Here is the source of every sacrament, The all-transforming presence of the Lord, Replenishing our every element Remaking us in his creative Word.
Category: Blog
The beauty of this Guild is that it's very simple to set up. It also means that our older members are not just 'receivers' from church members, but also 'givers', able to provide much-needed intercession. The Guild gives them an identity and a purpose, and is connected to the life of the whole parish.
The deacon journeys with these seekers, answering questions and sharing about Jesus so that the lost become found and experience the peace, joy, hope, and forgiveness found in the Kingdom of Christ. The deacon rejoices with the angels when others come to faith and return from the far country, and they will guide these individuals, perhaps even families, through the waters of baptism and into visible inclusion in the corporate family of faith.
The deacon serves through preaching and intercession; she acts as a bridge in corporate settings between the people and the divine by speaking forth the Word of the Lord in the public reading of the Gospel and lifting up the needs of the people in intercession.
Crafting a mission action plan rooted in this vision commences with two fundamental questions: 'Who among us is the most vulnerable in our community?' and 'In what ways can we wholeheartedly respond with love?' This missional stance redirects our focus to those who are often overlooked and pushed to the margins, elevating them to the forefront of the church's mission.
My diaconal calling is rooted in the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus, offering a compelling gospel narrative that stands as an alternative to the prevailing forces of dominance – a narrative shaped by the example of Jesus himself, one that provides an antidote to the excesses of unchecked capitalism, consumerism, and individualism.
The emissary of King Jesus can often be found kneeling at a kerbside, extending compassion to those desperate for solace, or delivering a message of hope to weary souls behind prison walls. This humble servant whispers the name of Jesus to those submerged in deep trauma, their wrists bearing the scars of profound emotional anguish. It is also spoken reverently at the graveside of those who have tragically taken their own lives.
Ash Wednesday stops us in our tracks. No excuses, no distractions—just the blunt truth: Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. It is not a threat. It is a calling. A call to step away from all that numbs us and return to the One who made us, the One who loves us.
Deacons are sent as ambassadors to shine the light of Christ in places which risk being plunged into darkness. The sheer scale of today’s port makes the calling to ‘reach into the forgotten corners of the world, that the love of God may be made visible’ even more important. As seafarers are often “out of sight, out of mind”, it is the role of the port chaplain to go into those invisible corners of the world, to thank seafarers for what they do, and to remind them that they are loved by God, to know that they are not alone or forgotten.
What might the diaconate contribute to the contemporary discussion of church unity? Firstly, it might draw inspiration from the young deacon Athanasius, who, with Arius, is one of the two protagonists in the Nicene Creed story.
CofE Network of Distinctive Deacons 