Deacons NEW 2023

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DEACONS: A Ministry of Servanthood

In the Episcopal Church, a deacon exercises “a special ministry of servanthood” directly under the deacon's bishop, serving all people and especially those in need (BCP, p. 543). This definition reflects the practice of the early church, in which deacons were ordained “not to the priesthood but to the servanthood [diakonia, “ministry”] of the bishop” (Hippolytus, Apostolic Tradition). (The Episcopal Church website)

In the Diocese of Hawai'i, the Venerable Steve Costa serves as the Archdeacon. His colorful and moving journey to "servanthood" was featured in The Hawaiian Church Chronicle (November 2020). When not accompanying the Bishop, his schedule is devoted to serving the community.

In May 2023, Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick sent out an appeal to raise up more deacons in the Diocese, with the goal that every church have at least one deacon. (Read his letter HERE.)

Deacons have many varied ministries: they might serve as chaplains in hospitals or prisons, schools, in the military, or to veterans; they might run food kitchens; they might teach, write, or preach; they might serve in their local parish and/or around their diocese. Many deacons still have full-time secular jobs while ministering (in or outside of the workplace) as an instrument of God’s presence. They are on the frontlines of ministry in the world and inspire others to serve Christ, wherever they are.

Are you sensing a call to the Diaconate? Do you recognize a Deacon in someone else?
To learn more, click on the buttons below to learn more, or contact XXXXXXXXX:

The Venerable Steve Costa
Archdeacon

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Are You Called?

Is God calling you to the diaconate? Pray for discernment about God’s call on your life and let the journey begin. If you have an inkling that you are being called to be a deacon, the following steps will be helpful:

1. Pray. Talk and listen to God.

2. Talk with family members/friends you trust. What do they reflect back to you about this inkling you have?

3. Talk to a leader (rector/vicar/priest-in-charge/deacon/lay leader) at your church about the inkling.

4. Learn about the Diocesan Discernment and Inquiry Process. Visit our Commission on Ministry to find out more.

All Episcopal discernment happens first in the congregational context. You must be part of/known at/involved in your church/ community to undertake formal discernment in the Diocese of Arizona. It is strongly recommended that you are involved at the parish level for a year before beginning parish discernment.

What Next?

Ordination begins with the nomination of an individual by the person's congregation or other community of faith and continues with a period of formation, overseen by the Commission on Ministry. Throughout the process, the person continues to meet with a congregational Discernment Committee for support and ongoing discernment of God's call.

The first step in the ordination process is discernment of the ministry to which God calls a person: layperson, deacon, or priest. The Commission on Ministry (COM), a diocesan body that helps in the discernment of ministry, has written a document that describes discernment, details what is expected in those to be ordained (and what they can and cannot expect), and outlines the ordination process. The document is "Guidelines for the Discernment of Ministry." Additional information about discernment can be found on the "Discernment for Ministry" page.

The Program: Waiolaihui'ia Center for Ministry

The program is structured to enable people with full-time jobs to participate in training one weekend a month for three years. The program uses the curriculum designed by The Iona Center at Seminary of the Southwest (Austin, TX). Instruction includes video lectures, reading assignments, on-site discussion and lectures by local instructors. The curriculum includes: Bible, Church History, Theology and Ethics, Anglican Studies, Homiletics, Liturgy and Music, Pastoral Ministry and Offices, Spiritual Practices, Theory and Practice of Ministry, Congregational Life and Leadership, and Multicultural Engagement.

In years one and two, exams are given each Saturday after the academic section. In year three, exams take the form of essays to be written after the weekend session. Typically these are due before the next weekend session.

The demands of the program are rigorous and while sessions are once a month, students should expect to fulfill reading assignments and essay assignments between meeting times. Student work is evaluated using measurements of "does not/meets/exceeds expectations." All exams and related evaluations are filed in the Bishop's office and are available to the Bishop, Commission of Ministry, and Standing Committee.

Resources:

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FAQs About Deacons

IF A PARISHIONER WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT BECOMING A DEACON, WHERE SHOULD i REFER HIM OR HER?

Start by checking these Diocesan web pages: Ordination Process, and Discernment for Ministry.

MY PARISH CANNOT AFFORD AN ASSISTANT PRIEST BUT I NEED HELP. MAY i REQUEST A DEACON?

The deacon's primary ministry is to inspire and engage others in participation in God's mission of restoration and reconciliation. This primarily involves inspiring others to ministry in the world, which often involves serving the poor, sick, weak, and lonely, usually outside the church. The deacon's role in an assigned parish is to encourage and model the ministry of service that every Christian promised at baptism, and to represent the service of all Christians through the deacon's liturgical role. Expectations for a deacon are quite different from the expectations for a priest or even for a transitional deacon engaged in parish ministry.

WHAT IS A TRANSITIONAL DEACON?

In the Episcopal Church, anyone who will be ordained a priest must first be ordained a deacon, for at least six months. Because such people are "in transition" to becoming a priest, they are called transitional deacons. Deacons who do not feel called to the ministry of a priest are sometimes called "vocational deacons" in order to distinguish between the two.

HOW DO i REQUEST TO HAVE A DEACON ASSIGNED TO MY CONGREGATION?

A request may be made in writing to Bishop Fitzpatrick’s office. A conversation will take place to explore the congregation's expectations vs. the expectations of deacons in this diocese. The bishop's assignment of deacons depends on geography, special circumstances, and demand. Currently, the demand is greater than the supply.

who supervises deacons?

Deacons are always directly accountable to the Bishop. Therefore, in the Diocese of Hawai‘i, deacons are accountable to Bishop Fitzpatrick. In a congregation, the deacon is supervised by the rector or the clergy-in-charge. Expectations for the deacon's assignment are detailed in an agreement signed by the deacon, priest, and bishop. Priest and deacon meet at least monthly for supervision. Deacons report to Bishop Fitzpatrick in writing at least twice a year.

Do Deacons Preach?

Strictly speaking, preaching has not historically been part of a deacon's ministry. Deacons are permitted occasionally in worship services to comment on subjects related to servant ministry and the needs of the world, in place of the regular sermon. Some deacons are more comfortable than others with this role. In theory, some deacons may have a gift and calling to preach. In such cases, the deacon would need to be licensed by the Bishop. Currently, in the Diocese of Hawai‘i, no deacon has a license to preach.

May a deacon lead worship when the priest is away?

Deacons lead prayer offices, such as Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer, as lay persons also may do. "Deacon's masses," where the deacon serves communion from the reserved sacrament in the absence of a priest (BCP p. 408), are not permitted in this diocese. Deacons do not preside at weddings or baptisms, but may preside at burials.

Dream a New World: Hearing a Deacon's Call from The Episcopal Diocese of NC on Vimeo.