I am spending a few days at Lake Junaluska at the SEJurisdictional Deacon Gathering. We are exploring what our ministry means to the church since 1996 when General Conference established the order of the deacon. We are especially interested in the ministry report that will be presented to the 2008 General Conference and possible legislation that might result from it or submitted petitions. At this point, many of us feel that we are still living into the last changes and that it probably is premature for any drastic changes in the ordination process and the orders. Perhaps after what I hear in these sessioins, I will change my mind. It is exciting to hear that there are over 1600 persons in process to be ordained as deacons. Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Lake Junaluska
I am spending a few days at Lake Junaluska at the SEJurisdictional Deacon Gathering. We are exploring what our ministry means to the church since 1996 when General Conference established the order of the deacon. We are especially interested in the ministry report that will be presented to the 2008 General Conference and possible legislation that might result from it or submitted petitions. At this point, many of us feel that we are still living into the last changes and that it probably is premature for any drastic changes in the ordination process and the orders. Perhaps after what I hear in these sessioins, I will change my mind. It is exciting to hear that there are over 1600 persons in process to be ordained as deacons. 
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2 comments:
The ordination process does need some adjustments, but I agree that we should not hurry into any changes. The whole orders of ministry thing is hard to explain and understand. Local pastors, deacons, elders, probaionary etc...
Sometimes I wonder if our vocabulary has not been a stumbling block in and of itself. As properly used by United Methodists, the word deacon is Biblical and right. However, it has a differnt history within United Methodism as a part of ordination and so confuses some long tme Methodists. On the other hand, it means something all together different to those of a Baptist heritage. "Elder" has its own problems with those of a Presbyterian history.
There is no easy answer to any of this, but careful, wise, prayerful thinking needs to be a part of it. we dont want to hange terms for the sake of terms, and though it is lengthy and rigorous, we don't want ordination to be so easy as to be meaningless, either.
I'm rambling.
I appreciate the comments from "Anonymous". I am so grateful to be given the privilege of serving the church as a local pastor, but the distinctions are confusing to the members of my church, for they see me doing all of the things expected of an ordained elder. And, in the absence of a deacon, I get to do those things as well. I would love to see greater clarity of the role of deacon and of the orders of mininstry in general, but, like you, I believe no immediate changes should be made.
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