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Come Receive the Light
Personal Rule of Prayer
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. Click here to learn more about our theme for the month of February. Click below to listen to this week's Come Receive the Light program.
Closer to Christ
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. Click here to learn more about our theme for the month of January. Click below to listen to this week's Come Receive the Light program.
Moving Towards Salvation
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. Click here to learn more about our theme for the month of January. Click below to listen to this week's Come Receive the Light program.
Click below to listen to Fr. Hadzellis' full interview.
Making Choices Concerning Your Children
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. Click here to learn more about our theme for the month of January. Click below to listen to this week's Come Receive the Light program.
The Family and the Church - January 2013The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer. Psalm 18:2
Dear Faithful, A blessed and a glorious New Year to you and your family. Everyone at the OCN sends you their prayers for health and abundant faith in the days ahead. The above verse from Psalm 18 is one of my favorites. We as priests recite it each time we venerate the Holy Gifts prior to the Consecration and the receiving of Holy Communion. No matter what is happening in my life, the life of my precious family, or in the lives of my blessed parishioners, I know every time I read this verse from the Book of Psalms that our Lord holds us in His hands and gives us life, hope, and healing. Do you think of this each day? You and your family, the people you love most, are in God’s hands. Have you ever imagined those Hands, infinitely powerful but also infinitely tender? What can you do to be sure you remember Who is holding you? What can you do to help your family feel close to Him? Healthier 2013
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. Click here to learn more about our theme for the month of January. Click below to listen to this week's Come Receive the Light program.
Click below to listen to Dr. Rossi's full interview.
The Nativity and Christ
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. Click here to learn more about our theme for the month of December. Click below to listen to this week's Come Receive the Light program.
Why does God allow violence against children?
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. Click here to learn more about our theme for the month of December. Click below to listen to this week's Come Receive the Light program.
Christmas in Tanzania
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.
Christmas and Loss
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.
The Nativity in Our Lives - December 2012
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? |
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Kh. Frederica Matthewes-Green is back on the show today to talk with us about keeping a personal prayer rule. She’ll offer helpful tips on starting and maintaining a personal prayer rule, as well as some advice on how to build up the whole family’s prayer life. But first Fr. Harry Pappas, Adjunct Professor of Pastoral Theology at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, walks us through the Book of Psalms. What are some of the central spiritual teachings? How can we make sense of the violence contained in many Psalms? And how can something written centuries before Jesus’ birth reflect our Christian theology?
Tune in this week for Part 2 of Fr. Chris' discussion with Fr. Joseph Purpura, head of the Department of Youth and Parish Ministry for the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. We'll hear how we can help young people not only conquer the challenges they face, but also use their struggles as a way of bringing them closer to Christ. We'll also hear from child psychologist Dr. Chrissi Hart about a new, online parenting magazine called ChildGood. Visit 
This week, Fr. Joseph Purpura of the Department of Youth and Parish Ministry for the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America joins Fr. Chris for a discussion of the top challenges facing Orthodox teens today. Plus, we'll hear from Fr. Nicholas Hadzellis of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Fort Worth, TX, about how to work as a family towards salvation.
Continuing our monthly look at Family and the Church, we hear from Fr. Mark Leondis, former Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Fr. Mark currently serves as the Pastor of St. Mark Greek Orthodox Church in Boca Raton, Florida. He’s here to talk with us about a topic that’s been getting an increasing amount of attention from the media - bullying. Fr. Chris also speaks with His Grace Bishop Thomas of Charleston, from the Antiochian Archdiocese. Bishop Thomas is a former teacher and offers his advice to parents on choosing schools for their children.
From the desk of Father Chris Metropulos, Executive Director of the Orthodox Christian Network
As our nation continues to mourn the lives lost in Newtown, CT, Dr. Albert Rossi shares his thoughts on how we, as Christians, talk and think about the terrible things than sometimes happen to innocent people. We’ll also hear from pediatrician Stephanie Poplos on how to make 2013 a healthier year for the whole family.
If you watch the news, you may think that Christmas has always been the most important celebration of Christians. But is that true? Fr. Athanasius Iskander of St. Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, joins Fr. Chris for a talk about the Nativity's historic role in Christian life and worship. But first, we'll hear Fr. Chris' Nativity message, "Away from the Manger." You can see Fr. Chris's message notes below.
As we continue to pray for all those affected by the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, Fr. Chris welcomes child psychologist Dr. Chrissi Hart, who offers insight into how we can help our children understand and process violence in their lives. But first, we'll hear from Dr. Elizabeth Prodromou about a new petition regarding violence against Christians in the Middle East. Dr. Prodromou is the former Vice Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, on which she served from 2004-2012. She is currently an Affiliate Scholar at Harvard University's Center for European Studies, where she serves as the Co-Chair of the Study Group on Southeastern Europe. Visit 
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.
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.