The First Deacons

The appointed reading from the New Testament today is taken from the Acts of the Apostles where we read about the first deacons:

 

Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, ‘It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait at tables. Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.’ What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

 

The word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

 

Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. Then they secretly instigated some men to say, ‘We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.’ They stirred up the people as well as the elders and the scribes; then they suddenly confronted him, seized him, and brought him before the council. They set up false witnesses who said, ‘This man never stops saying things against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses handed on to us.’ And all who sat in the council looked intently at him, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.  (Acts 6:1-15)

Deacons are those who serve the Church oriented to taking care of those who are unable to take care of themselves and who speak a prophetic word to the Church.  Today the Church has those who have dedicated their lives permanently to serve the Church as deacons.  A deacon is one of three distinct orders of ordained ministers (bishops, priests, deacons) in the Episcopal Church. Within the Anglican Communion, as in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches, an individual becomes a deacon by being ordained by a bishop after having completed a course of study and formation.

The Book of Common Prayer says this about the ministry of the deacon:

God now calls you to a special ministry of servanthood directly under your bishop. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are to serve all people, particularly the poor, the weak, the sick, and the lonely. As a deacon in the Church, you are to study the Holy Scriptures, to seek nourishment from them, and to model your life upon them. You are to make Christ and his redemptive love known, by word and example, to those among whom you live, and work, and worship. You are to interpret to the Church the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world. You are to assist the bishop and priests in public worship and in the ministration of God's Word and Sacraments, and you are to carry out other duties assigned to you from time to time. At all times, your life and teaching are to show Christ's people that in serving the helpless they are serving Christ himself.  

The word deacon derives from the Greek work διακωνως meaning “servant” and the Biblical concept of diakonia is commonly defined as service, particularly to the poor, sick, and oppressed. The deacon’s service is a sign or sacrament of Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve. Jesus is the model for the servant leadership a deacon is called to exercise in a variety of ways, including encouraging and enabling others to serve. A deacon has “one foot in the world and one foot in the church.” Although deacons also serve in specific roles in the liturgy, their liturgical roles are merely symbolic of their real ministry in the world.

Let us pray:  O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look  favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred  mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry  out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world  see and know that things which were being cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made  new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection  by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

CALENDAR REMINDERS

 

The Feast Day of St. Augustine and our 130th Anniversary: Sunday, 24 August 2014 with Eucharist Rite II and a brunch following.

 

Seaside Seniors: the 3rd Thursday of the month from 11:00 A.M. until the fun stops!

 

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially Lee’s mother, Lee and his family, Gladys, Pat, Patricia, Lloyd, Liz, those in war torn areas, and for all those persecuted for their faith.

 

Your servant in Christ,

 

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church

Galveston, Texas 77550