PARISH VOICES

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. —Philippians 4:6-7, NKJV I am reading the biography of St. Seraphim of Sarov (1759-1833), An Extraordinary Peace: St. Seraphim, Flame of Sarov by Archimandrite Lazarus (Moore). I find when I read biographies of the Holy Fathers & Mothers,

Presbytera Pat was in Baltimore with her sister, an accomplished violist and two other fantastic musicians who are part of Our Joyful Noise.

Pastor Allan passed away a short while ago. He was the first pastor I remember having when I was a kid at a small Baptist church in eastern Washington. You might wonder why I would share about a Baptist pastor when I am an Orthodox Christian. I remember hearing Fr. Barnabas Powell on Ancient Faith Radio sharing spiritual guidance he received while entering Orthodoxy. He was told, “You cannot be Orthodox until you are thankful for everything that brought you to today.” I am s

During Fr. Tom’s sermon on Sunday, January 26th, something truly resonated with me. The gospel reading was about Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax...

How long can you wait patiently for something? A month? A year? A decade? Your entire life? I don't think I'm particularly patient. I recently grumbled because I spent five-and-a-half slightly uncomfortable hours on an airplane, and in that time traversed the entire continent. Fewer than 200 years ago, that trip would have taken about 140 days in a wagon! We live in an age of miracle and wonder, but to say we also live in an age of instant gratification may undersell just how

A big question that faces all of us is what should we do with our losses? Is there a way for that which is lost to be found? Can sadness...

For the new year, many people think about their goals and hopes. This New Year, I invite you to consider the place of the Gospels in your life. Back in the fourth century, St. John Chrysostom lamented that many parishioners knew more about the chariot races than they knew about the Scriptures. I doubt if many of us know much about chariot races, but St. John might still have a similar complaint today. Abba Matthew the poor, asks us to consider the value of Scripture in our

As Christmas and the New Year flew by, 2025 has already brought its own challenges. While I don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions, there’s something undeniably special about the new beginning it offers, allowing me to deepen my relationship with Christ and keep Him at the center of my life. Reflecting on Fr. Tom’s sermon from Theophany Eve about being a container of Christ, I was struck by the image of feeling trapped under a container by the weight of expectations and da

To quote Fr. Tom, (again!), what a blessing we have in the Church! The church provides us with many tools to help us remember, enrich, and encourage our walk with Christ. This fills us up with His grace, mercy, and love. Many of us know what it is like to walk without Jesus in our lives—whether we met him later in life, or like many we may have done a bit of wandering away from the church at times. The chorus would respond with an overwhelming “Hallelujah” that walking throu

Creation Touched By The Creator When Jesus is being baptized by John the Baptist, we are called to embrace the miracle of how creation participates in our salvation story! Our hymns at Epiphany reveal that: "Today, the uncreated one is, by His own will, touched by the creature. Today, the prophet and forerunner approaches the Master but pauses in awe. Today, the waters of the Jordan are turned into healing by the presence of the Lord. Today, paradise is opened to all humankin