A Positively Poetic Priest

St. Gregory's offers their parishioners an opportunity usually unheard of in an Episcopal church: members can serve in the roles of Deacons without being ordained as Deacons. Sara Miles decides to try out this role in her church and shares her experience in this chapter of learning what to do and how it felt to serve during the church service.  "Besides, I liked the idea of deaconing as a verb rather than deacon as a title or an identity." (94)  What is the role of the deacon? Who serves the church and the people of the church? We at St. John's have just recently received a new deacon into our community, how have you experienced his role and service to the church? How have you experienced deacons other places? 

In the Episcopal Church we have a structure which consists of a three fold order of ordained ministers: Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. St. John's has great familiarity with bishops and priests. In fact, most of you know our current bishop, +Sean, quite well. I am the fifteenth in St. John's line of full time priests. However, we have just recently gotten our first vocational deacon! This past Sunday, Dave Betz was ordained to the diaconate and appointed to serve St. John's. Deacons are called to serve the church in five specific ways. They are to study the Holy Scriptures, to make Christ known through their work. They are to "interpret to the Church the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world." They are to assist during worship services, and to particularly serve the poor, the weak, the sick, and the lonely. (BCP 543) Given these instructions, Deacon Dave will be taking on some new parts in our regular worship services. Specifically, at the 8 am service,...