Christian Churches, East and West, especially in the past fifty years, have revived the diaconate as a permanent form of ordained ministry rather than a brief stage on the way to the presbyterate. These essays examine this development from the perspectives of history, theology and practice, showing ecumenical convergence on the renewal of an ancient order.
Category: Blog
Protect the essentials at all costs: time for God; time for your family; and time for your ongoing training.
I don’t feel called to Eucharistic presidency, and never have! What difference would it make? It would be the most disabling thing you could do to me, because it would inhibit my ability to be in that liminal place on the threshold between the church and the wider community, exercising a “Kingdom” model of mission.
At last! We've been waiting for these for a couple of years. … our work of discernment explores a call to ministry which is relational …. missional … collaborative …. diverse and adaptive. The House of Bishops has approved and commended a new Shared Discernment Process. Bishop Mark Tanner writes (It) … is designed to … Continue reading SHARED DISCERNMENT PROCESS Renewed candidate qualities and discernment processes 2019
I recently received an email from another diocese with an interesting question. In the forthcoming ordinations, should they, and if so how could they mark the fact that one (and only one) of the ordinands was for the distinctive diaconate? (The ordination of Julia Sierra by Gertrude Palmer) I consulted some fellow deacons, and here's … Continue reading WHEN YOU’RE THE ONLY DISTINCTIVE DEACON AT THE ORDINATION …
DRAWING UP A LEARNING/WORKING AGREEMENT GUIDELINES FOR DEACONS IN THEIR FIRST CURACY (IME 2) AND INCUMBENTS (image Dave Walker) All dioceses already have templates for working agreements which cover practicalities like hours to be worked, time off, mutual expectations etc. Although distinctive deacons need initially to learn the bread and butter of parish ministry, eg … Continue reading HELP WITH LEARNING/WORKING AGREEMENT GUIDELINES FOR FIRST-CURACY DEACONS AND THEIR INCUMBENTS
(image from Jesus Mafa) Pentecost Today we feel the wind beneath our wings Today the hidden fountain flows and plays Today the church draws breath at last and sings As every flame becomes a Tongue of praise. This is the feast of fire,air, and water Poured out and breathed and kindled into earth. The earth … Continue reading PENTECOST IN IMAGE, POETRY AND MUSIC
Around 200 deacons are expected to attend the Diakonia Region Africa-Europe (DRAE) event at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh this summer.Part of the Diakonia World Federation, DRAE brings together deacons from 20 countries across Africa and Europe. They represent more than 16,000 people in 60 countries who are engaged in the mission of the Gospel. … Continue reading Deacons’ regional 25th anniversary celebration
Recently I have begun to ask myself whether the church should see the reading of the gospel as a sacrament. If a sacrament is the outward visible sign of an inward invisible and spiritual grace, then reading the gospel surely fulfils this criterion. The gospel is not only the good news of Christ: Christ is … Continue reading The Gospel as Sacrament
A seminar at On Fire Mission 2019 (image from WPTV.com) by Fr Richard Peers SMMS, Director of Education for the Diocese of Liverpool High Leigh, 30th April 2019 Not exactly as delivered but these were my notes: Sacramental Mission – discipling adults and children [Ensure there is an orange on each chair before the session … Continue reading 6 MARKS OF SACRAMENTAL MISSION
CofE Network of Distinctive Deacons 