Diocesan Convocation, 2007

The week after the 2007 Russian Festival was the Diocesan Convocation at St. Michael Orthodox Church in Redwood MI, a suburb of Detroit. Fr. John and I flew into Detroit and Patrick picked us up at the airport and took us to a restaurant where we had lunch. Then we went to the TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Livonia where we stayed.

Since my Nikon D50 with the 28-80mm lens was in the shop, I took the Canon Rebel with me. That was a big mistake. The Canon started giving me major problems at the airport. I kept getting Err99 messages but I did manage to get a few photographs. I also used the Kodak EasyShare camera which is always on me.

At the hotel I again started taking photographs with the Rebel and after a few shots, the camera just stopped working. So I was restricted to the Kodak the rest of the week.

At the convocation Fr. Joseph asked me to take photographs with the bishop's camera and I did. I also used my Kodak camera, but the results were very unsatisfactory. Oh, how I wish that I had my Nikon. I should had brought the Nikon D50 with the 70-300mm lens although it would had been too long for many of the shots that I would want to take.

We had Liturgy on Wednesday and Thursday morning and I was one of the deacons serving both days. Because the bishop was there, I was nervous since I am still new at serving as a deacon. But we got through the service. I learned a few things and I enjoyed serving. Bishop Antoun of the Antiochian Archdiocese said that worship should be fun and I agree with him.

The highlight of the week was the visit by Bishop Peter of ROCOR. He is the second ROCOR bishop whom I have met in person. The other is Bishop Gabriel. I also talked with Bishop Alexander of blessed memory over the telephone. Bishop Peter talked to us about the reunion and then we had a Moleben in the temple and then the banquet.

On Thursday Nikita Borisov the Tailor visited and showed case some of his gorgeous vestments. A local parish promised to pay for a cassock and I got a very good deal there from Nikita. The only problem is that it was an inch too long, but Ala at my church took care of that. When I left Detroit, we thought that the cassock fitted perfectly, but the next week when I wore it for Liturgy, we realized that it was just a little too long.

BWI Airport
		In flight to Detroit
	View outside hotel room
		Hotel suite
St Michael Church
Delegate with Fr. Lawrence		Bishop Mercurius
		Bishop Peter of ROCOR
Bishop Mercurius and Bishop Peter at Moleben
	St Innocent Church
	Detroit airport

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