Elissa and her Tending the Garden of Our Hearts co-author, Kristina Wenger, discuss the nuts and bolts of their new book of daily Lenten meditations for Families and their ongoing Tending the Garden podcast, including how the meditations can be adjusted for use in church school classrooms.

Tending the Garden at Home and in the Classroom

Inspired by the Serbian Orthodox custom of Krsna Slava, Elissa suggests that American convert families consider adopting a feast day for their Little Churches!

All-American Slava

Jenny Stasinopoulos

Elissa interviews Jenny Stasinopoulos, the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries at the GOA Metropolis of Denver about a big change she made this year at Camp Emmanuel. Perhaps we should all consider innovative ways to empower our kids to take responsibility for their own faith lives!

Handing over the Reins with Jenny Stasinopoulos

We tell them that God is Love, but do we go a step further and teach them what it means to actually love other people? Literally, how do we show love? I think we assume that people know that already, but maybe they don't—or maybe we could do better.

Can We Teach How to Love Your Neighbor?

Elissa updates the Raising Saints audience on some new projects they might find interesting, and establishes a new plan for the future of Raising Saints.

Welcome to Chapter Two - Catching Up

Elissa takes a look at a question from a friend: How do we handle it when an older child doesn't want to go to church? Can't we just worship from home? Why does it matter and how do you teach that?

When Kids Don’t Like Church

Elissa talks with Alisa Rakich-Brooks, author of Let There Be Light, the first in a new series of Orthodox children's books, about how our children are experiencing the relationship between religion and science and steps we might take to frame scientific inquiry in an Orthodox light.

Let There Be Light: Science, Orthodoxy, and our Youth

Our culture shies away from death, but every year, as we Orthodox participate in Holy Week and Pascha, we recalibrate our relationship with death. We face death squarely, and we enter into grief and find that Christ conquers death.

Holy Week: Entering into Grief

In honor of Parenting Month at Ancient Faith, Raising Saints is flipping it around: instead of talking about how adults can feed the faith of children, we're considering the impact this process has on the parents, and the many ways in which raising saints can transform one into a saint.

Parenting: Struggling Toward Salvation

Is there a way to approach the Old Testament with our children in a fascinating and dimensional way? Elissa encourages us to teach Old Testament stories on three different levels.

Bringing Old Testament Stories to Life, and to Our Lives

Educating Our Youth in the Orthodox Faith, Both at Home and in the Parish - "Raising Saints" offers tools to equip adults to share the Orthodox Christian faith with children, shaping the way in which our youth understand their lives.

This is my favorite Orthodox podcast! So deep yet applicable. I love how Elissa explains things and shares how to explain things to children. It has helped me as a Christian and a mother. Thank you so much!

A must for parents!

Raising Saints

Elissa explains how to use the baking of prosphora to talk with children about theosis, which she calls "the meaning of life."

Prosphora and Theosis

When teaching Orthodoxy to children, our goal is not just to make sure that our kids know things about our faith, but rather to shepherd them in their faith. So how do we do that? Elissa shares a few ideas.

Lessons Kids Keep

Elissa discusses Orthodox marriage and parenting, focusing particularly on how both involve dying to self.

The Life-Giving Cross: Marriage and Parenting

How do you make fasting a beautiful and natural part of your home?

Fasting as a Family

Elissa addresses the little church of the family unit, reminding us that learning to live the Faith shouldn't stop during the summer.

The Little Church in Your House

Christian Gonzalez

Elissa interviews Christian Gonzalez, the California deanery youth director of the Antiochian Diocese of Los Angeles and the West, about how we need to rethink our approach to ministering to our youth.

Christian Gonzalez on Youth Ministry

Elissa discusses the story of Abraham and Isaac and her favorite prayer for children.

Praying for Our Children II: In God’s Hands

Elissa shares the wisdom of the newly canonized St. Porphyrios with regard to raising up children.

Praying for Our Children I: St. Porphyrios

Elissa offers some suggestions for guiding children through death and dying.

Death and Dying: Talking to Kids

Elissa reminds us that if God were fair, we would be in big trouble.

That’s Not Fair!

Elissa offers some suggestions for teaching children about the purpose of fasting.

Teaching Why We Fast

Elissa shares how to use the lives of the Saints to combat children's fears.

Halloween and St. Cyprian

Elissa reminds us that Satan is real and we should discuss him with our kids.

The Devil

If we are always busy and noisy, we cannot hear the voice of God.

Stillness

Elissa is tired of being caught between Christmas and Nativity. Are you?

Merry Christmas!

Elissa reminds us that good stewardship heals our relationship to money and other possessions.

Whole-Hearted Stewardship

Elissa asks, "If the devil's goal is to isolate us from each other and to make us miserable, do you think he is for or against tattling?"

Tattletale

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