Forgiveness in the Light of the Resurrection

Center for Family Care

May 20, 2019

We are made in the image and likeness of God, which means we are made to be like God. As Trinity, God is three persons, meaning He Himself is in perfect relationship—with Himself. Since we are made to be like God, we are also called to have perfect relationships with each other and with God. We attain perfect relationships by loving each other. When we fail to act in love, we sin, and when we sin we have the opportunity to reconcile with God and each other through forgiveness. Read More
A Family’s Spiritual Toolbox

Center for Family Care

May 15, 2019

As we are filled with the radiant light of the Resurrection, we look forward and also look back. By looking back on our Lenten journey, we realize our family has grown in strength and endurance through the struggles we overcame together. As we look forward to the future, we strive to continue using the tools that Lent has given us to grow in spiritual maturity, together as a family, in our continued journey ahead. Read More
The Power of a Mother’s Prayer

Center for Family Care

May 6, 2019

Saint John of the fourth century is a frequent source for reflection on family life in the twenty-first. His reverence for family rings clear across the centuries, and this is true especially in his appreciation for motherhood. Saint John elevated motherhood to something beyond the mundane, daily care of children and into the realm of spiritual significance. Directing his remarks at mothers, he said, “I mean, the children being born, provided they receive proper care and are brought up to virtue by your attention, prove a basis and occasion of complete salvation for you; and in addition to your own virtuous acts you will receive a great reward for your care of them” (Homily on Hannah, Old Testament Homilies by Robert Hill). Thus Chrysostom saw motherhood as a salvific opportunity, as a vocation that can lead to the heavenly reward. Read More
Christ Is Risen! Have We Forgiven?

Center for Family Care

May 1, 2019

You are sitting in church during the Resurrection service. It is virtually pitch black; the most notable exception is a single flicker of light from the altar. The warm sound of hymns fills the air, and the anticipation is building. You have been waiting for this moment for almost seven weeks—maybe, all year. Now the priest emerges from the sanctuary with a lit candle, chanting “Come, receive the light…” The once-dark space rapidly becomes aglow as the faithful eagerly accept and pass on the light. Read More
Soak Up the Son: Week 1

Center for Family Care

April 15, 2019

IT’S SUMMER! We bask in this wonderful time for family, friends, relaxing, and fun. It's a time for vacations from work and school. But there is one vacation we shouldn’t consider this summer—and that is from Church. Church should be the center of our lives throughout the year, and summer is no exception! So join us this summer as we #soakuptheSON. Read More
The Church in the Home

Center for Family Care

February 4, 2019

Where can young people experience God's love better than in a Christ-centered home? We need the home environment that includes parents, grandparents, and relatives to manifest this love of God. Learn about what a Church in the Home looks like. Read More
What is Family Ministry?

Center for Family Care

January 18, 2019

In the traditional sense, family is composed of the parents and children in a household all brought together by divine grace—the “domestic church.” Additionally, it must be understood that the Church—the body of Christ—constitutes a broader dimension of family through the very real spiritual relationship established through the baptism and chrismation that unites all of its members. We are all one family in Christ! Read More
Singing and Making Melody as a Family

Center for Family Care

January 7, 2019

What is the connection between music and our spiritual lives? The Bible is constantly referencing music as an integral part of worship. In Ephesians 5:19 we are called to speak to and worship God by “singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Read More
Family Resolutions: New Year, New You?

Center for Family Care

January 1, 2019

The beginning of January, the first month of the civil calendar, is a traditional time in our society when countless people take something of an inventory of their lives, resolving to implement changes in the hope of bringing about the desired effect. Read More
Christ's Family—Our Family

Center for Family Care

December 18, 2018

Christ wasn’t born into a perfect family but, rather, a fallen one—as we all are. His entry into the world was neither cute nor pretty—he was born in a cave filled with smelly animals and, shortly after, his family fled the country because of a jealous, murderous king. So the Christmas story indicates all sorts of imperfection and turmoil. Ultimately, it says that in the midst of our own brands of chaos, we should really be focused on the One born in a manger for our salvation. Read More
Strength Through Faith

Center for Family Care

November 6, 2018

With today’s common perceptions of what qualifies for being “strong,” we might be somewhat surprised to find an extraordinary example from a certain young girl from antiquity—one who was likely just a teenager. That is, however, exactly what we see when we look at the life of the Theotokos—strength in its most noble form. Read More
Raising Kids Who Care

Center for Family Care

October 24, 2018

How can we, as Orthodox Christians, help our children reveal, nurture and cultivate the love and empathy hidden within their hearts in a society plastered with messages of self-seeking and self-fulfillment? How can we raise children who will become adults with a desire to care for and serve others wholeheartedly? Read More
What to do to Prevent and Detect Child Abuse

Center for Family Care

October 17, 2018

As Orthodox Christian parents, we may find it difficult to address the topic of child abuse, especially regarding our own children’s well-being and safety. We may like to believe that our children are protected by our prayers and our Orthodox community, but in reality child abuse can happen to any child, anywhere. Read More
What's My Job?

Center for Family Care

October 7, 2018

If we wish to serve [the church], whether male or female, we must all find our gifts and use them to serve our communities. It is particularly important to help our daughters identify the work women do in their parish and to help them see the value and richness of ministry and service that women provide. Read More
Creating Your Parenting Plan

Center for Family Care

October 1, 2018

An effective Orthodox parenting plan dismisses worldly falsehoods such as the virtue of material possessions—wealth and the “child with the most toys wins” attitude—and instead brings forth a kingdom-focused approach that concentrates on eternal truths. By placing the proper focus with our families on humility, forgiveness and holiness, we are preparing them for God’s kingdom. Read More
Sharing in the Pain of Losing a Loved One

Center for Family Care

September 19, 2018

The loss of a loved one—whether a parent, a spouse, a child or a good friend—can be one of the most devastating and painful experiences in life. It is an unavoidable reality that all of us will experience at some point in our life’s journey. As the old saying goes, time heals. Yet my observation through the years is that time itself is not the solution. Read More
Engaging with the Visual Life of the Church

Center for Family Care

September 14, 2018

The Orthodox Faith contains within it a rich visual, aural and tactile world for both children and adults to explore. Our worship services are incredibly layered; they weave Scripture and song together into the dance of liturgy. Our iconography plays a key role in this liturgy by facilitating worship and revealing the basic principles of our Faith. Icons are a visual expression of our theology, bringing to life the hagiography of the saints and preaching the Gospel to all ages. Growing our children’s visual literacy and understanding of faith using icons is a powerful tool at our disposal. Read More
Soak Up the Son - Go Forth: Week 9

Center for Family Care

August 21, 2018

This summer we have explored some of the characteristics that allow us the grace to serve as witnesses of our faith. Take some time to reflect on what you have gained from the 2018 version of Soak Up the SON through writings or images. This summer we have explored some of the characteristics that allow us the grace to serve as witnesses of our faith. Take some time to reflect on what you have gained from the 2018 version of Soak Up the SON through writings or images. Read More
Soak Up the Son: Week 14

Center for Family Care

August 20, 2018

The significance of an Orthodox Christian’s regular participation in the sacrament of Holy Communion cannot be overstated. Having received the Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we are mystically united to Him and one another.also been set aside by the Ecumenical Patriarch as a special day of Protection for the Environment. During prayers this week, read Psalm 103 (104), which is read at the beginning of Vespers. Read More
Keeping Focus

Center for Family Care

August 11, 2018

How often do I sit at the feet of our Lord and attend to His every word? How can I expect to keep Him as my life’s center if I don’t really take time to focus on Him daily? I may say I don’t have time, but the fact is I am just disoriented—crashing into all sorts of things instead of focusing on God. Does this sound familiar? Read More