As uncomfortable as it may sound it’s just impossible for me to be saved. Of course, that begs the question “What do you mean by ‘saved’?” And that is the question, isn’t it?
In my old way of thinking being saved meant not going to hell when I died. Or, to put a more positive spin…
Fr. Barnabas Powell
I remember as a boy dreading recess at school. You see, I was a bit of a bookworm and not very athletic, and so when it came to be picked for teams, I was usually the kid who got picked last. Ugh! I hated that. It was embarrassing and it made me feel like a…
I struggle with road rage! There, I said it. I guess it comes from my years as a police officer, trained in the rules of the road, trained as a defensive drive and in high speed chases (very terrifying, by the way!) It just gets on my nerves when I see people not paying attention…
“Do you think this is funny? This is not a game, young man!” I had made the serious mistake of smiling while the coach was scolding me for messing up a play on the field. In my defense (it actually WAS a game!) I was reacting to being nervous. I have a bad habit of doing…
Salt has been used to preserve, season, and cure illness, and even used as currency in some cultures!
Even in our Orthodox cultures salt has been used to express hospitality and welcome. Several Orthodox traditions have salt as a gift when the bishop arrives at a parish. The bishop is met at the door of the…
Anne Frank wrote: Human greatness does not lie in wealth or power, but in character and goodness. But this is no new idea. The message of Jesus, especially at Christmas insists that true greatness has EVERYTHING to do with being willing to be weak for the sake of others!
We Christians say Jesus is God in…
Sometimes you have to wonder why we so easily miss it. You know, the obvious stuff that, once we see it, we wonder how we missed it in the first place! My girls like those puzzles where you are suppose to find the hidden pictures in a larger picture, but invariably I hear this little…
This past Sunday night, Fr. Barnabas made the big announcement that the Faith Encouraged LIVE Show on December 23rd will be the final show.
In 2014 we launched Faith Encouraged LIVE on Ancient Faith Radio and our very first show was about becoming a Welcoming Parish. Since then we’ve done 79 Faith Encouraged LIVE shows and we’ve talked…
Hey, we were kids! And it was Christmas morning AND our parents were still asleep AND it was a snow cone maker AND there was sugary syrup packets! What did you expect was going to happen? Well, let's just say that after THAT Christmas morning a general rule was firmly established: No opening presents UNTIL…
Listen to St. Poemen. "As far as you can, do some manual work so as to be able to give alms, for it is written that alms and faith purify from sin."
Why? Why does almsgiving and faith purify from sin?
By the way, this is a big deal!
Look at our Gospel Lesson for today in Mark…