Bishop's Council
What a blessing it is for me to be on the Bishop's Council. Our job
is to be an adviser to the bishop. Members are elected by the
delegates at a diocesan convocation.
We received copies of the new statute for the Patriarchal Parishes
in the United States as well as discuss important business,
including financial. This lowly deacon was awed to be in the
presence of a bishop and all these archpriests. We also
received a copy of the official portrait of our bishop. He
signed most of them for us.
I was also impressed with the lovely little church upstairs.
Like most Russian churches, this church is not full of pews.
It has two upfront for those who have to sit. We stand for our
services in the Orthodox Church because we are in the presence of
the King of King and Lord of Lords. Although not related, when
President Abraham Lincoln went to church, he always stood because he
said that when people come to the Oval Office they stand. How
much more should we stand in God's house?
I took MTA to Penn Station and Amtrak to Newark. Getting out
of Newark was a nightmare. Fr. Gregory picked me up at the
train station there. After the meeting, he drove me back to
Philadelphia where I took Amtrak back to Baltimore and a cab
home. I use a special program for taking cabs when I need to
do so. Generally I do only when it is really cold and
miserable or late. I also take a cab if I have done some
serious shopping and have too much to carry home on the bus. But I
have not done this yet.
One of the many things that I like about being on the Bishop's
Council is that I get to know some of the key clergy in the Church
and also the bishop. Most people do not have an opportunity to
get to know their bishop. They see him only once a year at the
most. I see mine much more often. Even if I do not talk
with him, I have an opportunity to observe him and to listen to him
and to appreciate what a wonderful man he is. We are truly
blessed.
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