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The Arena

How can I be of service?

 

I have a number of retreats, workshops, presentations, and classes that I can offer, both on men’s issues and specifically religious themes. 

If there's a particular topic you'd like me to speak on, let's talk and see what I can do for you. I'd love to speak to your group or event.

I look forward to hearing from you. 

Let's Talk!

N. P. 

"I want to thank you for returning to [my church] for the retreat this weekend. I have had several conversations with other men at my parish about your talks and it's inspired a lot more thoughts and plans for each of us, individually and as a community. … Several times Friday evening and then Saturday, I readily identified with how you described men today. … I'm tired of being the same old self that I have been. I have tried self-improvement programs and such in the past, but I haven't been able to consistently stay the course with any of them. I am in need of help and I was moved by your talk this weekend."

J. B.

"To be brutally honest, the idea of a men’s retreat struck me as something that would be dry and boring. I was concerned about sitting for hours on end on a folded metal chair, listening to dogma, and fighting sleep. If I had known how lively and interactive Fr. Michael is, I wouldn’t have worried a bit.
I thoroughly enjoyed his presentation! He spoke colloquially, which effectively cut through any formalities, yet kept the focus on our Lord, and how we as men should carry ourselves in His presence. Dare I say "entertaining"? It really was. And edifying as well. We were emotionally poked and prodded, and our feelings often came to the surface, spilling pent sadness, frustration, or regret-- quite cathartic! Upon the program’s conclusion, I felt a kinship with my brethren that I’ve never felt before, and certainly never expected.
If you do get the opportunity to attend a presentation of Fr. Michael’s, I urge you to take advantage. You will not be disappointed."

G. M.

"It was real wisdom in how [Fr M] put this thing together. He had many layers of different kinds of exercises, different ways of communicating things, and different services we were doing, that were really outside of anyone’s expectations. If you think you know what’s going to happen when you come to something like this, you’re wrong. You don’t know what's going to happen. But I’ll tell you this: the amount of healing that took place in that retreat was just incredible. It was very powerful. … It was very experiential, and you actually got to bond with your brothers in a way that was really powerful and good. So, I was very encouraged by it, I want to see it happen more. Fr M has set a high standard for quality."

E. M.

"I was really impressed when we did that exercise with the physical touch right at the beginning. That’s when I felt like you guys really knew what you were doing up there. All the participatory stuff was really good. The huddle and what we did the first night, the physical challenges were really nice, and the beautiful church and the male bonding party were really great. I really enjoyed myself."

I. J.

"It was an absolutely incredible weekend. … Experiencing [an exclusively male environment] in person was amazing, just spending that much time as men helping each other, that focus to become the men God made us to be, focusing on brotherhood because God’s grace comes through our brother, because those are the natural pathways of God’s love and healing grace, and to see that play out over the weekend: the more we gave and poured out into each other the more God gave and poured out into us. My phone blew up for 3 days after the retreat, guys just calling each other, and wanting to keeping contact. … The guys who came with me from my parish were very apprehensive and had very low expectations for the event, and now we’ve got a list of at least 30 guys we want to bring next time. Thank you for everything you did; it was truly a transformative, life-changing experience."

RETREATS & WORKSHOPS

 

Beloved Sons

A two-day retreat (Friday night thru Saturday night) for men that will help men uncover the voice of the Accuser, silence it, and begin to hear the voice of the Father, Who says to each one of us, “You are My beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.” This is not a “sit still and listen” kind of retreat. This isn’t a conference where speakers say nice things and attendees politely listen. Yes, practical information will be given, but there will also be times for intense group participation when we will work through some of the personal issues that have left us stuck and move towards the abundant life which Christ promised us. The aim isn’t just to impart knowledge, but to change lives.


Call of the Forerunner

A two-day retreat that focuses on the life and preaching of St John the Baptist as a model for men to deepen their faith. Similar in format to the Beloved Sons Retreat. Includes presentations, small group discussions, large group exercises.

 

Prodigal Son

Under development as an expanded two-day event like Beloved Sons, The Prodigal Son is currently a two-part half-day retreat/workshop that is a close reading of the parable and its meaning.

 

The Four Virtues

Two-part half-day retreat/workshop on the four classical virtues (courage, moderation, prudence, and justice) and how they are embodied physically, psychologically, socially, and spiritually. Includes participant handouts and questions for discussion.

 

The Beatitudes

A half-day or full-day retreat/workshop on the Beatitudes. Participant handouts and questions for discussion.

 

The Challenges Men Face

Two-part half-day workshop/lecture series that asks what challenges do men face in society? What role models do they see? Have the churches helped? Purity culture didn’t. Who is the young man at the door of your church? Are there signs of hope? What do men want, how can we assist in their healing, and what can the Church do?

 

The Raising of Lazarus

A half-day or full-day retreat. The story of the raising of Lazarus is an epitome of the spiritual life. Includes a close reading of the Gospel account, participant handouts and questions for discussion.

 

The Entrance of the Theotokos

A two-part, half-day retreat primarily for women about the meaning of the Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple (21 Nov). Includes slide presentation, participant handouts and questions for discussion.

 

 Clergy Burnout

90-minute workshop on clergy burnout, its symptoms, and statistics on how common it is. Includes an assessment tool that will be used during the presentation, and practical strategies for dealing with burnout.

PRESENTATIONS

 

Three Good Questions

My presentation at Bedros Keuilian Live 2024. Based on three famous questions from ancient times, I draw out fourteen brief lessons to level up your life for personal excellence.

 

Courage

A deep dive on the fundamental virtue of courage and its importance for men.

 

The Challenges Men Face

 What challenges do men face in society? What role models do they see? Have the churches helped? Purity culture didn’t. Who is the young man at the door of your church? Are there signs of hope?

 

Solutions to the Challenges Men Face

What do men want, how can we assist in their healing, and what can the Church do?

 

How to start a men’s group in your church

Just what the title says. Good for a Saturday morning breakfast meeting.

 

Sacred Space, Sacred Time

A PowerPoint presentation on the meaning and purpose of sacred space and sacred time and how they are embodied in an Orthodox temple.

 

A Quiet & Peaceful Life: Following Christ in Troubled Times

 Presentation on living peacefully in anxious and unsettled times.

The Meaning of Icons

Shorter presentations on various Icons offering in depth explanations of their spiritual (and sometimes their psychological) meanings. Which icons are covered TBD.

 

Spiritual Warfare

Various tactics of the enemy, the stages of temptation, and tactics for defense and counter-attack.

 

The Stages of Discipleship

The five stages of discipleship, or the five thresholds of conversion everyone goes through as they grow in faith and knowledge of Christ.

 

Old Pots

How God deals with earthen vessels.

 

Orthodox Naturally

Natural Law in the Orthodox Tradition. Includes PowerPoint.

CLASSES & COURSES


Orthodox Spirituality

An intensive, multi-part series on Orthodox Spirituality, covering the three stages of the spiritual life, the structure of the soul, the passions and their cure, and natural contemplation. Includes participant handouts. 

The Passion Narratives

A multi-part, in depth review, comparison and discussion of the Passion Narratives in the four Gospels. Includes participant handouts.


Old Testament survey

Semester-long overview of the Old Testament.

 

New Testament survey

Semester-long overview of the New Testament.

 

Survey of Church History & Dogmatic Theology

Two-semester survey of Church history from Apostolic times to the present, with a detailed examination of the formation of Orthodox Christian theology. The course relies heavily on primary texts from the Fathers of the Church.

 

The Gospel of Mark

A multi-part deep reading of Mark's Gospel.

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