St. Mary Magdalene Orthodox Church Bible Study

How can a Baptist tradition influence for a person to understand the reality that Christians in heaven can pray for us and the Theotokos can save us?

In this class, Anthony explores 2 Corinthians 3 as a roadmap from spiritual slavery to divine liberty, showing how the ancient Christian path of ascesis leads to true freedom. Through five key illuminations—liberation from the passions, participation in God’s uncreated Energies, the transformative role of ascetic struggle, the liturgical and sacramental life, and the eschatological promise—we disc...

July 6th Homily – Fr. Stephen Osburn - True freedom is not the ability to do whatever we want, but the grace-filled strength to live according to God’s Will. In this homily, Fr. Stephen reflects on how obedience to Christ sets us free from the tyranny of sin, selfish desires, and fleeting pleasures. Real freedom is found in surrender—where our will is united with God’s, and we become truly alive.

Mr. Anthony Ally led an enriching adult class on The One Body of Christ: Mysterion , exploring the deep mystery of the Church as the unified Body of Christ. Through Scripture, patristic insight, and engaging discussion, he helped illuminate how each of us, though many, are mystically united in Christ through the sacraments, love, and service—called not only to communion with God, but also with one...

On June 29th, 2025, Dn. Vassily Kocher offered a powerful homily on the role of the deacon in the life of the Church, reminding us that the diaconate is not merely a liturgical function but a living icon of Christ the servant. Drawing from Scripture and the tradition of the early Church, he also challenged all of us—ordained and lay alike—to embrace our common calling: to serve God by serving one...

On June 22nd, 2025, Fr. Stephen Osburn offered a sermon on the saints who have shined forth in America—holy men and women who lived on this very soil and showed that sanctity is possible even in our modern age. Their lives bear witness that the Orthodox faith can be fully lived here and now, and their prayers give us hope, courage, and a call to follow Christ faithfully in our time and place.

Following the adult class, Mr. Anthony Ally led a thoughtful Q&A session where participants asked pressing questions about modern Israel, the end times, and how Orthodox Christians should respond to rising false teachings. He offered clear, Christ-centered answers rooted in Scripture and the Holy Fathers, emphasizing noetic repentance, vigilance against deception, and the centrality of the Chu...

In this adult study, Mr. Anthony Ally explores the Orthodox understanding of Israel—past, present, and eternal. Drawing from Scripture and the patristic witness, he explains how the true Israel is fulfilled in Christ and His Church, not in bloodlines or political movements. Rejecting false dispensational theology, the class highlights the dangers of worldly compromise and the urgency of turning ou...

In this homily on June 15th, 2025, Fr. Michael Matsko reflects on how the Divine Liturgy itself is the true catechism of the Church. Drawing upon the profound insights of Fr. Alexander Schmemann, he shows how every word, gesture, and hymn of the Liturgy teaches us not only about God, but invites us into communion with Him. More than information, it is formation—a lived theology that shapes our hea...

In this adult class, Mr. Anthony Ally guides us through the Orthodox path to cultivating inner peace amid the turmoil of the world. Drawing from Scripture, the lives of the saints, and the Church’s ascetical wisdom, we explore how humility, stillness, and prayer anchor the soul in Christ—the Prince of Peace—even in times of war and unrest.

At Vespers on June 14th, 2025, Fr. Michael Matsko offered a powerful reflection on the Gift of Holy Baptism, emphasizing that its eternal substance—our union with Christ, death to sin, and rebirth in the Holy Spirit—far surpasses any external form. He reminded us that the mystery lies not in ritual alone, but in the transformative grace it bestows.

In this adult study, Mr. Anthony Ally leads a powerful and grace-filled discussion on healing from depression through the Orthodox lens. Drawing on the lives of the Saints, the wisdom of the Fathers, and his own journey, he explores how humility and grace—not self-condemnation—are the true spiritual opposites of depressive thoughts. Together we reflect on how the Orthodox path offers healing by he...

This Pentecost , Fr. Stephen preaches on the descent of the Holy Spirit not only as the birth of the Church, but as a divine call to see every human being as made in the Image and Likeness of God. Just as the Spirit came upon people of all nations and tongues, so too are we invited to look past divisions and see the sacred imprint of God in each person.

This Sunday, we reflect on the courage of the Holy Fathers who, filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, stood boldly against the heresy of Arius at the First Ecumenical Council. Just as they defended the truth of Christ in their time, we too are called to stand firm against the heresies of our own day—including the lies promoted during so-called “Pride” celebrations. Let us, like the Fathers, pr...

In this engaging and spiritually enriching class, Mr. Anthony Ally delves into the profound importance of the Ecumenical Councils in the life of the Orthodox Church. These councils, inspired and upheld by the grace of the Holy Spirit, were not merely historical gatherings—they were divinely guided moments that preserved the true doctrine of Christ, upheld the unity of the Church, and protected the...

In this homily for the Sunday of the Blind Man, Fr. Stephen reflects on Christ’s healing as a sign not just of physical restoration, but of spiritual sight. We are reminded that just as the blind man boldly proclaimed Christ before others, we too are called to bear witness and preach the Gospel to all nations — beginning with the world right around us.

In this Bible/adult study, Mr. Anthony Ally reflects on the compassionate encounter between Christ and Saint Photini , the Samaritan woman at the well, as a powerful example of how the Lord draws near to the brokenhearted . Once an outcast burdened by shame, Photini becomes a fearless evangelist after meeting the Messiah who knows her completely—and loves her still. Through Scripture and the tradi...

In this Bible/adult study, Mr. Anthony Ally examines how Satan, the father of lies , has sown confusion and division through historical deviations from the apostolic and biblical faith preserved in the Orthodox Church. We explore how both Roman Catholic innovations and Protestant reactions —though often well-intentioned—introduced distortions that obscured the fullness of truth found in the undivi...

In this Bible/adult study, Mr. Anthony Ally guides us in understanding how the Church prepares for Pentecost while still rejoicing in the light of the Resurrection . Far from moving past Pascha, we are called to deepen our experience of Christ’s victory and anticipate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Drawing from the hymns, Scripture readings, and traditions of the Paschal season, we explore how...

In this Bible/adult study, Mr. Anthony Ally helps us prepare our hearts and minds for the sacred journey of Holy Week , the most solemn and grace-filled days of the Orthodox calendar. Drawing from Scripture, hymnography, and the wisdom of the Church Fathers, we reflect on how to enter into the Passion of Christ with attentiveness, humility, and repentance. Whether it’s through increased prayer, fa...

In this Bible/adult study, Fr. Stephen Osburn continues his reflection on the Proskemedia in light of Lazarus Saturday , diving deeper into the theological and pastoral significance of this sacred preparation. In Part 2, we examine how the Proskemedia prefigures Christ’s victory over death and anticipates the resurrection—not only of Lazarus, but of all the faithful. Through the placing of particl...

In this Bible/adult study, Fr. Stephen Osburn begins a two-part reflection on the Proskemedia —the preparation service before the Divine Liturgy—and its profound connection to Lazarus Saturday . In Part 1, we explore the spiritual depth of this hidden liturgical act, where the gifts are offered and the names of the living and departed are commemorated. Fr. Stephen draws rich connections between th...

In this Bible/adult study, Mr. Anthony Ally explores how the Orthodox Church understands the energies of God , His grace , and His power at work in our lives. Rooted in the teachings of the Church Fathers—especially St. Gregory Palamas—we reflect on how God, though unknowable in His essence, makes Himself truly known and experienced through His uncreated energies. These are not symbolic or abstrac...

In this Bible/adult study, Mr. Anthony Ally unpacks the teachings of St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain on what it means to evangelize with a pure heart rooted in humility and inner stillness. Far from mere external preaching, true evangelism begins in the transformation of the heart—a heart purified by grace, prayer, and repentance. Drawing from St. Nicodemus’ writings and the Philokalic traditio...

In this Bible/adult study, Mr. Anthony Ally reflects on the powerful life of St. Mary of Egypt as a model of true repentance and the transformative journey to sanctity . Once consumed by sin, St. Mary’s radical turn toward God in the desert reveals that no one is beyond the reach of divine mercy. Drawing from her life, as well as the teachings of the Church, we explore how holiness is not reserved...