Raising Saints

Elissa encourages us to allow this season—the beginning of the new school year—to be one that sanctifies us and changes us for the better.

Elissa demonstrates how the idea of the monastery is a very useful illustration to help all of us, especially our youth, understand how to be Orthodox in this world.

Elissa explains how to use images from existing pre-communion prayers to help children prepare themselves for the Holy Mysteries.

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

Elissa encourages us to develop a vocabulary to communicate the significance of prayer in terms children can understand and then offer opportunities to put it into practice.

Elissa explains that the purpose of her podcast is to present ideas for educating our youth in the Orthodox faith—to identify new ways to talk about ancient Truths.

Elissa shares with us how to get our kids to the place where their worldview is totally dependent on the Christian story.

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.

Elissa reminds us that we are temples of God, meant to light up and become a lamp for the world.

Elissa shares some of the youth-centric traditions of her home parish with regard to Holy Week and Pascha.