The role of a Deacon: after Sarah’s first Sunday we were asked what a deacon actually is – so here is a definition. A deacon represents an order of ministry in the church. That means a deacon exercises a recognised task on behalf of the community, and so demonstrates a task which belongs to everyone in the community. Deacon (from diakonos in Greek) means a servant. So deacons are called to demonstrate all the kinds of service which exist within the Christian community and all the ways in which that community is called to serve the world. The first deacons were appointed in the Acts of the Apostles (ch. 6) to take charge of the distribution of food. Subsequently they became the church’s charitable officers, administering large funds, and running welfare schemes for the poor, widows, orphans, the homeless, exiles, prisoners, the sick and dying. They also had a significant liturgical role as I described here last month. Gradually the deacon’s role became solely liturgical, and the diaconate became a stepping stone to priesthood, a first year probationary period. To some extent that is what it still is in the Church of England. All the newly ordained, starting out on their ministry are made deacons for a year. More recently the permanent diaconate has re-emerged as a distinctive ministry attempting to rediscover its original role in a modern setting. If you have ever wanted to serve the church, exercising a pastoral, financial and liturgical role, but not wanting to be in charge (to be a vicar) or to do much preaching, then may be you have a calling to the diaconate.
So a curate is always a deacon before he or she is a priest. A Vicar was a deacon once. A deacon is never a Vicar. Both curates and Vicars are priests. And some of the time everyone is confused.
The role of a Deacon
Stephen Tucker