Tag: children

What Orthodox Single Parents Wish You Knew

· Melinda Johnson
As part of an outreach project at Ancient Faith Ministries, I recently started a private Facebook group for Orthodox single parents. As our conversation began, it quickly became apparent that it is as hard to be a single parent in the Orthodox church as out of it. One member described the life as a kind of asceticism that’s between marriage and monasticism, with elements of both vocations but without the religious or…

Edith M. Humphrey: Beyond the White Fence and Learning to “See”

· Melinda Johnson
“Read me a story, Unca Doug!” was probably one of my first sentences, directed repeatedly to my longsuffering and beloved second cousin who visited us, while he was in seminary, when I was two. Books were a very important part of our household since my dad was a teacher. They became absolutely essential when I was in kindergarten and isolated at home with mono for several months.  Then I grew into a…

Love at Lent: Daily family activities for kindness, positivity, and love during Great Lent

· Pres. Michelle Triant
Available now for preorder is the perfect gift for your family this Lenten season: Love at Lent is a colorful box filled with activity cards to be drawn at random each day of Great Lent, designed to encourage kindness, humility, and mindfulness for the whole family during this special time in our faith.  Orthodox Christians are asked to fast, pray, repent, and give as we prepare for the Resurrection of our Lord…

Mom and Kids review Rooted in Prayer Virtual Vacation Church Camp

· Sarah Geana
The most surprising result of the week of church camp was this deepening sense of prayer.  My children have all grown up in the church and have been saying family prayers since they were born and attend church on a regular basis, etc., so you would think they would have a very firm grasp of what prayer is and its importance. 

Journey to Pascha 2019 Chart

· Fr. Jonathan Bannon 3 Leave a Comment on %s
We’re delighted to share this year’s edition of Fr. Jonathan Bannon’s wonderful “Journey to Pascha” chart. This chart can be used like a map of Lent, marking off the milestones along the way and providing a suggestion for personal spiritual practice for each week. Last year, the original edition of this chart traveled around the world. It was even translated into other languages. Glory to God! Fr. Jonathan came up with the…

Beautiful Things: An Orthodox Coloring Book for Children

· Megan Gilbert 1 Leave a Comment on %s
When I was 25 years old, I was working full-time as a Montessori assistant in a Kindergarten classroom. During morning circle time, I would take little notes on our scrap paper about what the head teacher was sharing with the 5-7 year olds. No holds barred, this teacher, a life-long lover of learning, poured into these children rich details about complex ideas and precise nomenclature. I love the Montessori concept of the…

How to Put Together a Traditional Easter Basket

· Fr. Jonathan Bannon 4 Leave a Comment on %s
Fr. Jonathan Bannon kindly shared this infographic he created to show the elements of a traditional Easter or Pascha basket. Pascha baskets are taken to the midnight service on Holy Saturday and blessed, and their contents are enjoyed at the feast after the service. This being so, they traditional contain many delicacies that cannot be eaten during the preceding Lenten Fast.