Today the church celebrates the martyr, Deacon Laurence. In our intercessions, Christians like him are to be remembered, still being captured, unjustly tried, robbed of possessions, and made to suffer ghastly deaths. Lord, have mercy: and grant us the grace, courage and humour of Laurence. Laurence or Lawrence (about 225-258) was one of the seven … Continue reading LAURENCE, DEACON AND MARTYR
Category: Blog
"Like most Christians, I suspect, I have tended to think of service in purely moral terms–a matter of good works. I now see, however, that it is much deeper than that. It is the whole orientation of one’s life. Those infected with the spirit of diakonia live in prayerful gratitude for our servant Lord, whose … Continue reading SPIRIT OF DIAKONIA
https://youtu.be/KNL_NCCOoto Andy Farmer (second from left, back row) is to be ordained this September. Here he sets out his vision for being a deacon in the workplace. You can read more about Andy's understanding of the diaconate as a model for servant leadership here: https://cofedeacons.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/deacon-in-the-workplace1.pdf
Canon Rosalind Brown has given permission for this draft of her article for Ecclesiology to be published here. In it she argues for a further development of the theological underpinning of diaconal ministry which recognises that the ministry of Jesus was empowered by the Holy Spirit and that he sent the Holy Spirit to empower … Continue reading SPIRIT-FILLED: developing a pneumatological understanding of diaconal ministry
A fun video made by the Coptic Orthodox Church explaining how deacons should behave in the Sanctuary! (The tonia is the white embroidered tunic) https://youtu.be/A025mh0H4O4
'It is a movement from diaconal ministry as something Deacons undertake on behalf of the church ‘out there’ to Deacons equipping and empowering the laity, the whole people of God, for diaconal ministry, and Deacons collaborating in collective action with others in the community, beyond the four walls of the church'. DIAKONIA President Rev Deacon … Continue reading DEACONS AT THE HEART
The global DIAKONIA conference which has just finished in Chicago, comprising more than 400 deacons worldwide, was addressed by Rev Dr Michael Kinnamon in an outspoken critique of current American politics, and the essential place of the diaconate in the fallout of these policies. This is the second half of his address. You can find … Continue reading DIACONAL VISION
Speak We cannot forget the poor and the powerless, even if it is nothing more than speaking up on their behalf: speaking to people we know; putting ourselves out there when we hear others forgetting about our responsibility, as a nation, to the poor; speaking on behalf of those who have taken to the streets … Continue reading SPEAK UP!
We can feel overwhelmed by a world of fear and chaos. Or, we can be open to hearing the message of Jesus who says the reign of God has come into our midst - where peace and justice meet, with the promise of a whole new future for our world graced and animated by the Holy Spirit.
Children of God Never mind your weakness; it is the very thing that qualifies you. Never mind your feelings of inadequacy; it is God’s work, not yours. Simply make yourself available, and let go of any need to impress others, or prove yourself worthy, or achieve “success.” What matters is that God has chosen … Continue reading NEVER MIND YOUR WEAKNESS …
CofE Network of Distinctive Deacons 