![]() ![]() The hallmark of the office of the deacon is servant ministry. Deacons must therefore have strong character, patience and moral courage, remembering that the prophetic voice must always be exercised with humility, compassion and respect for the authority of the Bishop and the local parish priest. Since deacons are called to interpret the needs of the world to the church, they may at times be called to make the Church and the local parish aware of things which the parish finds uncomfortable and does not want to hear. Ordination requires that a person called by God to be set aside as clergy in the Church be a mature Christian on a “journey inward” as well as a “journey outward.” The deacon should be a truly humble person, who recognizes his/her utter dependence on God in and for all things, and who comprehends that the only ultimate reality is God. When discerning a call to the diaconate, the following should be considered: When a person senses God’s call to Holy Orders, or when someone suggests to an individual that he/she consider Holy Orders, after prayer and reflection, the individual should have a conversation with the priest to begin a discernment process. Listed here, in this manual, are considerations specific to the diaconate. All of these activities take place under the direction of the priest-in-charge of the congregation to which the deacon is assigned.ĭetails of the ordination process are given in the Manual of the Commission on Ministry in the Diocese of North Carolina on the diocesan website. The deacon may also be involved with the vestry and various parish committees, especially those concerned with outreach. Liturgically, the deacon reads the Gospel, leads and oversees the Prayers of the People, sets and clears the table, proclaims the Dismissal, and serves in other ways as described in the rubrics of the Book of Common Prayer. Pastorally, deacons are involved in visitation of the sick and shut-ins, with parish nurse and wellness programs. The deacon’s pastoral, teaching, preaching and liturgical activities in the parish are understood in this context. Thereby, the baptismal ministry of all people is enhanced. The deacon then brings his/her work in the world to the church community, to enable the servant ministry of the baptized. specialized ministries with the aging and elderly with gay, lesbian and transgender persons with children and families with hospital chaplaincy and with hospice and bereavement support.advocacy for and ministry to people on the margins of society and.caring for victims of abuse and violence of all kinds. ![]() ![]() caring for the homeless and others in shelters.The call of a deacon is exercised in the world outside the church community, reflecting the church’s prophetic concern for economic and social justice, and exemplifying the servant ministry of Christ.Ī few examples of these areas of ministry are: It encompasses both outreach to the world and inreach to the Church ( Acts 6-8). The ministry of a deacon reflects the unique gifts of the individual ( I Corinthians 12), the time constraints of his/her life, and the needs and the opportunities for ministry in the parish and the world. The role of the deacon in the church is also defined in the Canons of The Episcopal Church, in the liturgy for the Ordination of a Deacon and in the Outline of Faith. have discerned, in community, a call to serve as Servant Leaders in Christ’s church in the traditional diaconal roles of servant, advocate, prophet, witness and partner in ministry.have a vision of and work for the transformation of both the church and the world, based on God’s justice, love, mercy and peace and.engage in active ministry at the crossroads of the church and the world/community.manifest in their lives a commitment to serve others, especially the poor, the forgotten, the vulnerable, the sick, the oppressed and the marginalized.The diaconate as one of the three distinct orders of ordained ministry has a special historical and canonical link to the bishop of the Diocese to exercise ministry as an extension of the bishop’s outreach to serve all people. A deacon embodies servant ministry, encouraging the Church in its ministry to the world and interpreting the needs of the world to the Church. A deacon is a person called by God and the Church to lifelong, well-trained, sacrificial service in Christ’s name to all people in need.
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