DRAWING UP A LEARNING/WORKING AGREEMENT
GUIDELINES FOR DEACONS IN THEIR FIRST CURACY (IME 2) AND INCUMBENTS
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 baptisms, sick visiting, funerals, etc., their ongoing participation in them should always arise out of the diaconal focus of their ministry. Deacons are not called to minister within the walls of the church. They are called to be out and about in the community, building bridges, creating relationships, identifying and meeting needs. This freedom of the deacon is a gift to the mission of the church.
Therefore, their ongoing participation in such aspects of ministry as occasional offices will be governed by whether these have come about through the community focus of their ministry. This principle gives clarity to the kind of involvement in general parish ministry which is appropriate for distinctive deacons.
The Qualities and Evidences from the CofE national ministry team help distinctive deacons and their training incumbents enormously, as a guide for reflecting on different aspects of a diaconal curacy. Although some areas of ministry overlap with priests, the focus of the diaconate is distinct from priesthood. The Evidences offer a way of helping to encourage, develop, guide and safeguard that distinctive trajectory.
CofE Network of Distinctive Deacons 