Chaiyya Chats

It is no secret that one of the biggest challenges our Church has faced for years is seeing active members of the youth slowly fall away and leave the Church. In this episode, we are joined by Rev. Fr. Jithin Zachariah from St. Gregorios Orthodox Church in Kansas City as we explore the various factors that contribute to this issue as well as how we can create an environment for our brothers and sisters in Christ to feel seen and hopefully one day return.

Let's be real -- being vulnerable is hard. Who can we be vulnerable with? How vulnerable can we be? Should we even bother trying to be vulnerable? Rev. Fr. Samuel Varghese joins us again as we explore this dynamic and hear some personal experiences from two MGOCSM alums.

In today’s increasingly secular society, being openly religious—especially as an Orthodox Christian—can feel isolating, countercultural, or even burdensome. In this episode, Dn. Reuben Thomas -- the original host of Chaiyya Chats -- joins us as we explore what it means to hold onto faith in a world that often encourages us to let go of it. How do we navigate American social life, friendships, and relationships with our parents without compromising our Orthodox identity? Can we reconcile our faith with the cultural pressures around us, or are we meant to stand apart? Join us as we unpack the tensions, challenges, and opportunities of living faithfully in today's day and age. Editor's Note: This episode was originally recorded in August of 2024. 

In today’s increasingly secular society, being openly religious—especially as an Orthodox Christian—can feel isolating, countercultural, or even burdensome. In this episode, Dn. Reuben Thomas -- the original host of Chaiyya Chats -- joins us as we explore what it means to hold onto faith in a world that often encourages us to let go of it. How do we navigate American social life, friendships, and career spaces without compromising our Orthodox identity? Can we reconcile our faith with the cultural pressures around us, or are we meant to stand apart? Join us as we unpack the tensions, challenges, and opportunities of living faithfully in today's day and age. Editor's Note: This episode was originally recorded in August of 2024.

Having a spiritual father is a key part of our lives that we have begun to hear and speak about more and more in recent years. A spiritual father plays a similar role to parents in shepherding our faith, but what does that look like, and what should it look like? In this episode, Rev. Fr. Samuel Varghese shares some of his experiences as a new deacon and priest in a new area and how he was able to navigate that while providing insight on how we can go about creating and improving those relationships with our own spiritual fathers.

The use of alcohol and drugs can be a difficult struggle for us to overcome, especially as we enter college and beyond. Join us as Rev. Fr. Mat Alexander gives us insight on facing the temptations of alcohol and drugs.Follow us on: - ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠- ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠- Snapchat: ds-wamgocsm

In our spiritual journeys, we often overlook or under-utilize resources that are available to us, namely counseling and the sacrament of Holy Confession. Join us as Rev. Fr. Teji Abraham gives us insight on the differences between Holy Confession and counseling.Follow us on: - ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠- ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠- Snapchat: ds-wamgocsm

A spiritual father is an important part of our lives in our journey to the Kingdom. Join us as Rev. Fr. Mat Alexander gives us insight on what a spiritual father relationship can look like and how we can develop this relationship.Follow us on: - ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠- ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠- Snapchat: ds-wamgocsm

Being a lay leader in the Church can be extremely rewarding and those leaders have a chance to help drive the ministries of the Church forward. However, there are several struggles that can accompany lay leadership. Join us as Rev. Fr. Sujit Thomas gives us insight on some of these struggles.Follow us on: - ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠- ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠- Snapchat: ds-wamgocsm

Social media has become a part of our daily lives, and while there are many benefits to using social media, we can also struggle at times with social media usage. Join us as Rev. Fr. Vijay Thomas gives us insight on navigating social media. Follow us on: - ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠- ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠- Snapchat: ds-wamgocsm

The struggle of lust is something most, if not all, people face. The shame, guilt, and embarrassment surrounding the images and videos we view can result in a struggle that is not discussed enough in our spiritual journey. Join us as Rev. Fr. Jake Kurian gives us insight on how to approach "The Struggle No One Talks About". Follow us on: - ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠- ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠- Snapchat: ds-wamgocsm

"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."-John 15: 12-13Follow us on: - ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠- ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠- Snapchat: ds-wamgocsm

As many of us are in relationships while we are in college (and even in high school), there are certain struggles that we face in those relationships. Join us as Rev. Fr. Mat Alexander addresses the question of "Finding the One". This is the third and final video in our 'Dating and Relationships' series. Scriptural References:Judges 16: 22-31Baruch 4: 28Tobit 8: 4-8Follow us on: - ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠- ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠- Snapchat: ds-wamgocsm

As many of us are in relationships while we are in college (and even in high school), there are certain struggles that we face in those relationships. Join us as Rev. Fr. Mat Alexander addresses the issue of unhealthy relationships. This is the second video in our 'Dating and Relationships' series. Scriptural References:Judges 16: 1-21Follow us on: - ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠- ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠- Snapchat: ds-wamgocsm

As many of us are in relationships while we are in college (and even in high school), there are certain struggles that we face in those relationships. Join us as Rev. Fr. Mat Alexander addresses the issues of attraction and lust in relationships. This is the first video in a 'Dating and Relationships' series. Scriptural References:Judges 13: 1-5Judges 14: 1-3Follow us on: - ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠- ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠- Snapchat: ds-wamgocsm

While in college (and even in high school), many of us enter into relationships with people of different backgrounds and faiths. Join us as Dn. Rajiv Hatcher shares his experiences on how to navigate an inter-faith or inter-denominational relationship. Follow us on: - ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠- ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠- Snapchat: ds-wamgocsm

As the whole world is dealing with the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, the struggles of living in isolation only continue to grow. Join us as Rev. Fr. Mat Alexander talks about the emotions that can flare up during these difficult times.Follow us on: - ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠- ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠- Snapchat: ds-wamgocsm

How do we understand and overcome tragedy in our lives? Especially in the dangerous and difficult world we live in today, how do we view the tragedies that we all have to deal with? Join us as Dn. Pradeep (Alexander) Hatcher gives us his thoughts on this subject.Follow us on: - Facebook- Instagram- Snapchat: ds-wamgocsm

What are some pressures we struggle with from our family and what is the best way to deal with them? Join us as Rev. Fr. Mat Alexander gives us insight on how we should approach this topic. Follow us on: - ⁠Facebook⁠- ⁠Instagram⁠- Snapchat: ds-wamgocsm