“Opening the Old Wells”… This phrase is taken from the book of Genesis (Chapter 26). Somehow, this passage has always been quite special to me and has motivated our desire to share these ancient teachings with those whom God has brought into our (Kh. Dannie and me) life and...

Jeremiah 29:10-14 (Special note: The following is taken almost verbatim from a sermon which I delivered in January 1970 to our first congregation in Kingsport, Tennessee. I have made some edits and changes, but it occurred to me that some things have changed very little since then.) Within the...

Exodus 3:1-12 We have been told that we are living in the “Information Age”. For those born before 1950, news and information were received by radio, the printed page, and word of mouth. Then, along came television which progressively flooded our homes, and our lives, with an increasing deluge...

Most of us who have lived any length of time have seen much ugliness in this world. We have witnessed the results of greed, malice, neglect and carelessness in the ravaging of nature, destruction of cities and villages, theft of property, and disregard of human life. Such ugliness has...

I Corinthians 13:5 Many of us may remember those times in our childhood when we were about to visit relatives or friends, go to the doctor, attend church, etc. Our mother would take us aside for a few words. “You had better behave yourself” she would clearly advise. Following...

I Corinthians 13:4 When we last left this series, having looked at love through the eyes of St. Paul, we had discovered that love is patient, kind, not jealous, and does not brag. This next clause in St. Paul’s essay has struck me with some surprise. When I notice...

II Chronicles 7:11-18 Although this is not the first time in history nor will it likely be the last, troubling winds are blowing across the world and, quite clearly, even in our beloved homeland. We are being constantly reminded that our nation is severely divided along many lines. In...

Book of Ruth The book of Ruth is nestled in the Old Testament between the highly dramatic books of Judges and I Samuel (I Kingdoms – OSB). It is almost hidden as the history of Israel unfolds. However, this tiny book shines like a glowing ember amid the confusion...

Luke 15:11-32 (Note: A homily delivered on 2/12/2012 at St. Stephen on the Sunday of the Prodigal Son. Again, with some much-needed editing.) On the third Sunday before the beginning of Great Lent, the Orthodox Church appoints the reading of the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Someone has said, that...

Luke 18:10-14 (Homily delivered at St. Stephen on 2/5/2012 with some editing) Today we focus on the power of humility, the power of humility.  It occurred to me as I was thinking about all this, that we don’t generally associate humility with power, do we?  We usually think of...

Matthew 4:12-17 As we pass through life, we make mistakes … we make some bad choices … we take some wrong roads, encountering some huge obstacles … and come to some dead ends. Many of us have had to say, “I must get a fresh start, make a new...