The Telos Project is a five-year research initiative of the Office of Vocation & Ministry at Hellenic College Holy Cross studying how Orthodox young adults (ages 23–29) and parishes engage one another. This short, ten-minute weekly podcast highlights fourteen Telos pilot parishes.
The Growth of TelosGamma
Jenny Haddad Mosher and Anna Kallis, director of TelosGamma, discuss regional efforts at YA ministry, how Telos is evolving, and share an invitation for Chicago area parishes to apply for the next regional cohort.
5/13/2022 • 12 minutes, 18 seconds
Brewing Truth Bible Study
Ann, Jenny, and Adam sit down with Fr. Greg Christakos to discuss a new Bible study!
7/1/2021 • 17 minutes, 20 seconds
Interview with Fr. Peter Orfanakos
Jenny and Ann chat with Fr. Peter Orfanakos, head priest at Telos pilot parish St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church, about how bringing young adults into leadership sparks new growth in a parish.
6/11/2021 • 31 minutes, 52 seconds
Innovation as an Orthodox Christian: Thoughts from Greg Jones to Telos POP participants
This episode is an excerpt from a talk to Telos POP participants by Greg Jones, Dean of Duke Divinity School, in which he discusses innovation in the context of our parishes and the Church as a whole.
5/17/2021 • 9 minutes, 40 seconds
The Liturgy after the Liturgy: Thoughts from Father Theophan to Telos POP participants
This episode is an excerpt from a talk by Fr. Theophan Whitfield from the most recent Telos POP zoom event. Father touches on the current state of Orthodoxy in America and highlights our call to serve the Liturgy after the Liturgy.
5/3/2021 • 16 minutes, 10 seconds
Interview with Panos Coufos
Jenny, Adam, and Ann connect with Panos Coufos, Youth Director of the Metropolis of Boston, to discuss a new project, the Thriving Congregations Initiative.
4/12/2021 • 21 minutes, 15 seconds
Certificate in Youth and Young Adult Ministry and Leadership
Jenny and Adam talk to Spiro Costidis, Demetra Zouzas, and Angelique Myres about what it looks like to take a year to attend seminary and study the Orthodox faith as young adults amidst a pandemic.
3/30/2021 • 16 minutes, 11 seconds
Interview with Dn. Michael Hyatt
Ann Mitsakos Bezzerides interviews Deacon Michael Hyatt, who serves at St. Igantius Orthodox Church in Franklin, TN, on leadership in an Orthodox context and how to stay spiritually healthy in the pandemic.
3/18/2021 • 34 minutes, 33 seconds
Interview with Sophia Garrison
Jenny interviews Sophia Garrison, a Telos team member at St. John in Memphis, about the evolution that happens as a Telos team grows together in common ministry.
1/29/2021 • 16 minutes, 42 seconds
Meet Salemi Khoury
Jenny interviews Salemi Khoury, Parish Council President at one of the Telos POP Parishes. Salimi discusses what it has been like to serve in such a prominent leadership role as a Young Adult.
1/9/2021 • 19 minutes, 9 seconds
Meet the St. George Telos Team
Jenny and Ann talk to Annmarie, George, and Telos team members from St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago about the role that older adults can play in supporting YA ministry in their parishes.
1/6/2021 • 26 minutes, 39 seconds
Interview with Fr. Hector Firoglanis
Jenny and Adam interview Fr. Hector Firoglanis, the head priest at Annunciation Lancaster Greek Orthodox Church, about how he centers spiritual growth in his ministry and work with Young Adults.
1/3/2021 • 16 minutes, 54 seconds
I-Can-Ography
Jenny and Adam interview Presbytera Donna Smith from St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church in Syracuse, NY, about their Telos team’s “I-Can-Ography” project.
10/20/2020 • 15 minutes, 55 seconds
Michaelina Antahades
Ann, Jenny, and Adam interview Elizabeth Kleto and Michaelina Antahades from St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church in Charlotte, NC.
10/5/2020 • 24 minutes, 11 seconds
Mentors and Young Adults
In this episode Ann, Jenny, and Adam interview Fr. George Athanasiou, assistant priest at All Saints Greek Orthodox Church in Canonsburg, PA, about the importance and influence of mentors in the development of young adults.
8/26/2020 • 24 minutes, 59 seconds
Meet Mark Sultani!
Ann, Jenny, and Adam interview Mark Sultani about his experience as a young adult in ministry in the Church.
8/13/2020 • 20 minutes, 59 seconds
Telos POP
Ann, Jenny, and Adam talk with some of the young adult leaders of Telos POP, a new initiative inviting young adults to undertake short, transformative projects to help their parish meet the challenges of COVID.
8/5/2020 • 24 minutes, 1 second
Interview with Dean Karahalios
An interview with Dean Karahalios, a member of the Telos Pilot Parish in Syracuse, NY. Dean is a young adult who just moved to Syracuse and has been integrating into life at a new parish, while also serving as a medical resident at Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital.
5/2/2020 • 14 minutes, 57 seconds
Interview with Fr. Nicholas Belcher
This interview is with Fr. Nicholas Belcher, hierarchical assistant to His Eminence, Metropolitan Joseph of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America. Fr. Nicholas has worked with teens and young adults since the beginning of his ministry.
4/25/2020 • 25 minutes, 39 seconds
Center for Congregations Conference
In this episode of the Telos Project Podcast, Adam, Ann, and Jenny interview young adults from 3 of the 14 Telos parishes. They gathered at the Center for Congregations Conference, a part of the Lilly Endowment, which funds the work of the Telos Project.
3/5/2020 • 14 minutes
Three Myths
In this episode of the Telos Podcast, Adam, Ann, and Jenny explore the section of the book Growing Young which talks about three myths that exist while talking about engaging young adults and others in parish life.
1/30/2020 • 18 minutes, 38 seconds
Unlocking Keychain Leadership
On this episode of the Telos Podcast, Adam, Jenny, and Ann explore the concept of keychain leadership as explained in the book Growing Young. They delve into the concept and how it is and isn't realized in the church with young adults.
11/19/2019 • 19 minutes, 51 seconds
Telos Gamma Conference
This episode is an excerpt from a talk by Dr. Ann Bezzerides from the Telos Gamma Conference in Chicago. Telos Gamma is the latest project from the Office of Vocation and Ministry at Hellenic College Holy Cross. It is engaging Orthodox Parishes in the Greater-Chicago area in the area of young adult involvement in the Church.
11/12/2019 • 10 minutes, 15 seconds
Be the Best Neighbors
Ann, Jenny, and Adam talk about another chapter of the book Growing Young. They discuss how Orthodox communities, especially the young adults in them, can engage their parishes and those in the surrounding community and the world.
10/13/2019 • 14 minutes, 28 seconds
Why Beauty Matters
Jenny and Adam talk with Dr. Tim Patitsas, Assistant Professor of Ethics at Holy Cross and author of the forthcoming book The Ethics of Beauty, about the role beauty plays in the spiritual lives of young adults.
9/29/2019 • 13 minutes, 4 seconds
2019 Telos Consultation: Keynote
Gabriel Otte’s CV is incredibly impressive. At the moment, he is the founder and CEO of Freenome, Inc. Although widely respected in the tech and medical world, in the keynote address at the 2019 Telos Consultation, Gabriel shares his experiences with failure and his striving to be a more vulnerable and humble leader and Orthodox Christian.
6/24/2019 • 29 minutes, 22 seconds
2019 Telos Consultation: Opening Remarks
Opening remarks of the 2019 Telos Consultation by Ann Bezzerides, encouraging teams to better understand and claim their own and explaining the entire project's "why" for Telos work. The Consultation is an annual project gathering in Boston. The fourteen pilot parishes of the Telos Project sent representatives to share their unique experiences engaging with young adults and to learn valuable lessons on topics such as engagement, leadership, and teamwork.
6/23/2019 • 13 minutes, 51 seconds
Empathy, Community Conversations
Continuing discussion of "Empathize with Today's Young People" in Growing Young., Adam, Ann, and Jenny discuss the importance of the church community in addressing the needs of young adults.
6/5/2019 • 17 minutes, 36 seconds
Community Mapping
As they launch into discussing the chapter "Empathize with Today's Young People" in Growing Young, Ann, Jenny, and Adam discuss church cartography—the makeup of parishes and their communities as it relates to today's young people.
5/31/2019 • 13 minutes, 54 seconds
Hospitality and Warmth
Ann, Jenny, and Adam discuss the chapter "Fuel a Warm Community" in the book Growing Young.
5/24/2019 • 12 minutes, 55 seconds
Jesus and the Journey
Ann, Jenny, and Adam discuss the chapter in the book Growing Young titled "Take Jesus' Message Seriously."
5/19/2019 • 15 minutes, 33 seconds
Growing Young
Ann, Jenny, and Adam discuss the book Growing Young: Six Essential Strategies to Help Young People Discover and Love Your Church by Brad M. Griffin, Jake Mulder, and Kara Powell.
5/3/2019 • 10 minutes, 48 seconds
Metropolitan Nathaniel
This episode features Metropolitan Nathaniel of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Chicago on reaching youth.
4/20/2019 • 10 minutes, 11 seconds
Meeting with the Other
Adam Murphy and Jenny Mosher talk with Katrina Bitar, the Director of YES (Youth Equipped to Serve).
4/12/2019 • 11 minutes, 31 seconds
Empathy
While at the Youth and Camp Workers Conference at Antiochian Village, Adam Murphy and Jenny Mosher welcome Christian Gonzalez to a discussion on empathy.
4/5/2019 • 19 minutes, 41 seconds
Youth and Young Adult Ministry
While at the Youth and Camp Workers Conference at Antiochian Village, Adam Murphy and Jenny Mosher welcome Steven Christoforou to a discussion on new approaches to young adult ministry.
3/28/2019 • 22 minutes, 30 seconds
Introduction
Ann Bezzerides, Jenny Mosher, and Adam Murphy introduce The Telos Project and explain what each does in service to this fantastic initiative.