Here in Texas, we finally have a cold front, and just past the midpoint of October, Fall is finally arriving. What a much-needed relief from the very hot summer we just experienced… but Fall’s late arrival means that I am only now realizing that the Advent Fast begins in just over three weeks (on the New Calendar)! If you’ve been following me for a while, you know how I mark this fast.… An Ancient Faith Blog The post The Nativity Fast is coming soon! appeared first on Raising Saints ..read more

After church this Sunday, I was sitting with one of my favorite college kids, when she realized that her friend had never heard of Be the Bee, or its host, Steven Christoforou. She was flabbergasted. How can an Orthodox teen miss this? As we chatted, she realized that I know Steve. Personally. Her flabbergast increased to crazy proportions. A lot of us Orthodox writers and podcasters know each other, and there’s a… An Ancient Faith Blog The post My Favorite Summer Camp for Orthodox Creatives appeared first on Raising Saints ..read more

I’ve been awfully quiet on this blog, and in general perhaps. In 2019, my husband moved out and we divorced. I had a lot of processing to do, and as someone who writes about family stuff… I just wasn’t sure what I could say, what I had to offer. I wasn’t sure that it was ok for me to continue offering. Maybe no one would want to hear it anymore, you know?… An Ancient Faith Blog The post New Book: The Grace of Being There appeared first on Raising Saints ..read more

Traditionally, Christians mark the moment when our Lord is revealed to the world on January 6. In the early days, we celebrated His birth, the visit of the Magi, and His baptism all at once – and each of these events, in its own way, is the moment at which our Lord truly comes to us. He comes to us in His incarnation, and then He is revealed to the nations through… An Ancient Faith Blog The post Thoughts on Theophany and Revelation appeared first on Raising Saints ..read more

As we come to the end of 2020, we are still struggling with a pandemic, and we can see clearly that it will be a while before life gets back to “normal”. In some ways, we may have found blessings in this strange new situation, as extracurriculars are cancelled and many of us are spending more time at home with our families. Some have found that this pandemic allowed them — forced… An Ancient Faith Blog The post Finding A Cure: YouTube Liturgy Fatigue appeared first on Raising Saints ..read more

The Nativity Fast is moving by quickly, and many of us are nearly halfway through Welcoming the Christ Child! In past years, I’ve posted ideas for “jesse trees” on which we can hang our ornaments as we count down to Christmas, journeying through the Old Testament on our way to Christ’s birth. Those ideas are still good, but now I have a few more! I’ve heard from a few families this year… An Ancient Faith Blog The post Welcoming the Christ Child: what are you doing? appeared first on Raising Saints ..read more

I’ve been telling you all about how wonderful YES trips are for our youth for years; Youth Equipped to Serve comes to your town and teaches your kids what it practically and truly means to love your neighbor, and equips them to become servant leaders in your community. YES sends leaders to your town and gathers your kids together and brings them face-to-face with the various kinds of poverty in your own… An Ancient Faith Blog The post YES: Youth Ministry During the Pandemic appeared first on Raising Saints ..read more

I’m excited to say that it was necessary to have a second printing of Welcoming the Christ Child! That gave us an opportunity to switch up the cover a bit — I’m so excited to be offering this beautiful book and the matching ornament set again, so that Orthodox families can count down the Nativity Lent while truly preparing hearts to receive Christ on His birthday! The set is sold online at… An Ancient Faith Blog The post Welcoming the Christ Child, Second Edition appeared first on Raising Saints ..read more

I think the best teaching is simple and elegant, and Fr. Evan Armatas never disappoints. I’ve enjoyed his talks at our Metropolis’ Camp Emmanuel and his commentary on his live call-in show, Orthodoxy Live (which is essentially a grown-up version of every camper’s beloved Stump the Priest.) Fr. Evan has just released a new book, Toolkit for Spiritual Growth, and I think it would be great for a book study! Because the… An Ancient Faith Blog The post A Toolkit for Spiritual Growth appeared first on Raising Saints ..read more

Are you teaching Sunday School classes online, perhaps over Zoom or another video conferencing software? Many of us are embarking on Zoom classes for the first time, so here are some thoughts to help you get started. Take a deep breath, and remember that our goals have not changed. The material has not changed. The students are the same, and you’re the same. The difference is this mode of communication, which has… An Ancient Faith Blog The post Tips for Teaching Online appeared first on Raising Saints ..read more