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Rev. Michael Marsh,
St. Philip’s Episcopal Church and School, Uvalde
It’s not often that the whole community is pleased but that’s how St. Luke described the people’s reaction to the twelve apostles proposing what would be the first deacons. Bishop Read received a similar reaction at Council in February when he said that he was convening "a study group to explore the possibilities and methods for reintroducing the Diaconate in West Texas.” He asked that the Diaconate Study Group bring its recommendation to him, and ultimately, to Council in 2025.
It was the only part of the Bishop Read's address that drew applause. That is not to say there were no other “applausable” parts but that maybe the time is right to reconsider the diaconate in West Texas.
That’s really the first of two main questions the Diaconate Study Group is addressing. Is there a need in West Texas for the diaconate? Is now the time?
The second main question, assuming we recommend reintroducing the diaconate in West Texas, is how do we do that? This includes topics such as discerning a call to the diaconate, education and formation of deacons, deployment, the role and function of deacons not only in the diocese but in the context of today’s church and society.
Deacons, along with the laity, priests, and bishops, are one of four orders in the Church. Each order “represent[s] Christ and his Church” but each also has a unique function and role in the ministry of the Church. (Book of Common Prayer, 855-856) The particular ministry of a deacon is “as a servant of those in need; and to assist bishops and priests in the proclamation of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments.” (Ibid., 856)
One way of thinking about the deacon’s ministry is that she or he “interprets to the Church the needs, hopes, and concerns of the world” (Ibid., 543) and leads us - the Church - in responding to those needs, hopes, and concerns.
We might say that deacons are of the Church but not in the church. Theirs is a hands-on ministry of embodying and taking the gospel to people and places in our world today that are hurting and in need. That’s reflected in the deacon’s liturgical role. A deacon proclaims the gospel, leads the prayers of the people, invites our confession, and dismisses us “into the world in peace” “to do the work [God has] given us to do.” (Ibid., 365, 366)
How do you imagine the diaconate in West Texas? What possibilities do you see? In what new ways might a diaconate lead us in responding to the needs and hurts of people throughout our diocese? How might deacons enlarge the Church’s presence? Would a diaconate enhance the ministries of the other orders and make us more whole? What will be the challenges of the diaconate? How might we need to change the ways we think about and do ministry?
Those are few questions we are asking ourselves. We are not necessarily trying to get “the answer” to those or other questions. We are following the questions to see where and to whom they might take us. We’re listening to the Spirit and one another. We’re paying attention to the needs and pain of the world. We’re imagining what might be.
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