We travelled to St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary to share in the joy of AJ's ordination to the Deaconate (last step before becoming a priest)of the Orthodox Church. St. Vladimir's is an oasis in the city, with ponds, waterfalls and a beautiful sanctuary amid old stone buildings. I felt like I had gone back a thousand years as the ancient rituals were celebrated by priests in long, ornate costumes, with tingling bells, incense and beeswax candles. His Beautitude Bishop Jonah of the Metropolitan Northeast presided over the ordination of AJ and his classmate Father John from Knoxville, Tenn. After a lengthy and dreamlike church service where every word was chanted in melodic singing, AJ's family and friends gathered at a local Indian restaurant for lunch. We returned to St. Vladimir's for the graduation where AJ was awarded his Master's in Theology, the culmination of three years of intensive study including mastery of the Greek language. I'm very proud of AJ. After a garden reception we set off to the farm where everybody was okay. I opened the gate and the sheep ran out to graze in the dark. This morning I was greeted by many lazy, happy sheep and goats with fat bellies in the barn. There was many mentions of sheep and pasture in the service at St. Vladimir's yesterday. I am truly in a biblical profession. AJ is stopping at the farm on his way to Nevada to report for summer National Guard exercises at Ft. Irwin, Nevada. When that is over he will join an Orthodox congregation on Las Vegas as an assistant pastor, while serving as the Nevada National Guard Chaplain.
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