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Report of the Task Force on
Total Ministry
to the 126th Convention of the
Episcopal Diocese of Newark
Ms. Mary Barrett
Ms. Hattie Stone
Co-Chairs
The Rev. Jacob David
The Rev. Lucy Ann Dure
Mr. Charles J. Hayes
The Rev. Carolyn Lumbard
The Rev. Wayne Riley
Mr. Peter R. Van Brunt
The Rev. Phillip Dana Wilson
Committee Members
Table of Contents:
I. Introduction
II. The Role of Lay Ministry
- Ways to Support and Strengthen Lay Ministry in Parishes
III. The Role of the Vocational Diaconate
IV. Recommendations for Furthering Total Ministry in the Diocese of Newark
V. Resources for Strengthening Total Ministry
VI. Acknowledgements
VII. Footnotes
VIII. Resolutions
Introduction
In response to a request from Bishop John S. Spong in his episcopal address to the 123rd Convention of the Diocese
of Newark, the Convention passed a resolution directing the Commission on Ministry to oversee a study of the total
ministry of the diocese including, but not limited to, lay ministry and the possible role of vocational deacons.
This report is the result of the study of the Task Force on Total Ministry appointed by the Commission on Ministry.
In a July 1997 letter to prospective members of the Task Force, Bishop Spong stated, "for at least two decades
the leaders of this diocese have been working to turn around declining churches by developing new models of ministry
appropriate to our day. As a result, the shape of ordained ministry has begun to change." He asked that the
Task Force "rethink, redefine, and clarify" the ministry of our church in a study that would aid us in
our attempt to develop new forms of congregational life.
For a little over two years, members of the Task Force have worked together to examine and understand what "total
ministry" might mean in the Diocese of Newark. Interviews with priests who have varied and innovative styles
of ministry, research into the practice of new models of ministry in other dioceses, examination of the many publications
now available on total ministry, and attendance at a national conference on total ministry are among the diverse
approaches which the Task Force has taken to its study. In the process, the Task Force has clarified some of the
concerns of the diocese and identified areas of useful focus as we continue to adapt our understanding of ministry
to meet the needs of the church and the world.
Professor Timothy Sedgwick of Virginia Theological Seminary, the keynote speaker at Living the Covenant: A Ministry
Consultation, a national conference on total ministry held in June 1999, recalled that in 1999, there is already
more than 40 years' history of evolving understanding of ministry. Furthermore, he stated that there is substantial
"evidence of fundamental changes in the church (which) point to a new vision of the church or...an emerging
church in the midst of old structures and practices."
Quoting the Rt. Rev. Wes Frensdorff, Professor Sedgwick continued, "this emerging church (is) a church where
there is no clerical status and no classes of Christians, but where all together know themselves to be part of
the laos,- the holy people of god. Such a church would be a ministering community rather than a community gathered
around a minister. In such a community, ordained people, professional or not, employed or not, would be present
for the sake of ordering and signing the church's life and mission, not as signs of authority or dependency, nor
of spiritual or of intellectual superiority, but with the Pauline patterns of ministry supporting church, instead
of the common pattern of church supporting ministry. In such a church, bishops would be signs and animators of
the church's unity, catholicity, and apostolic mission, priests would be signs and animators of the church's eucharistic
life, and deacons would be signs and animators-living reminders- of the church's servanthood as the Body of Christ
who came as, and is, the servant slave of all God's beloved children. Such a church would be so salty and so yeasty
that it really would be missed if no longer around."
A commitment to total ministry expresses this goal in the life of the congregation: that the grace received in
Holy Baptism confers upon all the baptized the responsibility to carry out together the ministry of the whole Body
of Christ. (Eph. 4:4-16) [1] The ministry of the whole Body of Christ, --the ministry of
the whole, or total ministry, -- is a diaconal ministry, a priestly ministry, and an apostolic ministry.
There is a diaconal ministry for all who have been baptized because the life and work of every Christian must be
formed as a life of service to those in need. (Matt. 25:31-46)[2] There is a priestly ministry
for all who have been baptized because the life and work of every Christian ought to reflect an understanding of
reconciliation as the center of God's will for the world. (II Cor. 5:17-20)[3] And there
is an apostolic ministry for all who have been baptized because the life and work of every Christian should be
watchful, in keeping with Christ's own witness and teaching to the first apostles.[4] Total
ministry is the responsibility of all baptized Christians to offer the Gospel, to carry out ministries, and to
transform lives. It is a commitment to open up our systems and structures and allow ministry to happen in and through
all of God's people. The arena for total ministry is the routine of daily life in the church and the world.
The Task Force singled out three areas of congregational life as especially relevant to the goal of total ministry:
(1) the role of lay ministry; (2) the role of the vocational diaconate; and (3) congregational development.
First, we explore the role of lay ministry, because the challenge of total ministry is to all the
baptized: to support and encourage each other in the discernment and use of our gifts and skills in the service
of God, our neighbors and ourselves, thus living out our baptismal covenants. Is there a view of the ministry of
all the baptized in the parishes of the Diocese of Newark which encourages us to offer our skills and gifts toward
transformation of the parish and the world around it?
Second, we explore in detail the role of the vocational diaconate, because we have concluded that deacons
are a way of promoting total ministry, clergy wellness, and the development of lay ministry. How can the introduction
of the vocational diaconate help, rather than hinder, our goal of total ministry? And, does our theological understanding
of the ministry of the whole church support the development of the vocational diaconate?
Third, the Task Force found that a commitment to total ministry in the Diocese of Newark could not be considered
apart from a strategy for congregational development. In fact, total ministry is one strategy for congregational
development, but it is not all that is needed for thriving, growing churches. But the challenges of an effective
and comprehensive congregational development strategy, while hand in glove with the challenges of developing total
ministry, raise questions and issues which lie beyond the scope of this Task Force. The Task Force recommends that
a thoroughly researched diocesan strategy for congregational development be undertaken which will facilitate the
implementation of our recommendations for total ministry.
The Role of Lay Ministry
The members of the Task Force on Total Ministry began their work realizing that all ministry, be it lay, diaconal,
priestly or episcopal, flows from the community's experience of God in its midst. This experience is the power
and validation of every ministry. Therefore, looking for the place of lay ministry as a part of the whole, it seemed
fitting to begin where all ministry must begin: naming the presence of God in the midst of the community. Ministry
is valued andvalidated when it is understood as responding to that presence of God.
The members of the Task Force became excited when they began to visualize how a community could, in new ways, see
and name God in their midst. We began to think of programs of discernment and of "naming" that could
be created or, were already available for parishes to use in order to hear where God is calling them in terms of
their ministries. Parishes already go through a self-study and discernment process when they call new rectors and
vicars. Maybe just as important a time to do this is when a parish, with leadership firmly in place, wants to revitalize
its entire ministry: lay and ordained. It must start with naming God in its midst.
Such a period of discernment and openness could easily last a year. It would need a systematic and intentional
process. A sign of this being done well is that the community would hear some specific implications of the presence
of God. It would see some concrete steps it needs to take in order to live out this calling.
What this process does, if it is done well, is to validate every ministry, lay and ordained, because its makes
clear the origins and purpose of those ministries. Whether an individual ministry is supportive in nature or is
on the "front lines" to bring about change, such a process connects each ministry to its source. This
process is inherently supportive and validating of all ministries.
The Task Force sought out examples of how different parishes in the Diocese have tried to revitalize their ministry
by first seeking and naming God in their midst. One such example of this process is seen in the way the Church
of the Redeemer in Morristown named their experience of God as "Liberation: that which sets all people free
to be who they were created to be, sons and daughters of God." With such a naming of their experience of God,
the people of that parish began to look for ways that they could live out its implications. They began to look
at the racism, sexism and homophobia all around and within them. They began to look at ways to support people in
recovery not only in weekend meetings but also within the actual worship services. They began to look at their
worship, pastoral care, sharing and Bible study groups in the same light. They began to look at the lives of people
living with AIDS, both within and outside the parish. Ministry naturally began to flow from this experience of
God. Two specific outgrowths were, one, the creation, from the former rectory, of the Eric Johnson House for people
living with AIDS and, two, the establishment of an AIDS Memorial Chapel containing a parish AIDS quilt, within
the church itself. God, clearly seen within the events of Liberation, became the standard against which that parish
began to look at how it lived its life and made its decisions. All parish ministries, both supportive and in direct
service, began to be seen in the same light, giving them their meaning and worth.
As the members of the Task Force thought about lay ministry, they realized that it needs an established Diocesan
group that is charged with its development and nothing else. Lay ministry, when lumped with other tasks pertaining
to ordained ministry, always seems to get lost. Part of the reason is that the tasks connected with ordained ministry
are more specific with procedures already in place. Part of the problem is that lay ministry has been so devalued
that it is not clear how to effectively support it.
Tom Ray, retired Bishop of Northern Michigan, once said, "(Lay Ministry) is considered inferior, unprepared,
inadequate, inevitably second-class. I think you could wash all day and not clean that word up." The more
we engage in creatively and lovingly encouraging and supporting the ministries of each one of us, the more that
perception will recede and the more we will grow individually and communally in surprising and wonderful ways.
We may even land in, as Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold recently said, "Places of perceiving and understanding
we never dreamt of occupying. Such is God's imagination and persistent humor."
The members of the Task Force felt that lay ministry warrants attention and creative thinking on its own. Instead
of developing our thoughts further, we advocate that a committee be called and empowered by the Diocese to do this
work. It is vitally important. To do it right means going to the heart of what we are about as a people of God
and how clearly we can name the God that lives in our midst.
Besides calling for the establishment of a committee focused on lay ministry, the members of the Task Force offer
a number of suggestions that might immediately strengthen that ministry. In no way are they seen as a substitute
for more intentionally addressing this issue.
Eleven Ways to Support and Strengthen Lay Ministry in Parishes
1. provide opportunities through diocesan-supported programs for discernment of one's gifts for ministry and ways
to fulfill them;
2. publicly commission individual ministries in the midst of the assembled community;
3. create job descriptions for individual ministries and enter into ministry contracts with people;
4. create an annual process in which people name, commit to and change ministries. These could be recorded and
published.
5. publicly recognize and appreciate different ministries, both within and outside the parish and those who perform
them;
6. teach that the response to the commitments of Holy Baptism and Confirmation is a life of ministry;
7. support lay initiative and lay responsibility for running parish ministries;
8. train and encourage clergy to support ministries by his/her presence and participation at individual ministries
without being in control;
9. invite bishops to intentionally acknowledge and celebrate lay ministries on the occasion of their annul visits;
10. provide leadership training to clergy which teaches: how to raise up lay leaders, how to encourage lay ministries,
how to support lay leaders (with skills such as follow-through, trouble-shooting, positive reinforcement and appreciation,
appropriate accountability, etc.), how to learn about one's personal style of leadership-what works, and what doesn't
work about it--, and how to be present in support of individual ministries without being in control.
11. ordain deacons who can enlist, train and support baptized persons in their ministries.
A foundation for our discussion and exploration for the past two years of lay ministry and its role in our diocese
has been the 1979 Book of Common Prayer and its emphasis on Holy Baptism and the Baptismal Covenant. Holy
Baptism is the complete, full and sufficient initiation into the church.[5] Any other offices
or functions in the church are articulations of the ministry to which a Christian is commissioned for ministry
by baptism.
In the early church, there was a fundamental idea of Christian equality won by the death and resurrection of Jesus
Christ. The cross set all men and women on the same footing in relation to God and one another. Early Christian
writers described the people of God as a laos or one undifferentiated community. Lay person or laicos,
in the Greek sense of the uneducated masses, is a word that does not occur in the New Testament. The title of a
"royal priesthood" is associated with the people of God as a whole and not with ordained persons alone.
Over the centuries, the church shifted gradually from an equal community of fellowship to a body divided by ecclesiastical,
hierarchical class.
Human structures evolve out of the milieu of the particular culture of a particular time and need to be reassessed
periodically as to their appropriate and beneficial functions. The essence of Christianity and the forms and structures
of the church are not the same thing. As a community of Christians, our fundamental concern is for the essence
of faith and our structures and forms should reflect and serve this essence.
Over the last fifty or so years there has been movement away from clericalism, in varying degrees in different
places. The idea that the clergy do the ministry for the congregation is an inadequate concept if either the clergy
or the laity are to live up to their baptismal covenant. Rather than a provider/consumer model of ministry in which
clergy provide and congregations consume ministry, the 1979 Book of Common Prayer calls us to mutual ministry
which engages the gifts of all the baptized.
This vision does not devalue theological education and those so educated. Rather it is a challenge to us all to
join with clergy to take responsibility for service to God on an equal footing. One way to begin may be with all
the people of a community of faith, clergy and lay alike, entering the spiritual discipline of naming the presence
and movement of God in their midst. To do so will change everyone's life.
The Role of the Vocational Diaconate
In two years of discussion, debate and research regarding the introduction of the vocational diaconate in the
Diocese of Newark, the Task Force on Total Ministry focused on the following questions: What is the role of a deacon?
How would the ordination of vocational deacons add to the health of congregations in the Diocese of Newark? What
concerns did members of the Task Force and other members of congregations voice regarding the ordination of vocational
deacons?
For purposes of clarification, we have organized our report into four sections; First, we discuss the role of vocational
deacons in a question-answer format. Second, we list some of the concerns expressed regarding the implementation
of the vocational diaconate in the Diocese of Newark. Third, we provide interviews with people who have been trained
to serve as deacons or who are serving as deacons. Fourth, we summarize our conclusions. Suggestions for the implementation
of the vocational diaconate are enumerated in the final section of the report.
A Discussion of the Role of the Vocational Diaconate in the Diocese of Newark
1.) What is a deacon?
A deacon (a word derived from the Greek word diakonos, meaning servant) is a person ordained for "the
essential work of serving others, especially the poor, the weak, the sick, and the lonely; and for leading and
training lay people in such service." [6]
The ordinal charge to the deacon states, "you are charged to study the Holy Scriptures, to seek nourishment
from them, and to model your life upon them. You are to make Christ and his redemptive love known, by word and
example, to those among whom you live, and work, and worship. You are to interpret to the Church the needs, concerns,
and hopes of the world. You are to assist the bishop and priests in public worship and in the ministrations of
God's Word and Sacraments, and you are to carry out other duties assigned to you from time to time. At all times,
your life and teaching are to show Christ's people that in serving the helpless they are serving Christ himself."
[7]
2.) What does a deacon do?
The role of the deacon is:
a. "…to serve all people, particularly the poor, the weak, the sick and the lonely." [8]
b. "…to interpret to the Church the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world." [9]
c. The deacon is a bridge of information between the church and the world's needs. [10]
d. to remind their congregations of their baptismal covenant by word and example.
e. to inspire and encourage the efforts of their congregations to address the needs and concerns of the world.
f. to support the clergy in empowering the laity to initiate and carry out social and pastoral ministries. [11]
g. to represent servant ministry in the liturgy as a prophetic reminder of Christ's own prophetic role, who said,
"I am among you as one who serves." [12]
3.) How does a deacon's role differ from the role of the priest?
The priest is a model of leadership, especially by having spiritual responsibility for the congregation through
pastoral oversight. The priest has a preaching and teaching ministry, oversees liturgy and is the guardian of the
Word and Sacraments.
The deacon is a model of servant ministry, with a primary responsibility of ministering to the poor, the sick,
the needy and the marginalized. The deacon is a symbol of the servanthood of all Christians; an enabler of others,
and a bridge between the church and the world. The deacon aids a priest in ministering to the congregation and
is under the priest's supervision of the parish where he/she serves, ultimately serving under the authority of
the bishop.
4.) Where do deacons serve?
Deacons serve where the Bishop perceives a need and the parish family has so indicated and defined the need.
5.) What is a deacon's ministry, in general terms?
A deacon's ministry is focused in two areas: Social Ministry and Pastoral Care.
Primarily, the deacon's ministry is "a ministry of care to those in need, and a ministry of leadership in
service…. Deacons enlist, train, and support baptized persons in ministries of care." [13]
Ideally, in addition, deacons serve a liturgical role on Sunday mornings in their parish. However, the deacon should
spend only a limited part of his or her diaconal work in carrying out liturgical functions. [14]
The particular area that is chosen for the deacon's ministry of social and pastoral care will vary. "As a
catalyst to outreach ministries, the deacon … and rector/vicar discuss and agree upon goals, areas of responsibility,
and extent of participation that are most appropriate to the deacon's skills and time commitment, and the needs
of the community." [15]
6.) What are examples of some diaconal ministries?
Diaconal ministries may include the following, depending on the gifts of the deacon, the needs of the parish and
the prerogative of the bishop:
Social Ministry [16]
· Works of mercy and justice with prisoners, the old, the sick, the poor, the homeless, the handicapped,
abused women, alcoholics and addicts and their families and numerous others in need.
· Involvement in politics, business, culture, and local community development. Professional occupations
of caregiving such as social workers, doctors, nurses, lawyers, and teachers
Pastoral Care [17]
· Visiting the sick, infirm, and newcomers
· Training and supervising Eucharistic Ministers
· Taking communion to the hospitalized and homebound
· Anointing the sick
· Supporting parish visiting committees (newcomers and absent members
· Supporting ministry to specific parish/mission groups (youth, singles, seniors, etc.)
· Fostering and supporting education for lay ministry
Liturgical Functions [18]
· Read the Gospel
· On appropriate occasions, preach
· Lead the Prayers of the People
· Set and clear the table
· Receive the offerings
· Administer Communion
· Administer Healing
· Dismiss the people
· Train acolytes
7.) Who is called to be a deacon?
Any adult confirmed communicant of the Episcopal Church in good standing may be called to be a deacon.
8.) Why should deacons be considered in the Diocese of Newark?
A. Since earliest times, the ministers of the Church have been lay persons, bishops, priests, and deacons.[19] The four ministers of the church represent the fullness and diversity of ministries within
the church.
B. Because they are ordained "to a special ministry of servanthood…" [20] deacons
would provide economic, social and spiritual benefits to parishes within the diocese.
C. There are members of the diocese of Newark who have expressed the hope that they may be called to be deacons
in this diocese.
D. There is an urgent need to revitalize congregations in the diocese of Newark. Deacons can serve to support over-worked
clergy. Deacons encourage and support the ministries of the laity. The deacon is uniquely suited to recruit others
for service because his or her role is to serve as an example of servant ministry.
E. The needs of the world cry out to the church to be addressed in physical and tangible ways. Deacons enable congregations
to reach out to the world in social and pastoral areas.
9.) Why should deacons be ordained?
The ordination of deacons serves to:
(a) affirm the measure of commitment of the deacon and the level of accountability.
(b) inspire confidence because of the amount of training and commitment evidenced prior to ordination.
(c) raise the commitment of the deacon due to the promises made at ordination.
(d) support the sacrifices of time made by the deacon, who, except in rare circumstances receives no financial
compensation for his or her ministry.
(e) support through the "gifts of grace" given at ordination the promise to uphold the lifelong commitment
made to minister.
(f) validate the formal training acquired, the knowledge and skills and abilities required for ordination
(g) support the public role which the deacon must have as servant leader.
(h) establish trustworthiness in the eyes of the congregation. [21]
10.) What qualities or skills are expected of deacons? [22]
(a) Faith Development: A person who has a questing prayer life, studies scripture for nourishment, has a
spiritual depth and a sense of God's presence in his or her life journey. One who can articulate their faith and
share his or her vision with others.
(b) Ability to be a Risk-taker and Interpreter: One who has the willingness to try new things creatively,
the capacity to persevere in difficulty, and shows resilience in adversity. The capacity to work hard. The ability
to interpret the needs and concerns of the world to the church.
(c) Ability to Develop Leaders: A person who has demonstrated accomplishment in previous leadership roles,
with the ability to hear others, and the ability to raise up others as leaders. Strong educator skills. The ability
to learn and help others to learn.
(d) Ability to Offer Caring Support: A person of supportive compassion for those in need in the church and
in the world. One in touch with his or her own need and willing to seek support as needed. A willingness to be
a caring presence in the face of overwhelming pain and need.
(e) Ability to Communicate: One who can develop and deliver a sermon that addresses the scripture, the needs
of God's people and the hope of the Gospel. The ability to write, read and speak clearly and communicate the message
of God's love to all people.
(f) Ability to Serve in Liturgy: An understanding of the various liturgies of the Episcopal Church and the
deacon's role in each. The ability to plan and lead worship. A comfort in worship that assists other participants
in a reverent and joyful offering to God.
11.) How is the call to be a deacon discerned?
A process of discernment must take place in accordance with the canonical requirements of the Episcopal Church.
[23]
"Dioceses with a diaconate program usually require that prospective deacons already function in specialized
ministries among the poor, sick and needy." [24] Several years of diakonia, particularly
in servant ministry in the world and/or the church, are among the personal qualifications required of a deacon.
[25]
The Responsibility of the Aspirant
"Selection of deacons should occur as part of a larger process whereby the church discerns the needs of the
church's own life and of the world and the gifts of the church's people. Dioceses and parishes should help all
people to discover and evaluate their own ministries." [26]
An aspirant may be recruited, or approach the rector of the parish to consider a call to the diaconate.
The Responsibility of the Congregation
"The congregation plays a crucial role in selection and must be willing to involve itself in the preparation
of persons for the diaconate. The parish which has never seen a deacon must find out about deacons, invite them
to speak and serve in the liturgy. The parish where deacons are to serve must clearly want them as deacons. The
rector must want them. The congregation must be carefully prepared, potential deacons carefully screened, and a
consensus carefully reached. The persons must also be tentatively acceptable to the diocese and the bishop. Finally,
the potential deacons may or may not have considered the diaconate before their selection. They have the right
to accept or to refuse." [27]
The Responsibility of the Diocese [28]
Once accepted by the COM (the sub-committee on the diaconate of the COM) as a postulant, the process of training
deacons includes three more years of ongoing discernment. At any time, during this training and discernment, the
deacon may be asked, or personally elect, to discontinue training. A crucial pastoral and gatekeeper role is thereby
given to some person (Trainer? Archdeacon? Bishop?) who is both close enough to the postulant/candidate and detached
enough to discern with them the continuing affirmation or inadequacy of diaconal commitment.
An age requirement of 45 years may discourage aspirants prone to transience, because people tend to be more settled
later in life.
12.) What kind of training is envisioned for the deacon after being accepted as a postulant?
Once a person has been accepted into the vocational deacon program, a candidate is required to spend three years
in other areas of study, focusing mainly in social and pastoral areas as will as on liturgy, church history, Holy
Scripture, contemporary theology, Christian Ethics/Moral Theology and homiletics. In some dioceses, Education for
Ministry (EFM) serves to satisfy this requirement. CPE is a vital part of the program as well as a year or more
in social ministry such as a hospital, prison or specialized institution, and pastoral ministry in a social or
liturgical setting. It is important that the candidate serve in a church other than the candidate's home parish
and that the candidate show ability to teach others about servant ministry. There is ongoing evaluation of the
candidate's progress in each area.
A Committee, often referred to as the Deacon Formation Committee, will review the candidate's qualifications and
progress at stated intervals so that a final recom-mendation will be submitted to the Commission on Ministry, who
refer the files for review to the Standing Committee before making recommendations to the Bishop.
The final decision for ordination remains with the Bishop be in the deacon's home parish, unless the Bishop deems
it necessary. Placement may not be in the deacon's home parish unless the Bishop deems it necessary.
13.) How is the accountability of the deacon maintained?
In fulfillment of the ordination vows, the deacon is under the direct pastoral care and authority of the bishop.
In this relationship a deacon is expected to seek counsel from the bishop for issues related to pre-marital planning
or crisis, hospitalization and illness, and other serious concerns of ministry. The deacon is directly accountable
to the bishop or the archdeacon (or to whoever has been designated to administer the deacon program).
At the beginning of each year, a new contract is signed by all parties. Under the supervision of the archdeacon
or bishop, a yearly evaluation is submitted and reviewed carefully by all parties.
14.) Where does the deacon receive ongoing support?
In fulfillment of the ordination vows, the deacon is under the direct pastoral care of the Bishop. In this relationship
a deacon is expected to seek counsel from the Bishop for issues related to pre-marital planning or crisis, hospitalization
and illness, and other serious concerns of ministry. The deacon is directly accountable to the Bishop or the Archdeacon
(where there is one who serves to administer the deacon program).
Under the supervision of the Archdeacon or Bishop, all parties submit a yearly evaluation. At the end of each year,
all parties also sign a new contract.
15.) How is the deacon program financed?
Although deacon candidates usually assume responsibility for financing their training, the home parish will hopefully
contribute to the cost of their training. The diocese must cover the cost of those involved in the Deacon Formation
Training, ongoing deacon formation and continuing education.
16.) Can a deacon transfer from one diocese to another?
At the present time, there are many different requirements in the various dioceses for the ordination of deacons.
The National Association for the Advancement of Deacons (NAAD) has been working actively to facilitate the standardization
and transfer of deacons from one diocese to another.
A Summary of the Concerns Regarding the Introduction of the Vocational Diaconate
in the Diocese of Newark
Members of the Task Force expressed concerns in three areas, summarized below.
I. Would the ordination of vocational deacons contribute to increased clericalism and hierarchicalism*
in the Diocese of Newark? This concern was expressed in the following ways:
1. All clerical titles seem to confer a higher rank than laity, and to suggest a military view of the distribution
of power and authority.
2. There is little or no benefit to be gained from more clerical authority figures.
3. Because deacons serve at the altar, it may appear that only clergy are the important ministers and dispensers
of grace.
4. If servant ministry is the work of the deacon rather than the priest, then servant ministry may seem "second-class,"
because of the deacon's lower rank.
5. The ordination service of bishops and priests can seem like a coronation. This conveys the impression that ordained
ministry is more important than the ministry of the laity. Servant leadership among the laity would not be enhanced
by a coronation-like ordination service of deacons.
*Clericalism is a preferential treatment of all ordained people, based upon a view that authority, influence,
and gifts are derived solely from ordination. It reflects the bias that clergy are more important to the ministries
of the church than laity, simply because they have titles, and wear collars. Hierarchicalism is preferential
treatment granting influence and authority solely because of rank.
II. Would the vocational diaconate devalue the ministry of the laity, and convey wrong impressions about lay
and ordained ministry? Specific reservations in this regard were:
1. If the Diocese of Newark were to begin ordaining deacons, it might send the message to laity that, without ordination,
ministry can not be as valid.
2. It may seem that laity can't undertake servant ministry unless they are ordained as deacons.
3. It may seem that baptism is less important if you need to be ordained to perform certain ministries, when in
fact, many of the responsibilities of deacons are the responsibility of all the baptized, conferred with the grace
given at baptism.
4. The role of deacons as "sacramental assistants" at the altar may lead to the perception that the work
of the clergy is to be specialists in liturgy and Sunday morning worship only.
5. Ordaining deacons will not in and of itself accomplish the goal of total ministry.
The goal of total ministry may be overlooked if the diocese ordains deacons.
6. Lay people may think, "the deacon's on staff to do the servant ministry." This might discourage lay
people from taking responsibility for their own ministries.
III. There may be too many practical difficulties in introducing the vocational diaconate.
1. It may be very difficult to clarify what the role of a deacon should be in the Diocese of Newark.
a. It will be hard to train deacons and educate the diocese about their role because there are so many different
opinions about what the role of the deacon should be.
b. The laity may not understand what deacons are to do. The role of deacons in their parishes may confuse them,
and problems may result.
c. Ordination conveys sacramental permanency. There will be problems if deacons are not faithful to the obligations
of their contract and the vows made at their ordination.
d. It is not clear what the relationship between the transitional diaconate, which priests "pass through,"
and a vocational diaconate should be.
2. The Task Force was unclear who should be deacons, or how they should be raised up. There were questions about
how those who are best suited to diaconal ministry would be recognized. Reservations were expressed along these
lines:
a. The idea of a call from God to be a deacon may be so hard to objectively define that it is meaningless.
b. It may be that lots of deacons really want to be ordained to the priesthood, and this may become a "back
door" for them into the process of becoming a priest.
c. There will be a flood of people who want to be deacons and the Bishop and Commission on Ministry may be overwhelmed
with the task of discerning who the church will call as deacons.
d. Many people may misunderstand the role of deacon to be primarily that of ordained sacristans.
e. Some laity might believe they are called to be deacons only to achieve more validation for their ministry.
f. It may appear to some lay people that ordination to the vocational diaconate is a reward for good service.
3. As another practical matter, the Task Force was unsure who would administer the diaconal program, and unclear
who would supervise the deacons.
a. The deacon's power in the parish could rival the priest's. Deacons might
"become built-in ordained popes in various congregations." [29]
b. Who will pay for the education and formation program for deacons and who will oversee it?
c. The education, training and formation of deacons present many problems for the administrator of the diaconal
program, because it may be too hard to define what a deacon should do and be.
Interviews with People Trained to Serve as Deacons
and Serving as Ordained Deacons
Listed in the 1998 Clerical Directory are five vocational deacons in the Diocese of Newark. Four were ordained
by Bishops Rath or Stark in the 1970's, and range in age from their upper sixties to eighties; the fifth, interviewed
below, was ordained in Illinois in 1974. They are associated with Christ Church, Glen Ridge; Grace Church, Westwood;
Christ Church, Pompton Lakes; and St. Stephen's, Millburn.
I. Interview with a Person Trained to Serve as a Deacon
From 1985-1990, Barbara Conroy received diaconal training in the Diocese of Rhode Island, where she worked
with Bishop George Hunt, and the Diocese of Maryland. When she moved to the Diocese of Newark in 1991, she was
unable to be ordained deacon, but she has continued to exercise her vocation in fruitful and effective ways.
Why ordain deacons?
One can live without ordination. I do. But I feel ordination completes the ministry cycle - the ministry cycle
becomes circular with deacons, rather than hierarchical. What we've been missing in this diocese is that sense
of the church going back into the world and then the world coming back into the church, which the deacon symbolizes
and leads. We need people out there who have been given that grace and that authority - who have been set apart
- to do that work and bring that back into the church. The deacon does that liturgically by proclaiming the Gospel,
calling the people to prayer, and dismissing the people.
People yearn to have people "out there" in the world that they can turn to and find focus-a truly working
person who knows what you go through on a day-to-day basis. It's hard to believe your priest can understand what
you're going through, when they aren't in the office. A deacon is someone out there for them who understands what
they are going through.
How do deacons enhance the goal of total ministry?
With the laity
Congregations ought to do needs assessment, and present it to the diocesan staff. The bishop can then appoint deacons
that have skills to do the things that are needed. The congregation gets their needs met. It may not be what the
parish priest wants, but what the congregation needs. Then the priest will stay away from the things the priest
isn't as skilled at, or doesn't have time for, but which are still needed: education, pastoral care, outreach…
I've trained over 50 people to do lay eucharistic ministry. I am still in contact with many of them. I teach them
that they are "set apart to do this" by their training. I enable the relationship building, making connections
in the diocese, bringing them together, so they can hear the different ways people do their ministry. They see
that I really care about their ministry. For once, they are actually getting the skills and techniques to become
an effective minister. They ask me, "Can you tell me some things I can do for this person-to be a better pastoral
presence?" Deacons maintain connections with people in the community outside the community of the church.
With the priest
The priest is within the institution, and is always associated with the institution. We have so many priests trying
to be pastors to their institution and do everything else, too: Chaplain to the police, college, and hospital.
But the essential roles of the priest are preacher, teacher and pastor.
With the bishop
If the bishop does the job of supervising the deacons, he is kept more in the loop as to what is happening. He
has a company of angels out there helping him to understand what's happening in the diocese, keeping him abreast
of change. How often do rectors call the bishop and have a discussion of the needs of his community? Deacons do
this with the bishop.
A deacon must be the kind of person who can respond when the bishop says, "This is where my trouble spot is,
this is where a congregation needs help. Go there."
What about the vocation and training of deacons?
The joy I have in my diaconal work is that I am able to give people the tools for ministry.
A deacon must be called to do the work, if the deacon is going to be effective and successful.
Deacons must be extremely well trained. You can't send unskilled, untrained people to do the work.
II. Interview with an Ordained Deacon Serving in the Diocese of Newark
The Rev. Herb Tinning will celebrate the 25th anniversary of his ordination to the diaconate in December
1999. He was ordained a vocational deacon by Bishop James Montgomery in the Diocese of Chicago in 1974. Having
graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology with an engineering degree in 1952, he worked in association management
until his retirement in 1996. He now serves as a deacon at St. Stephen's in Millburn, New Jersey.
Why ordain deacons?
When I did my hospital ministry, there was a lay person I went with. We took communion to the sick. She was the
organizer. She made the arrangements. She guided us around. I said the prayers. I administered the oil. She was
competent to say the prayers. She could have done it all. But the fact that I was there enhanced the service. It's
an imponderable… I'm not trying to justify my existence, but because I am a deacon, what I do, saying the prayers,
bringing the communion, has a little more meaning. I bring some measure of authority. She liked my being there.
It was our ministry. We shared that ministry. Instead of everybody running around doing their ministry by themselves,
it's important that we work together.
My professional work was association management. I worked with associations of engineers. In an association people
share knowledge, and work together on national projects. Every association needs staff coordination of volunteers.
The deacon group is a coordinating group. We are separate from the group, but the same as the group. We are part
of the whole.
I bring a clearer perspective on what it is to serve God.
How do deacons enhance the goal of total ministry?
With the laity
My work as a deacon continues what I did in association management, which was to bring out the best in people,
to advance their careers in their situations. I loved to see people advance themselves. I had a lot of pride when
that was some of my doing. That is really a service.
When I came to St. Stephen's in 1992 I kept a low profile. Nobody knew I was a deacon for two years. I was involved
in the church, elected to the vestry. There was a strong laity. It's not my style to go around saying, I'll do
the Gospel, I'll read the prayers. Somebody found out I was a deacon when I inquired if it was appropriate for
a deacon to serve on the vestry. Then the rector said it'd be nice to have me at the altar, to read the Gospel
and so on.
With the clergy
When I retired in 1996, the rector saw I was getting antsy and gave me a job as superintendent of the cemetery.
I run the occasional funeral, monitor interments, talk with the family, make sure everything is okay. It turned
out to be a splendid ministry. Being an engineer, I like the technical part. I deal with people that call and ask
where their relatives are buried. I am a Sherlockian, so I like tracking down the clues. …And working with people,
that's what I enjoy. I am learning about bereavement. There are a lot of sensitivities you have to be careful about.
There are things the priest can do that volunteers can't or won't do. The priest's the head staff person. There
are things that are the job of the priest, especially in a small parish, where the priest's the focus, the impetus
to get people going, --for example, in a capital fund. I can support the rector, but I can't do that job.
What about the vocation and training of deacons?
I had a crisis in my job, and went to a healing service where I prayed for help. I learned to be careful what you
pray for. The Lord answers prayer, sometimes very dramatically. I was fired the next day. Around the same time
my rector at St. Simon's in Arlington Heights, Illinois suggested that I look into diaconal work. I resisted at
first. But then when I was more open to it, he arranged to get me into Deacon School at Seabury-Western Theological
Seminary. I had three classmates. We met on Saturdays, and in between we got a lot of reading done, in Scripture,
Theology, Ethics, Liturgics… Also, I had informal mentoring with my rector. It reinforced that I was doing the
right thing, that it was what I should be doing.
Just last year I finished EFM. That was a wonderful program.
III. Interview with an Ordained Deacon Serving in the Diocese of New York
The Rev. Ken Arnold began his training for the diaconate in 1990 in the Diocese of Pennsylvania, and when
he moved to New York in 1993 continued his training until his ordination in 1998. He works full-time as a writer,
editor, playwright and publisher, and serves as a deacon at St. Clement's in New York City.
Why ordain deacons?
…Because some of us are called to be that way. It is the order that provides the right outline for us. Had there
not been a diaconate, I would have tried to make myself a presbyter, and I probably would have succeeded. But I
think the Church would have lost something, and so would I.
The work of a deacon is a full-time ministry, not a leisure activity. Even though we are all priests through our
baptism, ordination means that one is called out of the church to perform a particular function for the church.
All of us are called to ministry, but orders mean that we are called in a specific way to serve the church. One's
function changes and is formalized by orders. It is no longer my choice-as in, I'd like to work this year in the
soup kitchen. I agree to do ministry under authority.
The life of the deacon is taken over by this work, because we agree to become institutionally responsible to the
needs of the church in a way that is completely absorbing.
A deacon is what I am. Being ordained doesn't complete me in a way that I wasn't complete in myself. But the role
of the deacon confirmed who I am.
How does the vocational diaconate enhance total ministry?
My primary diaconal work is pastoral care. I am the chaplain on call on weekends at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital
and I have organized a hospital ministry there, training members of the parish to do pastoral care. I teach, preach,
help to organize the education program in the parish, give workshops on prayer and spiritual practice both in my
parish and elsewhere, and carry out the deacon's liturgical role on Sundays and at Wednesday evening services.
We have two deacons at St. Clement's, and we share liturgical roles. I am helping to develop a Spanish service
with our priest. I do spiritual direction and discernment in the parish.
A deacon is "turned outward," is a representative figure: for the church in the community and for the
community in the church. I stand on the border on behalf of both communities.
How would you describe your call to be a vocational deacon?
First, I felt called to ministry when I was called back into the church in 1979, having dropped out in the sixties.
I felt called to a more formal religious life. The question was, what kind of ministry and religious life. I began
to read about religious orders, and looked into the 3rd Order of St. Francis. I talked about the priesthood with
Frank Griswold who was the rector of my parish back in 1984. He said, "Hah! I don't know…We've got too many
priests." Our parish then brought in a deacon who was a professor of education at U. Penn -- a scholar, teacher
and deacon -- and it knocked me out that he could do all of that. I got to know him. I discovered I wanted to live
a life in both worlds, secular and the church. I wanted to keep my life in the academic world, and my work as a
writer/editor…to continue to do all of that but under the aspect of diaconal ministry.
I went through a parish process with a Discernment Committee. They took their task very seriously. We addressed
the question of ministry in all forms, but ordination was always there. It was hard to sort out for over a year,
especially because some thought I was very suited to the priesthood. Then I had a personal crisis, which led to
my moving to New York and beginning again, in a sense, to sort out what God was calling me to do, this time in
a new diocese and a new parish. More and more it was clear that the vocational deacon fit my sense--and others'
sense-of who I am. And not only did I feel called to do it, but I knew I could do it, because I am a public person,
a speaker and a writer. I recognized myself in this order.
What about the training of the deacon?
The work of preparing to be a deacon is every bit as hard as a priest's, although it is not as focused on formal
seminary training. The criteria and discernment process are the same, the psychic readiness and maturity are the
same. Like priests, deacons must be formed theologically, must be thinkers and doers-they must be smart enough
to generalize beyond their personal experience, but not to intellectualize religion.
The deacon must be a person who knows how to get things done, and have the ability to reflect theologically. This
is more about a certain degree of maturity and faith, than intellectual ability. A deacon must be a person who
can grow.
The role of the deacon puts great demands on one's people skills. You can't take sides in a political situation
in a parish. That's the presbyter's realm. You are the "bishop's person," and that means that sometimes
in the parish, the lines of authority can get muddled. A good deacon will learn to work with both diocese and parish.
The distinctive characteristic of the diaconate is that it has roots in the local community. A deacon is formed
by community perhaps more than presbyters are. I can be a deacon somewhere else, of course--I am ordained for the
whole church--but if I move to another place and diocese I will need to learn about the whole in order to function
there as a deacon, not just about the parish to which the bishop assigns me.
Summary of Conclusions regarding the Vocational Diaconate
In conclusion, the Task Force affirms that vocational deacons are a way of promoting the goal of total ministry
in the Diocese of Newark. Vocational deacons complete the ministry cycle, so that the ministry of the church is
circular rather than hierarchical. Through their servant ministry, deacons symbolize and lead the church going
into the world, and the world coming back into the church.
Vocational deacons enhance clergy wellness and lay ministry through actively empowering all the baptized to carry
out the work of the church. The deacon is uniquely suited to recruit others for service because their own role
is to serve as an example of servant ministry. Deacons directly support over-worked clergy. They contribute to
the development of lay ministry by training, enlisting and supporting baptized persons in their ministries of outreach
and pastoral care. With deacons, the model of the church is "a ministering community, rather than a community
gathered around a minister."
The concerns raised about the potential difficulties surrounding the introduction of the diaconate are valid and
need careful attention. However, the practical effects and benefits of the vocational diaconate experienced in
other dioceses override these fears. The concerns serve to underscore what is well known: Intensive and thorough
diocesan education about the vocational diaconate, with the supportive leadership of the bishop, is the key to
its success.
Finally, in the view of the Task Force, our theological understanding of total ministry supports the development
of the vocational diaconate in the Diocese of Newark. In baptism, each Christian becomes a part of the whole Body
of Christ, and receives with other Christians the responsibility of the ministry of the whole church. This is a
diaconal, priestly and apostolic ministry, and yet, "to each of us is given grace according to the measure
of Christ's gift." (Eph. 4:7) "The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some
evangelists, some pastors and teachers…" (Eph. 4:11) The deacon's gift is the "special ministry of servanthood."
(BCP, 543) This is their unique part in "equipping the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the
body of Christ… [For] we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body,
joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes
the body's growth in building itself up in love." (Eph. 4:12,15-16)
Recommendations for Furthering Total Ministry in the Diocese of Newark
1. That the Diocese of Newark establish a Committee on Lay Ministry whose purpose it is to develop programs
to support and validate lay ministry as a response to the call of God found within a community of faith. This committee
might also set up a year long program for exploring and developing gifts and skills for ministry, including leadership
training, which is open to all baptized persons. Such a program will help individuals to identify and test the
gifts and skills that will enable them to live out their baptismal covenant and to exercise their ministries more
fully in God's service. This program will also provide training for parish leaders so that they may offer workshops
in exploring ministry possibilities and gifts for ministry within their own parish.
2. That all congregations actively engage in a self-study process to discover:
How are the ministries of individuals encouraged in our parish?
How is the corporate ministry of the whole congregation encouraged in our parish?
What kinds of formal affirmation of lay ministry occur on a regular basis?
Would a commissioning of some lay ministers and leaders be advisable annually?
Could a group be formed in our parish to further the educational exploration of gifts for ministry?
Is a permanent committee needed in our parish to provide trained listeners for the discernment of vocations and
gifts for ministry?
3. That a Committee on the Vocational Diaconate be formed, to work closely with the bishop to create an overall
plan for introducing the vocational diaconate in the Diocese of Newark. This plan should be implemented over a
period of no less than three years and should include the following:
(a) strategy for educating congregations about the history, ministry and role of vocational deacons, especially
demonstrating the relationship of the diaconate to the goal of total ministry.
(b) guidance for discernment of call to the vocational diaconate within the parish.
(c) the screening and formation of criteria for postulancy to the vocational diaconate
(d) the formation of a training program to prepare persons aspiring to the diaconate.
(e) the ongoing support for ordained vocational deacons in the church.
Resources for Strengthening Total Ministry
Adult Education Programs which encourage discussion of vocation, mutual ministry and personal discernment
of one's gifts for ministry would serve as useful resources to strengthen total ministry. Some examples would be:
Education for Ministry (EFM)
Disciples of Christ in Community (D.O.C.C.).
The Catechumenal Process: Adult Initiation & Formation for Christian Life and Ministry, Church Hymnal
Corporation, 1990.
Guidance in Discernment
Collins, J. M.: Are All Christians Ministers? Dwyer and Lovell, 1992.
Maureen Conroy: The Discerning Heart: Discovering a Personal God
Edwards, Lloyd: Discerning Your Spiritual Gifts, Cowley, 1988.
Farnham, Suzanne, et al.: Listening Hearts: Discerning Call in Community, Morehouse, 1991.
Farnham, Suzanne et al.: Grounded in God. Listening Hearts for Group Deliberations, Morehouse, 1996.
Green, Thomas: Weeds Among the Wheat, Ave Maria Press, 1990.
Lonsdale, David: Listening to the Music of the Spirit: The Art of Discernment
McKinney, Mary Benet: Shared Wisdom Approach
Palmer, Parker: The Clearness Committee: A Communal Approach to Discernment Quaker Style
Education about Total Ministry and the Vocational Diaconate
Barnett, James M.: The Diaconate: A Full and Equal Order, Revised Ed., Trinity Press International, Valley
Forge, Pa., 1995.
Bongison and Wilson, eds.: Reshaping Ministry: Essays in Honor of The Right Rev. Wesley Frensdorff, Jethro
Publications, 1990.
Booty, John: The Servant Church--Diaconal Ministry and the Episcopal Church, Morehouse-Barlow, 1982.
Collins, John: Diakonia: Re-interpreting the Ancient Sources, Oxford, 1990.
Doucette, Lee F.: The Ordained Diaconate: Help or Hindrance to Servant Ministry?, United Theological Seminary
of the Twin Cities, Dissertation, 1986.
Fenhagen, James C. with Celia A. Hahn: Ministry for A New Time: Case Study for Change with Study Guide by Jean
M. Haldane, The Alban Institute, 1995.
Hall, Christine, ed.: The Deacon's Ministry, England: Gracewing, (US dist by Morehouse), 1992.
Lowry, James: The Deacon in the Episcopal Church, Boston: National Center
for the Diaconate, 1982.
Menuez, D. Barry, Executive: Raising Up Servant Ministry, a study by The Permanent Diaconate Evaluation
Committee, Education for Mission and Ministry, 1985.
Plater, Ormonde: Many Servants: An Introduction To Deacons, Cowley Publications, 1991.
Plater, Ormonde: Deacons in the Episcopal Church: Guidelines on their Selection, Training, and Ministry,
NAAD, 1991.
Shugrue, The Rev. Timothy J.: Service Ministry of the Deacon
Sims, The Right Rev. Bennett, Servanthood, Cowley Publications, 1997.
Vanier, Jean: The Scandal of Service
Diaconal Ministry, Past, Present and Future, Talks at 1992 symposium NAAD, 1994.
Diakoneo: Anglican Deacons and Diakonia in North America, a publication of North American Association for
the Diaconate, 271 No. Main St., Providence, RI 02903
Organizations which support Total Ministry
Living Stones Diocesan Partnership
Leaveners: Companions in Reshaping Ministry, P.O. Box 337, Durham, CT 06472 or leaveners@juno.com
North American Association for the Diaconate (NAAD), 271 No. Main St., Providence, RI 02903
Synagogy, P.O. Box 51931, Knoxville, TN 37950-1931
Acknowledgements
The members of the Task Force on Total Ministry wish to thank the following persons who found time in their
busy schedules to meet with us and/or to direct us to resources without which we could not have accomplished this
report:
The Reverend Denise Mantell, COM and COD liaison, Diocese of New Jersey
The Reverend Susan P. Norris, Director, Deacon of Formation Programs, Diocese of New Jersey
Deacon W. Keith McCoy, Chair, Committee on the Diaconate, Diocese of New Jersey
Deacon Edwin F. Hallenbeck, Executive Director, North American Association for the Diaconate (NAAD)
The Reverend John Nieman, Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church, Ann Arbor, MI
The Reverend Steve Giovangelo, St. John's Church, Union City
The Venerable Nancy B. Foote, Archdeacon, Diocese of Maryland
The Right Reverend David B. Joslin, Diocese of New Jersey
The Reverend Svea Gray, Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church, Ann Arbor, MI
The Right Reverend Robert W. Ihloff, Diocese of Maryland.
St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Chatham, NJ
The Right Reverend John S. Spong, Diocese of Newark
The Right Reverend Jack M. McKelvey, Diocese of Rochester
The Right Reverend John P. Croneberger, Diocese of Newark
The Reverend Linda Strohmier, Bergen Episcopal Area Ministry (BEAM)
The Reverend Scott Kallstrom, Grace Van Vorst, Jersey City
Mr. Gerald Bedard, Parish Administrator, St. Pauls Church, Chatham
Ms. Barbara Conroy
Deacon Herb Tinning, St. Stephen's, Millburn
Deacon Kenneth Arnold, St. Clement's, NYC
The Right Reverend George Hunt
The Commission on Ministry of the Diocese of Newark
Footnotes
[1] "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of
your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism… To each of us is given grace according to the measure of Christ's
gift." "The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors
and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ… [For] we must grow
up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every
ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body's growth in building itself
up in love." (Eph. 4: 4-5,7, 11-12,15-16)
[2] "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will
sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from
another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats
at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit
the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty
and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing,
I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord,
when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was
it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you
sick or in prison and visited you?' And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one
of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand,
'You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry
and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome
me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer,
'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take
care of you?' Then he will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these,
you did not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
(Matt 25:31-46)
[3] "So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; everything old has passed away;
see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given
us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their
trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ,
since God is making his appeal through us…" (II Cor. 5:17-20a)
[4] "The Church is apostolic, because it continues in the teaching and fellowship of
the apostles and is sent to carry out Christ's mission to all people." (Book of Common Prayer (BCP), 854)
[5] BCP, 298.
[6] Pamphlet produced by the North American Association for the Diaconate (NAAD), 1997.
[7] BCP, 543.
[8] Ibid.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Interview with Bishop George Hunt, April 28, 1999.
[11] BCP, 543.
[12] Luke 22:27; BCP, 543.
[13] Pamphlet produced by the North American Association for the Diaconate (NAAD), 1997.
[14] Bishop George Hunt recommends no more than 20% of the total time be spent in liturgical
work.
[15] The Diaconate in the Diocese of Maryland: A Handbook, May 1996, p. 10.
[16] Plater, Ormonde, Many Servants: An Introduction To Deacons, Cowley Publications,
1991, p.21.
[17] Ibid.; The Diaconate in the Diocese of Maryland: A Handbook, May 1996,
p. 10.
[18] The Diaconate in the Diocese of Maryland: A Handbook, May 1996, p. 11.
[19] BCP, 855.
[20] Ibid., 543.
[21] Raising Up Servant Ministry, a study by The Permanent Diaconate Evaluation Committee,
D. Barry Menuez, Executive, Education for Mission and Ministry, 1985, p.18.
[22] Ministry Discernment Manual, Diocese of Maryland, January 1999 (1-800-443-1399)
[23] Canons III.4,5,6,and 7:"Of Postulants for Holy Orders...Of Candidates for Holy
Orders...Of the Ordination of Deacons...Of Ordination to the Diaconate and Priesthood" states that: (1) The
preparation of vocational deacons and transitional (those deacons preparing for priesthood) deacons is the same
in Canons 4 and 5 in that both must meet the requirements for postulancy and candidacy which are set forth in those
canons. (2) In canons 6 and 7 specific distinctions are made between requirements in preparation for the vocational
diaconate and the transitional diaconate: (a) although a vocational deacon must pass a test in the same areas of
study as a transitional deacon candidate, his or her Bishop and the Commission on Ministry decide the form and
content of that test. The transitional deacon candidate must prepare for and receive a certificate from the Board
of Examining Chaplains having taken the GOE's. (b) the vocational deacon candidate shall receive "training
or practical experience suitable to the Candidate's occupation, and ministry in the Church and the world."
(III.6.4) There is no more specific standard for this training for the vocational diaconate specified. (c) The
transitional deacon candidate must also complete "practical training in work as a Deacon in preparation for
ordination to the Priesthood."(III.7.10) (3) The vocational deacon candidate must sign a statement how "the
Candidate intends to exercise the ministry of a Deacon both in the Church and in the world and that there is no
intent to apply for ordination to the Priesthood." (III.6) (However, Canon 6 states that, while a Deacon who
is ordained under the provisions of Canon 6 in not eligible for ordination to the priesthood, nonetheless if his
or her Bishop and Standing Committee give written consent, "and for good cause shown" he or she may be
ordained to the priesthood having fulfilled the requirements of Canon 7, "On Ordination to the Diaconate and
Priesthood".)
[24] NAAD, 1997.
[25] Deacons in the Episcopal Church: Guidelines on their Selection, Training, and Ministry,
Ormonde Plater, ed., NAAD, 1991.
[26] Plater, op.cit., 6. Programs designed to aid this discernment (such as Exploring
Ministry, Living into Ministry, Finding our Way in the Diocese of Maryland and Listening Hearts) ought to be undertaken
as a program of diocesan-wide affirmation of total ministry, in the context of which more specific calls to various
tasks and roles may be discerned. (See Ministry Discernment Manual, Diocese of Maryland, January 1999, pp.
1-4, 2-19).
[27] Plater, op.cit., 7.
[28] Interview with the Rt. Rev. George Hunt, April 24, 1999.
[29] Interview with the Rt. Rev. John S. Spong, March 23, 1998.
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