The Assembly of Bishops has designated this coming June 9 as Prison MInistry Awareness Sunday for all Orthodox Churches. With this in mind, we interview Dn. Jeff Smith, the leader of the Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM) team at the state prison in Concord, Massachusetts. Click here to learn how you can support OCPM or call 610-777-1552.

Bobby Maddex, Operations Manager of Ancient Faith Radio, interviews John Maddex, the CEO of Conciliar Media Ministries, about the recent electrical storm here in Chesterton, IN, that incapacitated our streaming music station. Can you help us with the funds needed to make sure that this situation never occurs again? We would really appreciate it!

Bobby Maddex interviews John Maddex again to get an update on the streaming music station. Special thanks to our anonymous donor who sent us $3,000 to cover the remaining expenses on our new generator and surge protection system. The donation was made on behalf of St. Cyprian of Carthage Orthodox Church in Richmond, Virginia. Thanks be to God!

Attention all Orthodox homeschool families: There's a new resource available that could make your homeschooling curriculum more robust and meaningful! Bobby Maddex interviews Dr. James Taylor, the founder and director of St. Raphael Orthodox Online Homeschool.

One bishop per city or region is what the canons call for. Yet, here in North America we have multiple bishops in one location. The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops are working to correct that, and today we speak with Proto-Deacon Peter Danilchick who is the liaison for the Canonical Regional Planning Committee. Learn about the importance of this task and how long it will take to get it done. For more information on this issue, we refer to you our documentary section - Unravelling Chambesy.

IOCC US Country Representative Dan Christopulos and volunteer Michael Claypool tell us about the training program happening this week in Denver for IOCC volunteers to prepare them for emergency response here in the United States.

In honor of the 75th anniversary of St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, Bobby Maddex interviews Fr. John Behr, the Dean of the school, about what it means when we talk about an Orthodox theological education and why it is important.

Bobby Maddex interviews Michelle Lemon, a Senior Program Officer at International Relief and Development (IRD). The Cultural Heritage program of IRD is currently working to restore a number of Serbian Orthodox Churches in Kosovo, and they need your assistance!

Bobby Maddex interviews Maria Sheehan, the manager of the new Patriarch Tikhon Choir, an American professional choir dedicated to the performance of Orthodox Christian sacred music that is conducted by Maestro Vladimir Gorbik.

His Grace Bishop Basil joins us to talk about the next meeting of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops September 17-19 in Greater Chicago.

We talk with Fr. Peter Jackson, newly appointed OCMC missionary to Guatemala following the mass conversion of 150,000 people into the Orthodox Church. Learn about his work in training clergy and translating liturgical documents for the 300+ churches and eight priests.

We talk with Nicholas Chakos, the Executive Director of FOCUS North America, and Theodora Polamalu, wife of Pittsburgh Steeler Troy Polamalu, about "Operation Lace Up," a new initiative to provide shoes to children who cannot afford them, as well as FOCUS's Pittsburgh Health Center and "Tackle Poverty" campaign.

We talk with Richard Barrett, Artistic Director for the St. John of Damascus Society about an ambitious project to create a musical setting for the Vesperal Psalm (103/104) blending the various Orthodox music styles. This will eventually be a video presentation including beautiful images from creation. This was launched through a Kickstarter fund raising campaign.

In honor of the 75th anniversary of St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, Bobby Maddex interviews Fr. Thomas Hopko, Dean Emeritus of St. Vlad's, about the history and early days of the school.

Bobby Maddex interviews Seraphim Hanisch, the Director of Little Spot Productions, a mobile, on-site, studio-level recording company.

AFR talks with Dr. Maria Khoury about what it is like to live as a Christian within the barricaded walls of the West Bank of Israel. Visit the web site of her parish - St. George Greek Orthodox Church of Taybeh.

Noted author, speaker, and podcaster Frederica Mathewes-Green joins us to talk about a documentary film project on her life and work as a former feminist and now Orthodox Christian. Learn how you can support this project here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/basilicaproductions/frederica-the-life-and-work-of-frederica-mathewes

Bobby Maddex interviews Dr. Nicholas Reeves, assistant professor of liturgical music at St. Vladimir’s Seminary, and Dr. Peter Bouteneff, an associate professor of systematic theology at St. Vlad’s, about an upcoming concert at Carnegie Hall featuring the music of Arvo Pärt.

Bobby Maddex interviews Christiana Roulakis, the Director of Development at Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM), about Blessings Beyond Bars, OCPM's new Lenten youth project to teach children and young adults about prison ministry.

Bobby Maddex interviews Dr. James Taylor, the founder and director of the St. Raphael Orthodox Online Home School. The school has just finished its first year of operation, and registration has begun for the summer session, which will feature four new course offerings.

Bobby Maddex interviews Ben Anderson, the author of a new series of Orthodox Christian fantasy novels called The McGunnegal Chronicles.

Fr. Edward Hughes and Fr. John Fenton join us to talk about the Western Rite of the Orthodox Church as well as an upcoming conference where you can learn more and experience Western Rite services.

Bobby Maddex interviews David Jennings and Tanya Keenan, the organizers of Doxacon Seattle 2014, an Orthodox conference dedicated to science fiction and fantasy in all of their various forms.

Bobby Maddex interviews Presbytera Renee Ritsi, Assistant Teams Director and Healthcare Coordinator for the Orthodox Christian Mission Center, about some mission team opportunities for both this year and 2015.

Bobby Maddex interviews Gerasimos Kambites, the author of Tears on the Equator, the incredible true story of an interracial Orthodox couple's failed attempt to enact faith, progress, unity, love, and sustainable development in Uganda. That they would fail was inevitable, but that they would survive in a real and mystical way is the story's hidden treasure.

Once again, Bobby Maddex interviews Dr. James Taylor, the founder and director of the St. Raphael Orthodox Online Homeschool. It's not too late to register for the fall term!

Learn about schools being built in Africa by the St. Nektarios Education Fund and IOCC. We chat with board chairman Fr. Evan Armatas, board member Olga Payne, and IOCC Development Director Billy Brown. You can also view a slide presentation of the work being done.

Ancient Faith Radio presents Frederica Mathewes-Green speaking at the second annual Pan-Orthodox Sanctity of Life Sunday Presentation. The presentation was sponsored by the Orthodox Christian Clergy Association of Greater Chicago and took place at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Cicero, Illinois.

Today on the program we feature a lecture by Fr. Stanley Harakas, the Archbishop Iakovos Professor of Orthodox Theology, Emeritus, at Holy Cross, given at the first annual Anne and Theodore Phillips Paschal Lecture Series in Chicago, Illinois.

On a new Ancient Faith Presents, Fr. Anthony Michaels, priest at St. John Chrysostom Antiochian Orthodox Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana, speaks at the Fall Diocesan Meeting of the Antiochian Diocese of Toledo. The lecture is titled "Iconography, Iconoclasm, and the Theology of Personhood."

In this special episode of Ancient Faith Presents, Tim Prattas, an assistant for the Department of Greek Education in the Greek Community of Toronto, delivers a Lenten lecture to St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Winnipeg, Canada. The talk is titled “Mission at Home: Reaching Out to Your Local Community.”

Bobby Maddex interviews Lesia Maruschak of Studio IKONA, an art gallery in Ottawa, Canada, that will soon be hosting a four-day symposium titled Byzantium, which will feature the sacred art of Georgios Kordis and benefit the charity cure: blood cancer.

Bobby Maddex interviews George Matsoukas, the Executive Director of Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL), and Alexei Krindatch, the Research Coordinator of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America, about the upcoming OCL Program Meeting at St. Vladimir's Seminary.

Fr. Eugen Pentiuc joins us to talk about his new book The Old Testament in the Eastern Orthodox Tradition. Fr. Eugen is one of the speakers at the upcoming OCAMPR Conference at Holy Cross Seminary.

Fr. Thomas Zain, Vicar General of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, joins us to talk about the upcoming enthronement of Metropolitan Joseph on December 6, 2014, in Brooklyn. More information is available at the Antiochian web site.

Bobby Maddex interviews Presvytera Kerry Pappas, the Coordinator for Seminarian and Clergy Couple Care of the Center for Family Care of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, about an upcoming conference on marriage titled "Oneness: Growing and Protecting the Blessed Communion."

The Orthodox Churches of Genesee County held a joint Adult Education/Lecture Event on September 25, 2014. The guest speaker was Bishop Alexander (Golitsin) of the Bulgarian Diocese of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). (Transcript attached as a pdf.)

On this special episode of Ancient Faith Presents, Mother Abbess Gabriella speaks at the Third Annual Winter Dinner to support Holy Dormition of the Mother of God Monastery in Rives Junction, Michigan. Her talk is titled “Thoughts: A Monastic Perspective.”

Fr. Stephen Powley, the Executive Director of Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry, speaks at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church in Livonia, Michigan.

Ancient Faith Radio presents His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Kenya speaking at the 2015 Orthodox Christian Mission Center benefit, sponsored by OCMC Mission Team Chicago. The benefit was held on February 19 at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Des Plaines, Illinois.

On this special edition of Ancient Faith Presents, Fr. Evan Armatas, Priest at St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church in Loveland, Colorado, and the host of the live call-in program Orthodoxy Live, speaks at a Clean Monday Retreat at St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church in Greenwood Village. The title of his talk is “God’s Call and Our Response.”

Bobby Maddex interviews Erin Moulton, Alexandra Weber, and Symeon Magnusson of the Orthodox Christian Translation Society.

Our thanks to His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph for the generous amount of time he gave us in his office in Englewood, NJ for this open and honest interview. Hear his assessment of his first several months as Metropolitan as well as an understanding of his commitment to the Mother Church of Antioch, and his views on Orthodox unity.

We interview Fr. Moses Berry about the annual Ancient Christianity conference sponsored by The Brotherhood of St. Moses the Black. The dates are May 30 - Jun 1 in the Ash Grove/Springfield, MO, area.

In this special edition of Ancient Faith Presents, we hear two timely interviews related to same-sex marriage. They both discuss the same topic: an Orthodox priest who will no longer sign marriage licenses issued by his state. Find out why as Kevin Allen interviews Fr. Patrick Reardon, followed by another interview with Terry Mattingly conducted by a Lutheran radio program (Issues, Etc.).

Interview with Mother Gabriella at Holy Dormition Monastery in Rives Junction, MI.

Bobby Maddex interviews Dr. Stephen Turley, the author of the book Awakening Wonder: A Classical Guide to Truth, Goodness, and Beauty, published by Classical Education Press.

Mr. Samer Laham, Director of Ecumenical Relations for the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch in Damascus, Syria, joins us today to share a firsthand account of the dire situation inside his homeland. Learn how IOCC is working with the Patriarchate to bring relief.

Bobby Maddex interviews David Jennings, Tanya Keenan, and Tim Brown, the organizers of this year’s Doxacon Seattle conference, an Orthodox gathering for those interested in science fiction and fantasy. The event will take place July 17-19 at South Seattle College and is sponsored by Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church (OCA) in Tacoma, WA.

Bobby Maddex interviews Fr. Justin Mathews, the Executive Director of Reconciliation Services, and Tewfi Mulatu, the Project Manager of Reconciliation Services' new Digital Reconciliation Project.