to this week's Come Receive the Light program.

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Purpose of Life

CRTL Wedding-RingsAllison Backous Troy joins Fr. Chris to talk about her conversion to Orthodoxy, experience of her wedding sacrament, and her understanding of the purpose of life. To read Ms. Backous article, click here. But first, we’ll hear from Mark Powell, the Executive Director of Cappella Romana, about the new CD they have just released of their recent tour in Greece. To learn more about Cappella Romana, visit their website www.capellaromana.org.

Are you a fan of the Orthodox Christian Network? Then please share our Come Receive the Light page with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, +Google, and Linked In. A world in crisis needs to find its way to our Lord Jesus Christ. Have you seen our new video?  Click here to learn more about our theme for the month of October and watch our new video. 

Click below to listen to this week's Come Receive the Light program.

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