Yesterday was the 39th anniversary* of my ordination as deacon (fr. Greek diakonos, a servant, a menial, sometimes a messenger) in the Diocese of Pittsburgh of the Episcopal Church, the US branch office of the Church of England. Since then, I’ve served in seven other dioceses, three provinces (US, Scotland, England), and I’ll skip over how many parishes and congregations. And as a teacher in theological institutions…
A ‘deacon’, in Anglican polity, is an order proper unto itself and an order that affords stepwise growth in ministry toward ordination to the priesthood. People get snappish about whether that’s the way things ought to be, or whether ordinands should be made priests directly on the end of their training. I respect the vocation of deacons who understand their calling to focus strictly on diaconal ministry; at the same time, I wouldn’t want us to ordain clergy to priestly orders who had never spent time as a deacon. In many respects, diaconal service comprises the greatest part of a priest’s ministry: pastoral care, visiting, bringing the sacrament to people who can’t get to church, proclaiming the faith, cooperating with the bishop, paperwork and committee meetings. Likewise, a teacher’s work partakes of the diaconal — a lot of pastoral care (conducting lectures and seminars with a view to the well-being and success, particularly, of weaker students or students whose situations and constitution make them less than fully receptive to learning, as well as consolation, counsel, guidance in one’s office). I hesitate to make big public pronouncements about my identity ‘as a deacon’ ’cos that tends to function as a kind of self-aggrandising humility; no, I’m a priest and a deacon, and the ‘priest’ part plays a more prominent public role most of the time, and I thank God for that calling.
But I am thankful for thirty-nine years of serving in diaconal ways, maybe even more thankful, since that service often flies under the radar. ‘Have a tissue, that’s why they’re sitting there.’ ‘May I try to explain it again?’ ‘I’m glad you have time for me this morning; thank you for the tea and biscuits.’ ‘Well, someone has to do it.’ And I give thanks for the colleagues, friends, students, congregants, care home residents, bishops, committees, and everyone else who received and supported my ministry. As always, I know keenly that I could have served more fully, more diligently, and I don’t presume on your forgiveness; I try to try harder, and sometimes I do better.
It appertaineth to the office of a Deacon, in the Church where he shall be appointed to serve, to assist the Priest in Divine Service, and specially when he ministereth the holy Communion, and to help him in the distribution thereof, and to read holy Scriptures and Homilies in the Church; and to instruct the youth in the Catechism; in the absence of the Priest to baptize infants; and to preach, if he be admitted thereto by the Bishop. And furthermore, it is his office, where provision is so made, to search for the sick, poor, and impotent people of the Parish, to intimate their estates, names, and places where they dwell, unto the Curate, that by his exhortation they may be relieved with the alms of the Parishioners, or others. Will you do this gladly and willingly?
I will so do, by the help of God.
* A pretty awkward number, isn’t it? I mean, 3 x 13 is good, but really you can tell just by looking that it wants to rush ahead to forty.