In this New Year episode, Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony challenge the casual habit of saying “my church” by

reframing ecclesial identity: the Church is of God—not our possession, but the place to which we belong,

purchased by Christ’s blood (Acts 20) and built as a household on the apostolic foundation with Christ as

cornerstone (Eph. 2:18–20). They trace how the Church’s catholic “wholeness” is Trinitarian—the Body

of Christ, the temple of the Holy Spirit, and the people of the Father—made real through baptism,

chrismation, and the Eucharist. Along the way, they clarify Christ’s unique mediation (mesitēs), show

why the Church can be called “of Christ” without diminishing the Trinity, and close with Theophany’s

vivid sacramental imagery—especially the ancient practice of breathing/blowing over the waters as

participation, not mere remembrance.

As parishes grow, the priest-and-everyone model that once felt like “family” can become unsustainable—especially in catechesis, confession, and pastoral care. Fr. Anthony and Fr. Harry explore practical tools (from scheduling systems to mentoring structures) and historical models of catechesis to show why “one size fits all” is neither Orthodox nor realistic. The goal is not efficiency for its own sake, but discernment: building ministries that preserve intimacy, prevent burnout, and help every member find their calling as the parish moves into a new season. Enjoy the show!

Recorded in person during a seminary week at South Bound Brook, Fr. Anthony Perkins and Fr.

Harry Linsenbigler reflect on two passages from In Every Church (p. 78) to clarify how Christ

“fills” every ministry in the Church—from the faithful to readers, deacons, presbyters, and

bishops—without making ordination a ladder of personal holiness. They challenge a common

misreading (including selective appeals to Pseudo-Dionysius) that treats ecclesial rank as a

holiness metric, instead, grounding the Church’s true unity in the liturgy’s confession that “One

is holy” and in the equal reception of Christ in Holy Communion. Finally, they frame clerical

fatherhood as a derivative grace rather than a personal possession, urging vigilance against pride

and despondency, and calling parishes to a shared culture of mutual support so that every

vocation—ordained or lay—can be exercised as service within the royal priesthood of the faithful.

Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony explore how internet culture, consumerism, and disincarnate “platforms” distort Orthodox teaching and tempt all of us to become unappointed theologians. Drawing on Metropolitan Saba, Thinking Orthodox, St. James 3, and St. John Climacus, they unpack why theology must remain ecclesial, relational, and local—discerned and bounded within the life of the parish and the wider Church. They conclude with a pastoral call for accountability in online ministry and for internet engagement that flows out of real parish life, gratitude for one’s bishop and priest, and a deeper commitment to becoming saints together face to face.

In this episode, Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony unpack how a truly sacramental worldview means that

the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church is concretely instantiated in your particular parish—

with its people, culture, limits, and gifts. They caution against importing personal preferences

based on previous experiences and monastic or on-line ideals into parish life, urging charity,

patience, and attentive listening (their “Kentucky windage”) so that real formation in Christ

happens as it should; i.e. through local, embodied relationships

Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony turn to 1 Corinthians 11 to explore the meaning of head coverings in the Church. They show how St. Paul’s teaching addressed cultural practices in Corinth that threatened unity, reminding us that customs should serve modesty, harmony, and love rather than become points of pride or contention. In the end, they emphasize that whatever practices we keep must help build up the Body of Christ in faith and unity. Enjoy the show!

In response to a listener’s question, Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony explore the role of women in the life of the Church, from family and parish life to broader questions of ministry. They distinguish between the ordained priesthood, reserved for men, and the universal royal priesthood shared equally by all the baptized, emphasizing that men and women alike bring unique gifts and callings into the Body of Christ. Drawing on Scripture, the Fathers, and pastoral wisdom, they stress the need for discernment, humility, and submission within the Church, while warning against cultural influences and online divisiveness that distort ecclesial life. Enjoy the show!

Fr. Harry Linson Bigler and Fr. Anthony Perkins reflect on recent tragedies, including the anniversary of 9/11 and the assassination of Charlie Kirk, to explore how the Church prepares us for death. They discuss the difference between modern avoidance of death and the Church’s ancient practices, showing how prayer, liturgy, and the lives of the saints form us to face mortality with peace and faith. Drawing on Scripture, the funeral services, and examples of martyrdom, they remind us that bodily death is not defeat but a passage into eternal life in Christ.

Fathers Harry and Anthony explore the many names of the Church in the New Testament and liturgy, showing how each reveals her identity as the Body of Christ and the household of God. They highlight the call to protect the Church’s fullness through humility, unity, and faithful participation in Christ’s kingdom.

Fr. Harry and Fr. Anthony begin their exploration of the many names of the Church found in the New Testament, emphasizing its identity as the Body of Christ and its sacramental fullness in every local parish. They warn of spiritual dangers—wolves among the flock—and reflect on the difference between harmful divisiveness and mere imperfection within the Church, drawing on parables like the wheat and the tares. Their discussion culminates in a beautiful meditation on the Eucharist as the eschatological gathering of the faithful, uniting heaven and earth in the present moment. Enjoy the show!