Today was an exhausting but meaningful day. We began as is usual for a Sunday, with the morning Matin Service, in the big church. Since it was a major feast day, we did not serve an entire Slavonic Liturgy, but rather had a mixed language service.The Liturgy for the Elevation of the Cross was served, with the veneration of a large hand-painted icon of the cross which we have had at the monastery for many years. Also added to the festive aspect of the feast day was the fact that today was the first Communion of our newly baptized, Nadezhda.There was also a meeting of the committee which had been formed to aid in the working of the monastery since dealing with the many problems of simple functioning, had begun to overwhelm us. Some important discussions were had and decisions made so we are truly thankful for the work that the committee is doing in our behalf and on behalf of those who look to the monastery for continued support of their Orthodox Christian life. Later, much later, in the afternoon, we had a marriage/crowning which went very well. Both Archbihop Lazar and Father Markel served and we had a small group of chanters: Matushka Raissa; Dimitri Arykov and Father Moses. Dimitri Gusev helped assist during the service with the rings, the crowns and the censer, which relieved the stress of not having acolytes or servers attending the wedding service. So, “Job well done” to everyone and we’ve all earned a good rest.