The Sacred Order of Deacons

They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. Acts 6:6

Dear Friends in Christ,

What is a Deacon? Brandon Dasinger will be ordained a Deacon Saturday at the cathedral—I hope that you will join us for this special occasion. Most of Christianity holds the three ancient orders of ordained ministry: Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. Deacons were first ordained to help serve the needs of the poor widows in the Christian community in Jerusalem (you can read about this in Acts, chapter 6). The word “Deacon” means “server,” like table-service. Deacons served closely with bishops, and over the years deacons served in various ways, depending on the particular Christian tradition. In recent decades, Deacons have been set aside to bring the needs of the world to the church and to bring the church to the world. The first Deacons also preached the good news of Jesus (remember Stephen’s speech, or Philip and the Ethiopian?). Those preparing to be priests are first ordained Deacon, for a servant’s heart is the right foundation for priestly ministry (and episcopal ministry—that is to say, the ministry of bishops).

In the service on Saturday, listen carefully for the questions they ask Brandon and his colleagues. Listen also for the particular prayers said over them—what they are asking God to do in their lives. Deacons inspire us to greater holiness and compassion for those in need. How might Brandon’s call to being a Deacon and Priest inspire you to your call to serve?

The service begins at 2:00PM at the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta, 2744 Peachtree Rd, Atlanta, GA 30305. Get there a little early to find parking. A link to the live stream can be found here. We will also have a reception after the 10:30 service to celebrate what God is doing in Brandon’s life, and the gift that Brandon is for the church. Please keep him in your prayers and listen for God’s calls to you in your life.

Yours in Christ,

-Tom