Mission Support Office | 913 Wilson Road | Wilmington, DE 19803-4012 | 302 256-0374 | www.delaware.church Permanent deacons are men ordained to an office in the Catholic Church who normally have no intention or desire of becoming priests. They may be more specialised in their ministry and in their training. Their presence gives time for the pastor to do other activities like prayer and fasting. Friends. Deacons are servants, but not all who serve are deacons. Each is called to serve with the laity, first of all, and also with all other established ministry leaders in the church.. The other ordination roles you take bring you more training and credibility as an ordained clergy leader. So now we are ordaining deacons who will never become presbyters and linking the presbyteral ministry to taking on the responsibility for a parish as a rector. Think of it as the board to the Pastor's CEO. Most Baptist churches have pastor(s) and deacons, although some do employ a board of elders. Many churches today have a pastor and several deacons. Deacons are typically the people in the church who assist the pastor in various duties from caring for church families to assisting the church’s trustees in financial matters. Deacons respond to concrete situations of suffering, oppression and injustice. Speed Kills. A ministry relationship. It says that the deacon: "shall minister to those in need, to the sick, to the friendless, and to any who may be in distress . SM#062115# Why#Deacons?# Deacon#Ordination#Message# Scripture*)Acts)6:1)*)8) The)word)“deacon”)or)“deacons”)is)found)only)five)times)in)the)New)Testament:)4) Deacons, priests, and bishops are ‘Ordained Ministers.’ Within the ‘Catholic’ and ‘Orthodox’ Churches, they are the Ordained roles. One resource for understanding this distinction is in Samuel Miller's book _The Ruling Elder. If his wife dies before him, he may be ordained a priest if the bishop permits and approves. A ‘deacon’ is Ordained (by laying on of hands by a bishop) and can fulfill certain special roles during the Mass/Divine Service as well as helping with some of the typical duties of the ordained ministers. Who is a Deacon? Say it ain't so! • These verses describe the origin of the deacons’ ministry in the New Testament church. This is based on a model of ecclesiology in which it is assumed that there was one elder in the ancient church. The word servant here translates the Greek noun diakonos, from which the name deacon is derived. Depends a little on the particular tradition/denomination, but in general, Christianity traditionally has three orders of ministry: bishop, deacon, and presbyter. The leadership role that deacons take an oath to fulfill is one that is central to the church being relevant not only to its members, but also to its larger community and context.. That, I believe, is the New Testament model. This is due to two basic reasons: (1) he is the one with biblical training, … There are three groups,or "orders," of ordained ministers in the Church: bishops, presbyters and deacons. The Bible indicates the pastor is to exercise strong leadership, not dictatorship (1 Peter 5:1-5). Compare the above to this instruction for funerals for children: The minister who is a priest or deacon wears an alb or surplice with stole (a cope may be used, if desired)… (Order of Christian Funerals, 275). 2 Cor. Ed Schneider Friday Feb 27, 2009 at 12:01 AM Feb 27, 2009 at 11:25 AM. You are not ordained again; you are ordained once. As stated in Canon Law, "The ordinary minister of holy communion is a bishop, presbyter, or deacon." How can a pastor lead the transition from deacons to elders as the spiritual leaders in the church? One of the most important aspects of a good pastor/deacon relationship is to develop a friendship with them instead of merely a business relationship.