CHURCH OF SCOTLAND The Diaconate A deacon is someone who has pledged themselves to the service of Jesus Christ and His Church, and has been selected, trained and ordained according to the doctrine and discipline of the Church of Scotland. The office of deacon is recognised by the Church to be a distinctive, life-long office … Continue reading THE DIACONATE, SCOTTISH STYLE
Author: GillK
Gill has been a missioner in Nigeria, Romania and various parishes in England. She was ordained a 'distinctive' deacon in 1991. In this capacity she was warden of the College of St Philip the Deacon in Exeter diocese, and founder member of the CofE Network of Distinctive Deacons https://cofedeacons.org. She has also written the story of her own call, Deacon by Design. https://www.waterstones.com/book/deacon-by-design/gill-kimber/9781910719794
She's passionate about the diaconate and, now retired, continues to support those who are called to this ministry.
Annunciation We see so little, stayed on surfaces, We calculate the outsides of all things, Preoccupied with our own purposes We miss the shimmer of the angels’ wings, They coruscate around us in their joy A swirl of wheels and eyes and wings unfurled, They guard the good we purpose to destroy, A hidden blaze … Continue reading THE FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION
I have permission to reproduce a recent Whatsapp discussion between deacons involved in this vital ministry. I hope you find it as inspiring as I do. It is conversations like these that show how crucial a deacon's contribution is. Deacon David Bean (Southwell diocese) So, 8 months into curacy yr 1 I am thinking about … Continue reading DEACONS DISCUSS (1): town centre ministry
More about David Clark: David Clark is a Methodist deacon and a member of the Society of Friends. From 1973 - 1990 he was a senior lecturer in community education at Westhill College, Birmingham. During that time he became a leading figure in the Christian Community Movement, establishing the National Centre for Christian Communities and … Continue reading YORK DEACONS’ CONFERENCE: A WEEK TO GO!
As deacons we are pretty starved of resources about our vocation and ministry. But there's good news. Last year there was an international ecumenical conference on the diaconate in Saskatchewan: see report here. As a follow-up, a book is coming out in August this year with all the talks, to be called 'The Diaconate in … Continue reading NEW BOOK ON DIACONATE COMING SOON
I'm indebted to #distinctivedeacon Gill Newman for sending me the Southwark Diocese IME Phase 2 Training Handbook for Distinctive Deacons. Southwark is taking the diaconate seriously, and the handbook is pretty thorough and comprehensive as well as clear about (distinctive) deacons. Distinctive deacons are those who hear the call to this ministry, primarily of service, … Continue reading IME HANDBOOK FOR DEACONS: Southwark diocese
Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned. Psalm 51 Mercy. That’s what it’s all about. As we begin Lent, a great place to start is with a better understanding of mercy. Often when we think about Lent, we think of it with a sort of dread. “I have to give something up,” we often … Continue reading ASH WEDNESDAY: SET FREE FOR MERCY
Abbot Aelfric (955-ca. 1012), wrote and preached in the English language (Anglo-Saxon), as opposed to Latin (although he was a Latin scholar too). He was an excellent, clear preacher: we can still learn from his wisdom. Here's part of his sermon for Quinguagesima on Luke 18:31-43. Don't worry - it's been translated! - and well … Continue reading PRE-LENT WISDOM
Last week General Synod backed a drive to create new churches on estates throughout the country. This movement has been growing for some time: see https://estatechurches.org/ and it was good to see it receive overwhelming support, especially as this challenge is very close to the serving, risk-taking and radical hearts of deacons. https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/news/general-synod-backs-drive-create-new-churches-estates However, the … Continue reading NEW CHURCHES ON ESTATES: +Philip North at General Synod
CofE Network of Distinctive Deacons 