Thanksgiving 2008

Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday set aside for us to give thanks. This year I have so much more for which to be thankful and I rejoice at this.

First of all, I'm thankful to be a deacon. It is an awesome blessing and it is wonderful to be able to serve. In fact, I generally look forward to going to services.

This year I had three major blessings, all of which are once-in-a-life-time expeience for most people. The first was the consecration of St. Matthew Orthodox Church in Columbia MD. Actually, this was my fourth church consecration and my first as a deacon, but most people I know have not seen even one. I served at all four, the first three as a subdeacon.

The second blessing was the ordinationto the episcopacy of former Fr. John Shaw, now Bishop Jerome. A couple of weeks before the announcement I was just thinking about the ordination to the episcopacy and how I would like to attend one. Over the years several priests whom I know have been ordained bishops, but I was never able to attend the ordination. Not only did I attend, but I also served.

Finally, I attended the enthronement of the Metropolitan of All America and Canada. This was actually my second one. I also attended the enthronement of Metropolitan Herman. Because I live in Baltimore, I can get to Washington DC for these important events. This time I also attended the banquet. I learned at the banquet that the one for Metropolitan Herman was not open to the public.

There are also many, many other reasons for me to be thankful this year. One is shown by the photographs below of the Thanksgiving dinner at the home of the Disharoons. This also brings up Beth's wedding earlier in the year. I attended and served at her wedding.

I am also thankful for the China buses. This is how I was able to attend and serve at both Beth's wedding and Bishop Jerome's ordination to the episcopacy.

I am also thankful to all the support that peole have given me this year: moral, spiritual, and financial. This support helped me to continue my ministry which I hope to expand in 2009.

Thank you Russ, Dr. Pat, Beth, Krissy, and CeeCee for ten or so beautiful years.