The example of Stephen reminds us that service and proclamation were never intended to be understood apart. Proclaiming Christ as servant is the very substance of an apostolic ministry, in which preaching and servant-hearted ministry are fully integrated by word and action.
Category: Article
Feedback from the national distinctive deacons’ conference (02/11/24) was overwhelmingly positive. Many appreciated the presence of recently appointed champion +Pete Wilcox, who addressed the conference about the importance of the diaconate and encouraged DDs to persevere in the face of challenges and misconceptions about their distinctive ministries
Nicholas Ferrar’s legacy for the deacon’s calling as community educator was rooted in a rule of life comprising prayer, study and service. Little Gidding was intended to be a spiritual, intellectual and service community. This outreach to the community arose through his work as a physician providing medical care in the neighbourhood. This was one of the ways in which he fostered networks of spiritual friendship.
A sign that the function of the deacon’s ministry was being questioned is that Hooker attacked those ‘to whom it seemeth a thing so monstrous that deacons should sometimes be licensed to preach’; he responded to Puritan critics with a powerful defence of the role of deacons as teachers of the faithful
The Book of Acts does not have a central place in many lectionaries and the story of Philip’s baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch is not as well known as stories such as Peter being loosed from the chains which bound him in prison. But it is memorable and highly significant for the mission of the Church. In this fast moving account of the early church, Philip is a deacon ‘on the move’, prompted by an angel to get up and go on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza (Acts 8:26).
This week’s deacon saint is Thomas Clarkson, a deacon in the Church of England, who together with fellow campaigner and politician William Wilberforce, fought tirelessly against the transatlantic slave trade.
Plater has done us all a great service in pinpointing men and women across the ages who lived out their lives as deacons in the service of God and of the needy. Please follow the link below to access the Calendar.
Four centuries later, John Chrysostom praised Phoebe’s work for the church as an inspiration and model for both men and women to imitate. He called her a saint—a holy person and a woman who served the church through the office of deacon.
What we have noticed as we have prepared these statements are four particular areas which mark out the ministry of a distinctive deacon and which we have distilled from the more detailed evidence work. They are not earth-shattering and many of you will be exemplifying them already. But they do go some way to articulating what this ministry is all about. In particular, these points might help to sharpen where this ministry is indeed distinctive and different from that of a priest.
Be true to your calling. Remember you represent Christ the Servant. God does not call in isolation. He’s called you to be in this space, at this time, however unprepared and inadequate you may feel. Remember God’s faithfulness, acknowledging it out loud as the congregation may be mourning a loss, angry, or relieved. So don't try to be the person ‘in charge’, but the servant of those who are.
CofE Network of Distinctive Deacons 