Source: Union of Orthodox Journalists Author: Michael W. Davis Last week, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem condemned Christian Zionism. This is long overdue. Christian Zionism is a dangerous and heretical ideology. It distorts the clear teaching of Scripture and the Fathers: that the Church, not the Zionist state, is the true Israel of God. Worse yet, it leads Christians in the West to ignore—or even cheer on—the eradication of indigenous Christian communities in the Holy Land. On January 17, 2026, the Council of Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem—including the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III—released…
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Source: Orthodox Volunteer Corps The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America has blessed the last Sunday of January as Volunteer Sunday, raising awareness about OVC. We invite you to celebrate with us on January 25. Would you help us share this ministry with your parish? To assist, please click this link to find the following materials to share with your parish: Sample Announcement to make at the end of Liturgy, if there is not an OVC rep present Two Bulletin Inserts to choose from Color w/ Photo or Black & White Text One page to print with QR…
Source: Orthodox Observer Today, Jan. 13, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople issued a response to an aggressive polemic released a day earlier by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). The Ecumenical Patriarchate characterized the accusations directed at Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew as baseless and unworthy of engagement. In its responding communiqué, the Ecumenical Patriarchate recalled that since its 2018 decision to proclaim the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, it has deliberately chosen not to reply to the steady stream of similar attacks emanating from political and ecclesiastical circles within the Russian Federation. That principled restraint, it stressed, continues to guide…
Source: SUPRASL: A World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth On the Feast of Theophany (new calendar), in honor of what would have been his 76th birthday, Suprasl: A World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth has established the Fr. John Matusiak Scholarship & Sustainability Fund. This fund honors the profound legacy of Archpriest John Matusiak – a tireless servant, visionary youth worker, and the founder of the original Suprasl Summer Institute (1994–2002). His life was a testament to the words of St. Paul: “By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain.” Fr.…
Source: Department of Stewardship, Outreach and Evangelism | Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Adapted from an article by Rev. Dr. Charles Joanides, Ph.D., LMF “When I converted to the Orthodox Church, I was helped by two people who took me in hand and helped me integrate into the Church and the community. In a few years, I was completely integrated into both. I don’t know what I would have done without them. They are my best friends. I urge you to emphasize my experience in one of your columns to help converts become integrated.” ~An E-mail respondent~ Like the individual quoted…
Source: Church Roadmap Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I have not communicated with you for the past three years because I have been deeply immersed in doctoral church research with a singular focus on identifying how to help parishes thrive and not merely survive. I emerge from that research with a clear conclusion: Your parish’s root cause challenges are solvable. If your parish has a clear long-term vision and plan, achieved complete financial stewardship independence from festivals & fundraisers, and if you have abundant ministries and volunteers, well-trained leadership, and growing sacramental and liturgical participation – Glory to God!…
Source: Union of Orthodox Journalists “Moses the Black,” Yelena Popovic’s follow-up to her 2021 film about the life of St. Nektarios of Aegina, “Man of God,” is set to release in theaters on January 30, 2026. This time, the movie will be set in modern day, with stars such as Omar Epps, Wiz Khalifa, Quavo, and producer Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson being involved in the project, which tells the story of a Chicago gangster who is inspired by St. Moses the Black’s ancient story of repentance. In an interview with the Union of Orthodox Journalists of America, Popovic speaks about…
Source: Rod Dreher’s Diary The Irish monk St. Columba, who died in 597, brought Christianity to Scotland, first by establishing a monastery on the Isle of Iona. That monastery was repeatedly attacked by Vikings in following centuries, and monastic life eventually died out. Among the Orthodox, there is a tradition that Columba prophesied the eventual desolation of monastic life on Iona, but said it would return shortly before the Second Coming of Christ. (For the record, I read that this alleged prophecy does not appear in the Life Of St. Columba, circa 697, which collected the wonderworking saint’s prophecies.) If the…
Source: Suprasl When you hear the phrase “Mind the Gap,” you might think of the London Underground. For us at SUPRASL, it is a sacred charge: to acknowledge the divides in our world, our Church, and our hearts, and to fill them with Christ’s love. We have chosen this as our theme because it most accurately describes the work we have to do in the Church today. This call is urgent. Today, young people are arriving in Orthodox communities in unprecedented numbers, seeking authenticity, beauty, and healing from an anxious age. Yet parishes often feel unprepared. Conversions can be lonely, and…
Source: Orthodox Church in America Reflections in Christ by Fr. Alexander Schmemann About the Author Protobresbyter Alexander Schmemann (1921-1983) was born in Estonia to Russian émigrés. As a child he moved to PaFrance. He taught for a time in Paris, and came to America in 1951 to teach at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. He was dean of the seminary from 1962 until his death in 1983. An Urgent Issue No one would deny that the clergy-laity issue in our church here in America is both an urgent and confused one. It is urgent because the progress of the church…
Source: Assembly of Bishops: Inter-Parish Associations With great joy, the Assembly of Bishops’ Inter-Parish Associations ministry announces the establishment of 6 new Inter-Parish Associations in 2025. These areas include: Denver, Colorado Indianapolis, Indiana Northern New Jersey Manhattan, New York City Worcester, Massachusetts Youngstown, Ohio Inter-Parish Associations promote communication, camaraderie, and cooperation across Orthodox Christian parishes of all jurisdictions in a given geographical area. They are local (city/town level), parishes are the Members, and their leadership includes both clergy and laity. Their purpose is to break down barriers across Orthodox Christian jurisdictions and, as a unified Orthodox Christian community, witness Christ’s…