Deacons

From Parish Grapevine - July 2007

Richard Tuckwell and John Hughes will be ordained deacons at a special service at the Cathedral on July 1^st. John has been on placement in Tarvin for the last three months, and is returning to his own parish of Davenham. Richard will rejoining Tarvin. Richard has been a Reader in Tarvin for five years, and for many years was Headteacher of Duddon St Peter's School.

The office of Deacon goes back to the first Christian centuries. Stephen was the first deacon in the Church. He was one of seven appointed by the brothers (Acts 6). Their job was to care for the widows of the Grecian Jews, who were being overlooked in the "daily distribution of bread". Their qualification was that they were full of the Spirit and wisdom.

According to Acts Stephen "did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people". He had the face of an angel. He preached bravely calling some of his hearers "stiff-necked" and telling them that they always resist God's purpose.

The office of deacon needs to be understood in terms of being sent. A deacon in the ancient world was somebody who was sent to do a job, or carry out instructions. The sender is the important one, rather than the people the deacon is going to. The sender in Richard's case is God and the Bishop. As Deacon, Richard has to pay attention to the call of the ones sending him, so the emphasis becomes one of obedience. The primary focus of service of the Deacon is on the one who is sending him or her.

The world to which the deacon is sent has often been extremely hostile to the deacon. Stephen himself became the first martyr when the crowd dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death. Lawrence was another early Deacon who was martyrned - (Frodsham Church is dedicated to him).

Lawrence's story is that after the death of the Roman emperor Sixtus, the prefect of Rome demanded that Lawrence turn over the riches of the Church. Lawrence asked for three days to gather together the wealth. Lawrence worked swiftly to distribute as much Church property to the poor as possible, so as to prevent its being seized by the prefect. On the third day, at the head of a small delegation, he presented himself to the prefect, and when ordered to give up the treasures of the Church, he presented the poor, the crippled, the blind and the suffering, and said that these were the true treasures of the Church. One account records him declaring to the prefect, "The Church is truly rich, far richer than your emperor." It was this that led to his martyrdom - he was grilled to death.

Francis of Assissi is another famous Deacon.

What does a Deacon do?
Generally speaking, a deacon reminds the whole church of its deacon status. After all, it has probably taken Richard's ordination as deacon to help us to begin to realise our own identity as agents and deacons and what that entails.

Specifically, and traditionally, deacons baptize, witness at weddings, gather the prayers of the people and preach and read the gospel. Normally they minister alongside other clergy, and in Richard?s case, he will continue to minister alongside readers and other clergy.

Myths about deacons

Deacons are servants

It?s true that the first deacons were appointed as servants. Their job was to serve the needs of the previously overlooked Grecian Jewish widows. The trouble with the servant mentality is that the servant can soon become a "doormat".

It would be truer to say that deacons are agents rather than servants. The first deacons were the agents of those who had other work to do. Elsewhere in the ancient world the emphasis was likewise on them being sent to do a job or as messengers.

Richard's primary focus will be on those who have "sent" him as deacon - God and the Bishop and he will be their agent with a "charge".

Deacons are appointed for one year only

It?s true that the "diaconate" is regarded as transitional in the Church of England, and the likelihood is that Richard will be ordained a priest this time next year.

But, the diaconate is life long. God?s call to Richard is not a temporary one, and Richard (and all of us who respond to God?s call) will continue as God?s agent for the rest of his life, now, and when he becomes a priest. One office in the Church of England is that of "Archdeacon" - which means, I suppose, "Chief Deacon". His title underlines that in spite of being priest for many years, he is very much still a "DEACON".

You have to be ordained to be a deacon.

Definitely not!

What is a deacon? A deacon is an agent of God?s love who is obedient to his mission. That's true of the whole church isn't it? That?s true of all of us. When we hear God say "Go" we go "in peace to love and serve the Lord", going about that business in our day to day lives at home and at work.