Adult Discussion Groups
Nativity Fast Bible Study
Description:
Have you ever felt that the Nativity Fast is particularly difficult? The Orthodox are called to fasting and spiritual preparation for Christ’s Nativity, but the world presents us with party after party, derailing our best efforts. It becomes incredibly difficult to keep our focus on fasting and prayer.
To make things even harder, many of us have to work on the 24th of December (Old Style) and miss the services for Nativity’s Eve. This is especially sad, as there are such beautiful readings from the Sacred Scriptures appointed during the Royal Hours and the Vesperal Liturgy.
Here at the Initiative, we have something to help. During this Nativity Fast, restore your focus with our Orthodox Bible Study. We will be studying the readings appointed for the Royal Hours and the Vesperal Liturgy on the Eve of Nativity and consistently looking at commentaries on the texts from the Fathers of the Church. Each session will relate the readings to the everyday life of an Orthodox Christian.
Instructor: Fr. John Somers
Times:
8 p.m. ET, Sundays: 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 12/28, 1/4
Required Text:
None required (if you want something different, tell me)
Price:
$95 per household — all proceeds support the Initiative Scholarship Fund
On the Incarnation by St. Athanasius the Great
Description:
Are you looking for a way to deepen your faith during the Nativity Fast? If so, we warmly invite you to join an online adult discussion group exploring the classic work of St. Athanasius the Great, On the Incarnation of the Word. Written to defend the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, this timeless text offers a clear and inspiring presentation of the Orthodox understanding of the Incarnation as upheld by the First and Second Ecumenical Councils.
As we prepare to celebrate the Feast of our Lord’s Nativity, we will read and reflect on this profound work together—seeking to strengthen our faith, grow in understanding, and enter more fully into the mystery of Christ’s coming into the world.
Instructor:
Fr. John Somers
Times:
8 p.m. ET, Thursdays and Fridays: 12/4, 12/11, 12/19, 12/26, 1/1
Required Text:
Reading material provided electronically in PDF and audio format
Price:
$95 per household – all proceeds support the Initiative Scholarship Fund
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Description:
Join us for a five-week adult discussion course on On the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ by St. Philaret of Chernigov — a profound reflection on the suffering, love, and redemption of Christ. Together, we’ll explore the spiritual depth of St. Philaret’s meditations and how they can strengthen our faith and prepare our hearts for the coming Feast of the Nativity.
Schedule: Thursdays, November 6, 13, 28, December 5, and 12
Cost: $95 per household (all proceeds benefit the Initiative Scholarship Fund)
Deepen your faith leading up to and during the Nativity Fast through prayerful reading and thoughtful discussion in community.
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Description:
Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed by the season preceding the Feast of the Nativity and long for something that brings your focus back to Christ? If so, we invite you to join the first installment of a new adult discussion series on the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our main text will be Archbishop Averky’s commentary on the Four Gospels, supplemented with additional readings when they provide useful context or insight. This inaugural segment—timed with the Nativity Fast and our spiritual preparation for the Lord’s Nativity—will begin with the incarnation and birth of our Savior.
The newly available English translation of Archbishop Averky’s The Four Gospels, the first volume of his Commentary on the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament, opens this remarkable work to a wider audience. Drawing on the teachings of the Holy Fathers and the Church’s liturgical hymns, the commentary presents the Gospel narrative in chronological order according to the life of Christ. In this way, it offers a fuller and more unified understanding of our Lord’s life by bringing together the accounts of all four evangelists.
Instructor:
Fr. John Somers
Times:
7 p.m. ET, Sundays: 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 12/28, 1/4
Required Text:
The Four Gospels by Archbishop Averky
Price:
$95 per household – all proceeds support the Initiative Scholarship Fund
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