Eastern Orthodox Christian catechesis in audio and text forms

Feasts Of The Lord
Feasts Of The Theotokos
Lives Of Saints
Orthodox Worship
Orthopraxis
Prayers Of The Church
Prayers Of The Church Lenten Prayers

Feasts Of The Lord

Feasts Of The Theotokos

  • Feasts Of The Theotokos (mp3 format)
  • Dormition
    After Liturgy Short Talk
    2010
    SYNOPSIS:A short talk about the Dormition of the Theotokos.
    • Dormition means falling asleep
    • The Story.
    • A balanced view.
    • The intercession of the Theotokos.
    • Heresies about the Theotokos:
      • The heresy of the Theotokos as "co-mediatrix"
      • The heresies of The "Immaculate Conception" and "Original Sin" are discussed at length. VERY IMPORTANT!
    • The ever-virginity of the Theotokos explained.

Lives Of Saints

  • Lives Of Saints (mp3 format)
  • Holy Prophet and King David, Joseph the Betrothed, James The Just, the Brother of the Lord
    Commemorated on the Sunday after Theophany.
    2011
    SYNOPSIS:A homily describing on the Eve of the Sunday after Nativity during matins, describing the Holy Prophet and King David, Joseph the Betrothed, James The Just, the Brother of the Lord. Why are these saints commemorated near to Nativity? What do they teach us about the Nativity?

Orthodox Worship

  • Orthodox Worship (Adobe PDF format)
  • Temple Design
    A tour of our temple and explanation of the symbolism and meaning of various parts of it.
    2010
    Also in Format: mp3
    SYNOPSIS:A talk during our first "Visitor Sunday" by Reader David Hawthorne, giving a tour of the temple and explaining the symbolism of various parts of it, with many scriptural citations. The pdf document accompaning this talk is chock full of information about an Orthodox temple, and supplements the talk.
  • Orthodox Worship (mp3 format)
  • Icons Theology,symbolism
    Holy Fathers Of The Seventh Ecumenical Council
    2010
    SYNOPSIS:An after liturgy talk about the Holy Fathers Of The Seventh Ecumenical Council, and icons. The major contribution of this council, the reasons for iconoclasm (one of the reasons is Islam), parallels to today, the major theological "statement" of icons, and a little about symbolism in icons, such as their being in 2 dimensions and having "unrealistic" details, the meaning of a cross or gospels in an icon, and the appearance of Jesus in icons with the Virgin Mary.

Orthopraxis

  • Orthopraxis (Word DOC format)
  • Baptism And Emergency Baptism
    2010
    Also in Format: mp3
    SYNOPSIS:a Short talk about the minimum requirements for baptism, and emergency baptism, which is a baptism performed withot a priest when a person is in danger of immanent death. Who can perform this baptism, how should it be done, and what must be done after the baptism is performed. The text is an outline of the talk.
  • Orthopraxis (mp3 format)
  • Entering The Church
    2010
    SYNOPSIS:What should we do when we enter the church for the first time that day? Discussion of bows (poklons), prostrations, and venerating icons in church.
  • Orthopraxis (HTML format)
  • Offering Prosphora
    Proskimidia,service Of Preparation
    2010
    Also in Format: Word DOC or mp3
    SYNOPSIS:A short talk on prosphora, which follows the text outline pretty closely. What is prosphora? Styles of Prosphora. How and when is prosphora used? Important pastoral notes, explaining the meaning of commemoration at proskimidie and how to offer prosphora the best way, and local notes about offering prosphora at St Nicholas.
  • Orthopraxis (mp3 format)
  • Oil
    2010
    SYNOPSIS:Oil is used in many ways in the church. This short talk describes chrism, the "oil of gladness", and other uses for oil.
  • Orthopraxis (mp3 format)
  • The Four Bows
    2010
    SYNOPSIS:The "Four Bows" - a simple set of prayers that should begin the day for everyone. Excellent for children. Also descibed in the article The Four bows
  • Orthopraxis (Word DOC format)
  • Three Questions About The Cross regarding the sign of the cross,prostrations on sunday and ,venerating the cross or any icon in church
    2010
    Also in Format: mp3
  • Orthopraxis (Adobe PDF format)
  • To Pray For Someone More Diligently
    Prayer Of St Silouan Of Mount Athos For All People
    2010
    Also in Format: Word DOC or mp3
    SYNOPSIS:Two prayers that everyone should have for their personal prayer rule. The prayer of St Silouan is especially important. St Silouan prayed for all the people of the world. This is a sure sign of love. We must cultivate habits that build this kind of love. The audio explains a little about these prayers and quotes them. The word document contains these two prayers. It can be printed and cut into quarters to have 4 sheets with both prayers.
  • Orthopraxis (mp3 format)
  • Fall Stewardship Campaign Part 1
    Stewardship And Loving Our Neighbor
    2010
    by Deacon Nicholas Park
  • Orthopraxis (mp3 format)
  • Fall Stewardship Campaign Part 3
    Giving Our Fruits Must Happen To Increase Our Faith
    2 Corinthians 8:12 Deuteronomy 14:22-23
    2010
    SYNOPSIS:What I want as your pastor is that everyone gives to the church. The amount is not a critical thing to me. What is critical to me, as your pastor, is that you give of your fruits to God and it will increase your faith. I know this to be true in my own lie and the lives of many I have counseled...
  • Orthopraxis (mp3 format)
  • Fall Stewardship Campaign Part 4
    Make Your Vows And Pay Them To The Lord Our God
    Psalm 75:10
    2010
    SYNOPSIS:Psalm 75:10, "Make your vows and pay them to the Lord our God", was the prokeimenon for today. Reader David Hawthorne shares how this verse is very timely for our community, and reads a portion of a commentary from Blessed Augustine and briefly expounds upon it. The point is: we must make some vow to the Lord, even if it is a "widow's mite", to gain spiritual discipline in our lives.
  • Orthopraxis (Word DOC format)
  • Nativity Fast
    Fasting Typikon. Why fast?
    2010
    Also in Format: mp3
    SYNOPSIS:A short talk on the Nativity Fast, on the day the fast began. The Nativity Fast and Great Lent Compared, Nativity Fasting Typikon, Fasting until the Ninth Hour, Why Fast? How does the fast apply to you? (Office parties,Family,The Belly,Prayer,Almsgiving,If you do not fast well). The outline was used in the talk.
  • Sanctity Of Life Sunday - Christians Must Not Accept Abortion And Sexual Immorality Being Redefined (HTML format)
  • 2011
    Also in Format: Word DOC or mp3
    SYNOPSIS:Excerpt: ...I want to tell you that as a Christian, you must not allow the times to influence you. Right now we are in the midst of the rewriting of language; even "God" means something different now than it did only a few years ago, and "Christian" means something different. Now, there are those that say that: You can be a Christian and be pro choice; You can be a Christian and abort your child; You can be a Christian and be a practicing unrepentant homosexual. These things are not possible, brothers and sisters. You can be a Christian and be guilty of any sin and repent from it. You can be a Christian and be weak in some area of your life, maybe even for a long period of time, and struggle against this weakness. But you cannot be a Christian and give in wholly to the way of the times and believe: That one can be pro-choice and that it is correct for a woman to take that which is in her womb, a human being created in the image and likeness of God, and kill it. ...
  • Orthopraxis (mp3 format)
  • How To Prepare For Confession
    2011
    SYNOPSIS:A short talk on how to prepare for confession. Some of it is not what you might expect, but several practical items are mentioned.

Prayers Of The Church

Prayers Of The Church Lenten Prayers


Redeeming the Time

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St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church, McKinney, Texas