Jesus Christ said; “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28​-30) In this retreat, given for the Ukrainian Orthodox League via Zoom on 2/27/2021, Fr. Anthony describes the way the past year has polarized us and how we and our parishes can heal and become the peacemakers the world needs. A video of the presentation is available at Fr. Anthony Perkins YouTube channel. Enjoy!

In this episode, Fr. Anthony talks with the COVID-stricken Fr. Harry Linsinbigler about parish life and the implications of recent survey results from Gallup (on further declines in American church membership) and Pew (on American religion and the COVID). Enjoy the show!

Join Fr. Harry Linsinbigler and Fr. Anthony Perkins as they (mainly) talk about the actual formula decided on at Nicea, why it was important, and where we are now (hint: we are completely in compliance!). There's also a tangental gem on the Masoretic vs. Septuagint Old Testament. Fr. Harry has (mostly) recovered from his bout with COVID and he and Fr. Anthony are still basking in the Paschal Glow. Enjoy the show!

In this interview, Fr. Anthony and Dn Nicholas talk about the rhythms of Lent and how a gentle asceticism may cultivate more lasting changes than the most stringent fasting and an over-packed liturgical calendar. Along the way, Dn Nicholas shares wisdom on how this same general approach builds a lasting and self-propagating harmony (even among tenors who often sing flat). We hope you enjoy this calm and gentle conversation. Enjoy the show!

You may recognize Dn Timothy Kelleher from his appearances in NCIS, Independence Day, Thirteen Days and other movies and shows, but he has also published many thoughtful essays in First Things, Church Life Journal, and now the National Review (among others). In this episode, he and Fr. Anthony talk about Dn. Timothy's two most recent essays; "Memories of a Staten Island Childhood" and "A Nation of Sinners." You can read these essays and others at timkelleher.org. Enjoy the show!

Fr. Anthony talks again with Fr. Harry Linsinbigler, the Canonist for the UOC-USA about what the Canons say (and don't say!) about clergy attire, hair, and beards. They make the case that, unless their bishops say otherwise, priests can adjust to what they discern is best going to meet the needs of the Gospel where they are. A bonus: you can hear just how bad Fr. Anthony is at liturgical math! Enjoy the show!

Fr. Harry Linsinbigler talks with Fr. Anthony about the moving, standing, kneeling, and sitting postures of prayer and worship that Orthodoxy prescribes, some of the confusion that surrounds them, and what they do for the believers who participate in them.The article they discuss is found at https://christinourmidst.com. Enjoy the show!

Fr. Anthony talks with Fr. Harry Linsinbigler, the Canonist for the UOC-USA, about how priests should prepare for confession, the role of penance in confession, the importance of protecting the confidentiality ("seal") or confession, and what needs to happen when that confidentiality is broken. It's an important but difficult subject and we look forward to your questions and comments.

Fr. Anthony talks frankly with Fr. Gregory Jensen, PhD, about the how the selection of priests affects the quality of priestly ministry. From narcissism to the built-in preference for agreeableness - it's all grist for the mill. Enjoy the show!

Fr. Gregory Jensen, PhD and Fr. Anthony Perkins talk about Orthodox sexuality, chastity, celibacy, and abstinence. Along the way they also discuss the negative effects the culture wars have had on Orthodox pastoral care. They hope to make this part of a series. Warning: it's hard to talk about this euphemistically. Some graphic terms were used. Enjoy the show!

Fr. Gregory Jensen PhD and Fr. Anthony begin by talking about three (no four!) indicators of whether a man is a suitable candidate for seminary, then segue into the importance of a healthy marriage and family life (e.g. 1 Timothy 3). They use the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s “For the Life of the World; Toward a Social Ethos of the Orthodox Church” as a springboard for talking about contraception, ascetic abstinence, and the benefit of a healthy monastic witnesses. Warning: it's hard to talk about this euphemistically. Some graphic terms were used. Enjoy the show!

In this episode Fr. Anthony talks with long-time mission priest Fr. Gabriel Rochelle about baking bread (Fr. Gabriel has a book on it!), caring for lampadas, and the special skills needed to plant and nurture missions. Enjoy the show!

In this episode Fr. Anthony talks with Fr. Harry, the Canonist for the UOC-USA, about the scriptural and canonical context and instructions about sex. Framing it within the context of holiness, they address real issues that Christians need to understand and deal with in the materialist and sex-saturated age. Warning: some graphic terms were used (e.g. fornication, masturbation, adultery).

Join Fr. Anthony and Amon Sul co-host Richard Rohlin as Richard shares his origin story (the spider bite was a bilingual household!), some thoughts on kata, and his love of language. This edition serves as a warmup for their upcoming conversation on the need to get the stories of ourselves, our nation, and the cosmos right. Enjoy the show!

After sharing three commentaries on the Prologue of St. John, Fr. Anthony talks about the pattern of sound and how it works to perfect us and our community in Christ. This was first shared via Fr. Anthony's "My Fool Head" YouTube livestream on 04 December 2021. The Jonathan Pageau interview he couldn't remember was with Samuel Andreyev; "Patterns and Meaning in Music". Enjoy the show!

Homily on the Last Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46). Fr. Anthony draws on his experience as a retired Army officer (USAR) and the teaching of St. Maximus the Confessor to provide perspective, consolation, and encouragement during this time of war. Major points include the way the world and its labels darken our spiritual sight and the power Christ has given to His Royal Priesthood to heal the world's pain.

Fr. Anthony talks with Fr. Gregory Jensen, PhD, about how NOT to elicit repentance during confession, some of the differences between confession, interrogation, and therapy, and why love and trust are foundational to the process of reconciliation. Enjoy the show!

Fr. Anthony talks with Fr. Gregory Jensen about motivated reason and the consequences of mixing micro and macro domains. They suggest that our increasing tribalism is exacerbated of confusing pastoral and public communications - something that is all but impossible to avoid on social media. Enjoy the show!

Fr. Robert Holet is the author of The First and Finest: Orthodox Christian Stewardship as Sacred Offering, one of the best practical guides to fostering a healthy parish culture that you can find. Fr. Robert is also one of Fr. Anthony's mentors, something that comes out clearly in this, their conversation on the role of leadership in fostering a healthy mission culture. What do horses have to do with that? Listen and find out!

Fr. Anthony continues his discussion with Fr. Robert, author of "The First and Finest: Orthodox Christian Stewardship as Sacred Offering" about some of the necessities, joys, and struggles that come with starting and nurturing a mission. This time, they focus on how to pay for (and NOT to pay) the bills. The key is to make everything - to include financial stewardship - resonate with and in the Eucharist. Enjoy the show!

Today Fr. Anthony waves the "Good Idea Wand" (a cursed artifact to be sure) to come up with solutions to the problem of maladjusted clergy. He then invites Fr. Gregory to evaluate them. The ideas they discuss are; psychological evaluations, mandatory reporting of credit scores and financial debt, annual performance evaluations, and peer reviews. In the end, they both agree that even though solutions like these may offer short-term benefits, the best solution is to facilitate the growth of genuinely Orthodox cultures and institutions. Enjoy the show!

Elissa explains how to use the baking of prosphora to talk with children about theosis, which she calls "the meaning of life."

Elissa shares how to use the lives of the Saints to combat children's fears.

Elissa shares some examples of how to teach children about the Orthodox understanding of heaven and hell.

Elissa encourages families to spread the joy of Pascha to a local cemetery.

Elissa recounts her week at Camp St. Sava, the official Orthodox summer camp of the Serbian Orthodox Church's Western American Diocese.

Elissa discusses the story of Abraham and Isaac and her favorite prayer for children.

Elissa describes the "Psalter group" and its purpose during Great Lent.

Elissa shares some of the youth-centric traditions of her home parish with regard to Holy Week and Pascha.

Elissa discusses Orthodox marriage and parenting, focusing particularly on how both involve dying to self.

Why does it matter that our God came down to earth and took on flesh? Elissa discusses using the Jesse Tree and other means to teach our children about the Feast of the Nativity.

The goal of Great Lent is not only to deny ourselves and live for Christ, but also to let Christ live in us.

Try not to fall, but if you do, just get back up again.

Elissa offers some suggestions for guiding children through death and dying.

Sometimes, the God we imagine is not at all who He really is. We need to let our children see faith that is alive and real—which reflects the True God who exists apart from our imaginations.

Is there a way to approach the Old Testament with our children in a fascinating and dimensional way? Elissa encourages us to teach Old Testament stories on three different levels.

Elissa talks with Alisa Rakich-Brooks, author of Let There Be Light, the first in a new series of Orthodox children's books, about how our children are experiencing the relationship between religion and science and steps we might take to frame scientific inquiry in an Orthodox light.

Elissa interviews Jenny Stasinopoulos, the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries at the GOA Metropolis of Denver about a big change she made this year at Camp Emmanuel. Perhaps we should all consider innovative ways to empower our kids to take responsibility for their own faith lives!

Elissa and her Tending the Garden of Our Hearts co-author, Kristina Wenger, discuss the nuts and bolts of their new book of daily Lenten meditations for Families and their ongoing Tending the Garden podcast, including how the meditations can be adjusted for use in church school classrooms.

Fr. Michael encourages us to trust that God, as our coach, will teach us to float and to swim, knowing that He is our teacher, and His hands are beneath us.

Fr. Michael talks about how our thoughts influence our lives. "This is success: to become by grace a God-filled human being, to become all that God has called us to be."

Fr. Michael shares his thoughts, and St. Isaac the Syrian's thoughts, about theosis.

Fr. Michael uses the examples of the Prodigal Son and the Wise Thief to talk about unity and freedom.

Fr. Michael shares about discernment. "We all have to begin where we are, with the limited ability and grace we have.... If we follow what we know, maybe God will reveal to us some of what we do not know."

Fr. Michael reflects on a recent public-transit pilgrimage.

Fr. Michael shares about his experience with the first ever Antiochian Orthodox youth camp in western Canada.

Fr. Michael talks about the changeability of our bodies in our endeavor to live in holiness. "We may be a mess, but we are God's mess, and He loves us."

Fr. Michael continues his discussion from last week. "We should not teach our children that anything outside us can defile us.... The defilement is already in our hearts and what we avoid, we avoid because it stirs up the disordered passions of my heart."

Fr. Michael shares from St. Isaac the Syrian. "St. Isaac advises us that when we find ourselves confronting either tedium or despondency, we need to call to mind why we are doing what we are doing. Why do I pray? Why do I read my bible? Why do I do any spiritual discipline that I do? I do it because I desire the hidden, spiritual realities. I desire to know God. St. Isaac tells us that we must allow this desire to generate expectation in us: expectation that God will come to my aid, expectation that soon something hidden will indeed be revealed to me; expectation that this simple act of being diligent and hanging in there will indeed bear fruit."

Probably the most controversial teaching of St. Isaac the Syrian is his teaching on Gehenna, or hell. Homily 27 begins with the following statement and explanation of St. Isaac’s thoughts on sin, Gehenna, and death: "Sin, Gehenna, and death do not exist at all with God, for they are effects [or acts], not substances."