Obituary for +Reverend Deacon Michael Bishop
+Reverend Deacon Michael Bishop
Born in Washington DC in 1945, Fr. Deacon Michael lived in Baltimore for the last 25+ years. He
was the first Black male student at Merrimack College in North Andover, MA where he
graduated in 1971 with a BA degree in Sociology. After graduation from college, he entered the
US Air Force and later the National Guard. He also served in the Air Force Reserves and as a
chaplain for the Civil Air Patrol.
In 1992. Fr. Deacon Michael graduated from St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary with
a Master of Divinity degree. He was ordained a deacon in the Russian Orthodox Church in 2007
from which time he served faithfully at Holy Trinity Church in Baltimore. Since 2011 he has been
an elected member of the Bishop’s Council of the Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox
Church in the USA.
Over the years he served as secretary of the Derry (NH) and Sherman (TX) Jaycees and was also
an active member of the Grayson County (TX) Toastmasters and Richardson (TX) Lions Club.
Here in Baltimore, he was secretary of the Transit Riders League (a project of CPHA) and the
Transit Riders Action Council. He was also an active member of the Baltimore Region
Transportation Board and a member of the East Baltimore Drug Free Community Coalition. He
actively engaged with the Rose Street Community Center and regularly attended meetings of
several neighborhood associations.
For 10 years he actively volunteered as a community chaplain through the Baltimore Police
Department. As Police Chaplain he counseled many people through traumatic events – house
fires, automobile accidents, shootings and others.
Fr. Deacon Michael has volunteered and worked in many places in service to people in need.
However, he is most loved for his work as the Deacon at Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church in
Baltimore. In this capacity he coordinated a variety of charitable projects, such as collecting
winter coats for men in the Baltimore City Detention Center and toys and school supplies for the
children of women in the Detention Center. Also, for many years, he collected and distributed
warm clothing items like hats, scarves and socks to the City’s homeless population. And, of
course, he volunteered countless hours in support of many programs, activities and fundraisers
at Holy Trinity Church, touching the lives of the hundreds of families. In his humble and sincere
demeanor, Fr. Deacon Michael was highly respected by his fellow Orthodox clergy in the
Baltimore and Washington DC regions and throughout many Orthodox communities in the US.
He served at the holy altar with reverence, love and deep faith. He was kind, compassionate,
attentive to needs of others, and genuinely warm. Conversations with him were always
authentic, honest and sincere.
He is survived by his sister, Elizabeth Harris. Predeceased by parents Lelia Bishop and Irving Slaughter.
Visitation will be held on Friday, September 24, 2021 from 6pm to 9pm at Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church. Service will be held on Saturday, September 25, 2021, 10am at the church. Interment in Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church Cemetery.
Born in Washington DC in 1945, Fr. Deacon Michael lived in Baltimore for the last 25+ years. He
was the first Black male student at Merrimack College in North Andover, MA where he
graduated in 1971 with a BA degree in Sociology. After graduation from college, he entered the
US Air Force and later the National Guard. He also served in the Air Force Reserves and as a
chaplain for the Civil Air Patrol.
In 1992. Fr. Deacon Michael graduated from St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary with
a Master of Divinity degree. He was ordained a deacon in the Russian Orthodox Church in 2007
from which time he served faithfully at Holy Trinity Church in Baltimore. Since 2011 he has been
an elected member of the Bishop’s Council of the Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox
Church in the USA.
Over the years he served as secretary of the Derry (NH) and Sherman (TX) Jaycees and was also
an active member of the Grayson County (TX) Toastmasters and Richardson (TX) Lions Club.
Here in Baltimore, he was secretary of the Transit Riders League (a project of CPHA) and the
Transit Riders Action Council. He was also an active member of the Baltimore Region
Transportation Board and a member of the East Baltimore Drug Free Community Coalition. He
actively engaged with the Rose Street Community Center and regularly attended meetings of
several neighborhood associations.
For 10 years he actively volunteered as a community chaplain through the Baltimore Police
Department. As Police Chaplain he counseled many people through traumatic events – house
fires, automobile accidents, shootings and others.
Fr. Deacon Michael has volunteered and worked in many places in service to people in need.
However, he is most loved for his work as the Deacon at Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church in
Baltimore. In this capacity he coordinated a variety of charitable projects, such as collecting
winter coats for men in the Baltimore City Detention Center and toys and school supplies for the
children of women in the Detention Center. Also, for many years, he collected and distributed
warm clothing items like hats, scarves and socks to the City’s homeless population. And, of
course, he volunteered countless hours in support of many programs, activities and fundraisers
at Holy Trinity Church, touching the lives of the hundreds of families. In his humble and sincere
demeanor, Fr. Deacon Michael was highly respected by his fellow Orthodox clergy in the
Baltimore and Washington DC regions and throughout many Orthodox communities in the US.
He served at the holy altar with reverence, love and deep faith. He was kind, compassionate,
attentive to needs of others, and genuinely warm. Conversations with him were always
authentic, honest and sincere.
He is survived by his sister, Elizabeth Harris. Predeceased by parents Lelia Bishop and Irving Slaughter.
Visitation will be held on Friday, September 24, 2021 from 6pm to 9pm at Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church. Service will be held on Saturday, September 25, 2021, 10am at the church. Interment in Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church Cemetery.