2026 Orthodox Children’s Calendar: “Glory to God for all things”

by George Pachymeres

This year, the Orthodox Children’s Calendar focuses on the “Akathist of Thanksgiving: Glory to God for all things.” This incredibly beautiful prayer was penned by Metropolitan Tryphon in 1934 during a time of great persecution of the Church in Russia. The text was found in the personal belongings of Archpriest Grigoriy Petrov after his martyrdom in the gulag in 1942. Remembering the events surrounding the writing and considering the akathist being offered up in the midst of such suffering is profound. Each month contains an excerpt of the akathist, paired with watercolor illustrations painted by Marian Adams. We hope that having these prayers on your walls will be a daily reminder of the blessings from God that permeate our lives, even in the darkest times.

Our intention for the Orthodox Children’s Calendar is to create an engaging and useful resource that kids will want to have on their walls and follow throughout the year. The fun activities and delicious recipes included with every month can be referenced and enjoyed for years to come! (We keep our old calendars on the cookbook shelf in the kitchen so we can easily reference the recipes!)

Every calendar includes:

• An extra 2 pages for each month with a recipe and activity to inspire further learning about the icon and/or liturgical season. (52 page calendar!)
• Bible verses and saint’s quotes that that more fully expand on the phrase of the Akathist that is highlighted that month
• Select saints days are featured with a small drawing of that saint, to help little ones put a “face to the name.”
• Original watercolor paintings showcasing the glory of God’s creation in each month.
• Optional sticker sheet including stickers for name days, baptisms, weddings, birthdays, confession, unction, eucharist, and so much more! Kids love these!

Seeing the Gospel: An Interpretive Guide to Orthodox Icons

Eve Tibbs

Learning to read Orthodox icons is an opportunity to engage Holy Scripture with greater depth and understanding. It allows viewers to uncover fresh dimensions and encounter the Kingdom of God from within the created world. The meaning of icons, which are often referred to as “windows into heaven,” reaches beyond the limits of the natural world and into the divine realm.

Eve Tibbs is an Orthodox insider and veteran teacher who has devoted her career to translating the faith for evangelicals. Her comprehensive yet accessible introduction to the history, theology, spirituality, and role of icons in Eastern Orthodoxy is followed by an immersive experience–a narrative journey through eighteen pivotal events in the life of Jesus Christ as depicted in the New Testament Gospels. Each event is illuminated through the form and color of Orthodox icons accompanied by descriptions of the messages they convey. Here “interpretation” works in two ways: to guide the curious, artists, students and even the lifelong Orthodox in interpreting icons and to show how icons interpret the biblical text.

Seeing the Gospel presents a visual biblical language for a visual culture and even describes how icons can be used in other faith traditions. The book includes a foreword by Richard J. Mouw and features ninety full-color icons throughout.

A Basic Guide to Eastern Orthodox Theology: Introducing Beliefs and Practices

Eve Tibbs

Eve Tibbs offers a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to the beliefs and practices of the Eastern Orthodox Church for Western readers.

Tibbs has devoted her career to translating the Orthodox faith to an evangelical audience and has over twenty years of experience teaching this material to students.

Assuming no prior knowledge of Orthodox theology, this survey covers the basic ideas of Eastern Orthodox Christianity from its origins at Pentecost to the present day.