The August 7th edition of Stewardship Calling's first-Wednesday program on Ancient Faith Radio focused on understanding what donor fatigue is, the psychological factors that cause it, and how Orthodox Christian ministries, churches, and nonprofit organizations can address its pernicious impact. Bill Marianes's guest was Fr. Aaron Warwick, priest at St. Mary Orthodox Church in Wichita, Kansas.

While Orthodox Christians understand the place of the homily in the hierarchy of our Divine Liturgy, St. Paul was clear on the importance of homilies and sermons in 2nd Timothy 4:1: “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ…: Preach the Word! …Convince, rebuke, exhort….” On this episode, Bill Marianes and Fr. Barnabas Powell talk about the importance of effective preaching.

Tonight's Stewardship Calling on Ancient Faith Radio is the second in a 3-part series on some things we can do to have the most effective and impactful homilies and sermons from the perspectives of both those who preach them and those whom they reach. These programs are important and can be helpful to both laity and clergy alike. Bill's guest tonight is one of the greatest homilists - Fr. Nicholas Louh of St. John the Divine Greek Orthodox Church in Jacksonville, FL.

Our “Men in Black” are shepherds who lead us to a better life here and now and in the hereafter. So, who is helping them and tending to their needs? Bill Marianes welcomes his special guests including Reverend Dr. Nicholas Louh and Presvytera Dr. Roxanne Louh as well as Dr. George Koulianos. Dr. Koulianos is an internationally recognized medical doctor helping to address specific Clergy needs as a part of the $1 million grant from the Lilly Foundation to the Center for Family Care of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

Bill's special guest was the always inspirational Fr. Luke Veronis, Proistamenos of Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Webster, MA. This visionary leader, and his dynamic parish, accepted the Stewardship Calling Good and Faithful Servant Challenge as they celebrated their 100th anniversary.

How willing are we to fully follow Christ’s clear instructions? That’s a tough question we all have to ask ourselves. Our Lord’s final direction was clear, concise and unequivocal: “Go and make disciples of ALL nations.” Period. Full stop. End of discussion! Bill's special guest is the dynamic and very experienced Orthodox Missions and Evangelism professional, Thomaida Hudanish, the Director of Missions and Evangelism for the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco.

The story of St. Nicholas Shrine is one of many challenges, roadblocks, and setbacks. At the same time, it is also a chronicle of triumph over adversity, and of generosity and hope. By the grace of God, and due to the extraordinary stewardship of countless faithful people and organizations throughout the journey, construction is beginning again, and by the 9-11-21 20th anniversary, we hope to open the doors to welcome all in Christ’s redeeming love at what will likely become the most visited church in America. Join our spiritual, financial, operational, and construction leaders, Fr. Alex Karloutsos, Dennis Mehiel, Michael Psaros, and Richard Browne as they share the story of this incredible journey.

Bill Marianes welcomes Jim Huling, the primary author who wrote the #1 best-selling 4 Disciplines of Execution (4DX), that best defines how to truly get things done more effectively and impactfully in any kind of organization. He shares with us these proven critical techniques. 4DX can even revolutionize the way you think about church strategic planning.

Join Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Archbishop Elpidophoros, Orthodox Church in America Chancellor Very Reverend Dr. Alexander Rentel, Antiochian Orthodox Church Archdiocese Chancellor Very Reverend Thomas Zain, and Bill Marianes for a very special HAGIA SOPHIA Stewardship Calling Ancient Faith Radio program. The discussion centers on the decision in Turkey to turn the historic cathedral into a mosque. For many more resources on this subject including specific things YOU can do visit the Stewardship Calling website.

Bill introduces you to the amazingly talented and gifted Sarah Kroger. Sarah is a Christian singer/songwriter who has been leading worship services at a wide range of local, national, and international events for the past nine years. Her stewardship calling is to create a safe and prayerful space through her music in which people can encounter the love of God.

Bill interviews Bishop Daniel Findikyan about the Armenian Church and the Eastern Diocese’s “Building Up the Body of Christ” vision.

A Teacher informs, a Preacher inspires, but a Reacher actually transforms. How powerful it is when what you communicate reaches someone so effectively that it inspires them to change their behavior and take action. As it turns out, there are some concrete and proven things our clergy, laity, and parishes can do to communicate far more effectively using lessons learned from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and current best practices based on sound research. Bill Marianes of Stewardship Calling presents the empirical research to help everyone communicate better using the 3 Ks, the 3 Ps, and the 3 As

Professional communicator, Ken Futch, is a National Speakers Association Hall of Fame member and speaker and homily coach with over 35 years of experience. He offers practical ideas to help both clergy and laity improve all of their communications skills. Ken is one of the most engaging and inspiring presenters who has been in high demand throughout the country for decades. He is the author of the enjoyable and helpful book Take Your Best Shot.

Our unwillingness to have productive difficult conversations and deal with conflict is at the root of so many issues in our churches, ministries, and lives. This week on Stewardship Calling, Bill and his guest Dr. Mitch Owen will tackle these critical issues. Dr. Owen is the creator of the Elusive Leadership Model for high-performance teams. He is also professionally certified and administers many assessment instruments for professional development, executive coaching, management training, team effectiveness and organization development. Dr. Owen has decades of experience addressing conflict in non-profit organizations, helping them become more effective and collegial, and guiding their leaders to perform at higher levels of excellence. He and Bill explore how and why these issues arise, and we will share specific and helpful strategies and solutions to these challenges. Listen for Part 2 on May 5, 2021.

In Part 2 of their series on difficult conversations, Dr. Mitch Owen and Bill Marianes delve more deeply into some successful strategies and examples of how to have increasingly productive difficult conversations.

Part 3: The Journey Through Death To The Resurrection – Fr. George L. Livanos

Part 1: The Journey Through Life In Search Of Calling – Fr. George L. Livanos

Part 2: The Moment After – The Clarity of Vision From The Partner’s Perspective – Presvytera Dianthe Livanos

Part 4: The Brother's Perspective - Fr. John Touloumes and Dr. Nicholas Loutsion

Ancient Faith Radio and Bill Marianes were honored to be present at the recent meeting of the Assembly of Bishops. This week, here Bill's interviews with Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Metropolitan Joseph of the Antiochian Archdiocese, Metropolitan Tikhon of the Orthodox Church in America, Serbian Orthodox Bishop Irinej of Eastern America, Metropolitan Methodios of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston, Archbishop Daniel of the Ukranian Orthodox Church of the USA, and Metropolitan Savas of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Pittsburgh

Hear a personal testimonial from a surprising beggar, and learn from four dedicated Orthodox Christians who are making a difference in this mission field: Fr. Justin Mathews of Reconciliation Services, Chrysanthe Loizos of St. Herman House - FOCUS Cleveland, trauma counselor Jennifer Hertberg, and Dorrie Papademitriou of MudGirls Studios

Join Bill Marianes for a conversation with the leaders of Orthodox Volunteer Corps, the newest Approved Agency of the Assembly of Bishops. OVC leaders, Michael Sider-Rose and Kyra Limberakis, will share the exciting story of this transformational agency and help you understand how your youth and young adults can prepare for a lifetime through a year of service.Prepare

In part 1 of a 2-part series, Bill presents the empirical data about our current church challenges, how some Christians overcame these issues and built strong church communities, and the 6 primary root cause areas where our parishes are suffering

In Part 2 of this series, Bill provides proven insights, strategies, and solutions from the “Jobs To Be Done” and “Disruptive Innovation” theories developed by Harvard professor Dr. Clayton Christensen. We will also begin to explore an excellent parish assessment that can help diagnose the most critical parish comorbidities and provide solutions

When you or a loved one become seriously ill, even terminally ill, how do you respond? What you do next is critical. You have been called by your Creator. You have a Stewardship Calling – something you need to do with the gifts over which God made you a steward. But how do we live that calling in in the fce of serious illness or death? Join Bill as he speaks with faithful Orthodox Christians Rip Kastaris, Tracy Namee, and Nikki Bober. They'll explore how those with major heart disease, cancer, and other serious illness diagnoses can continue to live their Stewardship Calling.

This week, Bill speaks with Matushka Trudi Richter and Presvytera Dianthe Livanos about how we continue to live our Stewardship Callings after our loved ones pass on to the kingdom eternal. If you or someone you love is seriously ill, or if you have experienced the death of a loved one, and you are wondering why and how you will carry on, then this conversation is for you. This is part two with Bill speaking with Presbytera Dianthe Livanos.

This week, Bill speaks with Matushka Trudi Richter and Presvytera Dianthe Livanos about how we continue to live our Stewardship Callings after our loved ones pass on to the kingdom eternal. If you or someone you love is seriously ill, or if you have experienced the death of a loved one, and you are wondering why and how you will carry on, then this conversation is for you. In part three, Bill with his guests Mat. Trudi and Presv. Dianthe reflect together on the topic.

This week, Bill speaks with Matushka Trudi Richter and Presvytera Dianthe Livanos about how we continue to live our Stewardship Callings after our loved ones pass on to the kingdom eternal. If you or someone you love is seriously ill, or if you have experienced the death of a loved one, and you are wondering why and how you will carry on, then this conversation is for you. This is a three part program and part one features the interview with Mat. Trudi Richter.

For over a century, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese has brought people closer to Christ as it survived depressions, wars, social upheavals, natural and man-made disasters, and societal pressures and issues that could not have been imagined by the faithful in Christ’s time. Join Bill Marianes as he broadcasts LIVE from the Marriott Marquis in New York, New York from the 46th Biennial Greek Orthodox Clergy-Laity Congress and Centennial Celebration. He'll feature live interviews with a fascinating array of distinguished guests to acknowledge contributions of the brave and faithful pioneers who preceded us and to look forward to the next 100 years of Orthodoxy in America and beyond

Doctors know the tests to administer to assess our personal health. Financial planners know how to assess our financial health. However, our parishes lack similar empirical and validated tools to help them. After over 20 years of working with over 500 Orthodox Christian parishes and completing strategic plans that cover over 26% of Orthodox Christians in the U.S., the Orthodox Ministry Services (OMS) team has developed the Effective Parish Assessment (EPA). The EPA is a reliable and easy way for you to assess your parish’s health and effectiveness in the 6 Pillars and 30 Building Blocks of operational excellence. OMS is providing the Effective Parish Assessment Program for free to selected Cohort Effective Parishes with the support of Leadership 100 and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. Tune in to these TWO programs and find out if your parish is eligible, and how you can apply, to participate in this dynamic free and helpful parish improvement program. We also welcome your calls and questions. If your parish is an innovator with Clergy and Lay Leaders committed to operational excellence and the best possible parish health and effectiveness, these programs are for you. Join my fellow OMS Team members as over 2 programs we describe in more detail the 6 Pillars, 30 Building Blocks, the Effective Parish Assessment Program, and how it can benefit your parish.

In Part 2 of a two-part show, Bill and colleagues Nick Chakos, Steve Tibbs, and Dr. Mitch Owens continue their exploration of the 6 Pillars and 30 Building Blocks of effective and healthy parishes, and how the Effective Parish Assessment works to provide invaluable information to Orthodox Christian parishes

This week on Stewardship Calling, meet the new CEO of Ancient Faith Ministries, Melinda Johnson. Learn about her history, what brought her to Ancient Faith, and her vision for the future.

Tune in this week to Stewardship Calling as host Bill Marianes talks with Fr. Evan Armatas about his new book, Reclaiming the Great Commission. In his book, Fr. Evan provides a roadmap for parishes to diagnose and remove barriers and get back on track.

Today, we are experiencing unprecedented challenges in the human resources needs in our parishes and ministries, including shortages of clergy, volunteers, ministry leaders, and staff. Join Bill and Dr. Scott Mondore to explore best practices to improve the engagement and results.

Join Bill Marianes and Professor Brad Jacobs, Associate Dean and Constitutional Law Professor at Regent University School of Law, for a discussion about religious freedom and the critical legal issues that matter most to our Christian churches, institutions, and faithful.

Bill teaches how parishes can substantially improve their stewardship campaigns and results by using successful approaches to increase generosity and tithing in their local communities.

Frederica enjoys a conversation with Basil Athas, the very colorful member of Holy Cross who seems to be the most memorable character in Frederica's book Facing East. He is now 77, and residing in a nursing home, where he vocally evangelizes everyone in reach!

Frederica recorded a presentation by IOCC Development Director Nick Chakos and provides it for us this week on her podcast.

There's a good chance you have never heard of the type of music expression Frederica discusses today around the kitchen table with her son Steve Mathewes and daughter-in-law Jocelyn. Steve is a musicologist and has just come from a "High Zero" music show.

Today we catch up with Frederica in York, PA, at a banquet at St. John Chrysostom Orthodox Church. She is sitting with Fr. Elias Yelovich, priest at the mission parish of St. James the Apostle near Baltimore. Once a year on October 23, they celebrate the Liturgy of St. James. Learn about this ancient liturgy and how it is celebrated.

Frederica explains the impact of technology on publishing and the distribution of the news.

Frederica examines those books in her library that are difficult to categorize, but that also contain insights that have helped her understand the culture.

Frederica interviews Fr. Evan Armatas, priest at St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church in Loveland, Colorado, about the St. Nectarios Education Fund.

Frederica interviews an anonymous parishioner from St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church in Loveland, Colorado, about his experiences with St. Seraphim of Sarov.

Frederica interviews Kh. Tamera Pelikan, whose husband is the only Orthodox chaplain in Afghanistan.

Frederica interviews Joe Canby, an auto mechanic who doubles as a funeral director, about bringing funerals back into the Church.

Frederica exchanges recollections with her fellow parishioners of the much-beloved Fr. George Calciu.

This is part two of a pair of special episodes of Frederica Here and Now. It features Frederica Mathewes-Green speaking at the Mother of God Orthodox Church in Princeton, New Jersey, about her new book The Jesus Prayer: The Ancient Desert Prayer That Tunes the Heart to God.

Frederica speaks at Truro Anglican Church in Fairfax, Virginia, about her book The Lost Gospel of Mary.