Manual on "The Deacon in the Liturgy" published; April, 1981

Manual on “The Deacon in the Liturgy” Published

Original publication date of this article: April, 1981

 

“The Deacon in the Liturgy” by Deacon Ormand Plater has been published by the National Center for The Diaconate to clarify the Deacon’s role in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer’s restoration of diversity of ministries as a cardinal principle of worship.

In the book’s introduction,  Deacon Plater writes, “…although this booklet may appear to be a manual of ceremony for a limited audience, the Deacons of the Episcopal Church, its deeper purpose is to help deacons be what they ought to be in the liturgy, neither ostentatious nor sloppy, but serving with grace and manners, and to help bishops, priests and lay persons realize the value of deacons in  the life and worship of the church.  …The deacon’s role in the liturgy reveals the true nature of the deacon as proclaimer and evangelist, messenger and bearer of good news to the poor, as well as servant in the image of Christ.

For some 700 vocational (permanent) deacons in the Episcopal Church today, the book will serve as a manual and guide.  The deacon in the liturgy is presented in the total context of all of the church’s services and offices, and a congregation can make complete or partial use of the material.

Deacon Ormande Plater, Ph.D. serves as assistant at Saint Anna’s Church and as medical chaplain at Touro Infirmary Medical Center, both in New Orleans.  A native of New York City, Deacon Plater’s undergraduate work was done at Vanderbilt University.  He received a doctorate in English Languages and Literature from Tulane University.

The book is available from The National Center for the Diaconate, 14 Beacon Street, Boston, MA, 02108, for $6.

 

CONFERENCE SCHEDULED

We also take note that the National Center for the Diaconate and Associated Parishes will jointly sponsor a conference titled, “The Deacon” May 21-23 at the University of Notre Dame.  Registration, due in writing on or before May 14…..For further information, contact either the Rev. James L. Lowery, Jr. or Ms. Gail D. Hinand, 14 Beacon Street, Boston, MA, 02108.

Rev. Deacon Heddie Neale

With sadness, we mark the passing of The Rev. Heddie Neale into the next chapter of Life.

Dear brothers and sisters;

We've learned that the memorial service for Heddie Neale is to be held at 3 PM on Sunday Oct 19th at St. Luke's in East Greenwich. A reception will follow at the church and will offer us a time to support each other and Heddie's family.

Clergy who wish to, are invited to vest and process as part of the service. White stoles please.

+Nicholas

--


The Rt. Rev. W. Nicholas Knisely, DD, SOSc

Bishop
The Diocese of Rhode Island

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I find it difficult to write to you this afternoon.  I trust that all of you have heard the news by now, either through the Bishop’s email to the clergy, the newsletter from St. Luke’s or by other means that Heddie Neale died last evening.  Heddie went to be her Lord after a brief illness in the hospital.  I spoke with her daughter this morning, and she informed me that all of her children were able to gather around her.  She also mentioned that Heddie shared “I am ready to go home,” a final witness of the faith that she lived in all of her affairs.

The rain is coming down outside of my windows, and I am wondering if God isn’t shedding a few tears over the loss of one of His beloved deacons.  But I also know that He embraced her mightily as she entered into His eternal kingdom.

I first met Heddie through Cursillo back in the early 80’s, but was reintroduced to her at our School for Deacons when I enrolled.  We became friends quickly, and shared many wonderful memories during our formation process.  I was privileged to have her be one of my presenters at my ordination, and will hold that memory close to my heart.  She was an inspiration and an icon into the true meaning of the Diaconate.  She modeled dedication and commitment to the process as well as the vocation.  I am grateful for all that she did for me, and all that she did for this Diocese and those she served through her ministry.

I have not heard of the funeral arrangements as of this writing, but hope to know soon so we can all try to gather in celebration of a humble, gracious, gentle, and inspiring servant.

Peace be with you, and may light perpetual shine upon Heddie.  We love her and miss her already!

Jan
The Ven. Archdeacon Janice Grinnell

Celebrating 30 years of Ordaining Deacons in RI!

Over the next year, the Diocese of Rhode Island will celebrate that we have been ordaining deacons for 30 years.  It is a very special time for us, as we look back on the rich and sometimes colorful history of the Diaconate here in RI. 

In addition to our other blog entries, we will reprint articles and photographs from  our Diocesan newspaper, beginning in 1980, covering the establishment of the School For Deacons, the directors, teachers, students and others who, from time to time, weighed in on the establishment and development of the Permanent/Vocational Diaconate here in Rhode Island.

The photographs are taken directly from the pages of the archived newspapers, so may appear a bit grainy, but will be great to see just the same!

We hope you find these articles interesting, informative and inspirational, as we do what deacons don't always have a lot of time to do:  look back and be amazed at our incredible and rich history.

The Venerable Janice Grinnell in the latest edition of Diakonia

Hi Everyone,
The Association for Episcopal Deacons (AED) sends out a quarterly magazine to the national church, to highlight the work of deacons throughout the church.  As it happens, our own Archdeacon, The Ven. Janice Grinnell, has the page one story, which is all about her campus ministry!  I am giving you the direct link to the latest edition of Diakonia below.  Enjoy reading about the efforts of deacons and particularly those of our own Archdeacon.


http://origin.library.constantcontact.com/download/get/file/1102230245650-195/Vol36_Aug14.pdf

Rhode Island Deacons Celebrate!

The community of RI Deacons and their families held a picnic on July 12th to celebrate the life and ministry of those who have faithfully served and retired as Deacons in the Diocese of RI.  The modern era of the diaconate in RI began with the first ordinations occurring on July 13, 1985.  A celebration of this essential ministry is being planned for the summer of 2015.

Deacon Mary Ann Mello Helps New Work Begin

Hello Everyone,

Deacon Mary Ann Mello has been helping to establish Church of the Advent, which will offer its services to those whose lives are affected by Autism. 

 

Rhythms of Grace at Advent is a new worship offering by the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island.   It is a liturgical program developed by the Rev. Dr. Audrey Scanlan and Linda L. Snyder to serve the Autistic community and their families. An empty church and a diocesan desire to serve the under-served presented a great opportunity for the church to use its resources to reach out to the Autistic community and their families in our own diocese.  The program seeks to provide an alternative way to meet their spiritual, physical, and emotional needs.  While the Autistic community is the focus, the liturgy is appropriate for all people who wish to experience another expression of how we can worship God and serve God’s people.

 Advent, Coventry (formerly St. Matthias) is centrally located in Rhode Island.  The property has been vacant and unused for several years. The church’s location, ample sanctuary space, and redesign potential made it an obvious place to begin this new offering!  Currently, the sanctuary is being reconfigured to host this unique and interactive worship experience.While much work is still required, a soft start is planned for June.

 

A number of families, professionals, and clergy will  work through  the  program  to ensure it has the correct balance to best serve those who God brings together to form  this new   community.  A large-scale opening service is planned for September.  If you are interested in volunteering for a work Saturday or have any questions, feel free to email the Rev. Dennis Bucco at father.dennis@hotmail.com or the Rev. Deacon Mary Ann Mello at deaconmaryannmello@verizon.net.

To find out more about the Liturgy “Rhythms of Grace” you can check out the website at http://www.rhythms-of-grace.org. We have been greatly inspired by the support and enthusiastic encouragement by so many people in the diocese that we are glad to be able to provide you with this update. Thank you for all you interest and prayers.

 

Maryann writes on their blog,

 

"We are putting down a floor in a church nursery and this is something I have never done before. I have also never helped to start a ministry before either. All new to me. Part of putting down a floor is making sure that the old flooring underneath is level and strong, so whatever type of floor you lay on top, lays flat but also has a balanced support system underneath.

I think that is what we are doing at Rhythms of Grace at Advent, laying a firm foundation and building a support system for this ministry before we open the doors. I am finding that it does take time and patience just like laying down the floor board by board but once it is finished it will be this sweeping space where anything can happen, anything can grow, anything can be.

For me, part of the foundation of this new ministry is listening to a community that is underserved and offering a place of freedom and comfort to be able get to know and hear God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit in a way that includes our own unique way of communicating, in our own language.  Happy Pentecost!

Peace,

Mary Ann"

 

You can follow their progress, and let anyone you know who may have need of their services by clicking here.

 

Barbara Mays-Stock: 20 years of Service as a Deacon

(Editor’s note:  Since I write the blog entries, I will write about myself in the first person in this edition.)

This March 20, I will celebrate my 20^th anniversary of ordination to the Sacred Order of Deacons.  On April 19, I will also celebrate my 60^th birthday, so it seemed a perfect time to write a blog entry about my ministries in the Diocese of Rhode Island.

I was ordained on March 20, 1994.  As a committed lay person, and then as an ordained deacon, I had begun to do Chaplaincy for people whose lives are affected by HIV/AIDS in the late 1980’s.  Our work centered in offering both spiritual and physical help to those afflicted by HIV.  During that time, my work included being a hospital chaplain, as well as working with the State Prison Chaplaincy Department and hospices throughout the state.  I worked with The RI State Council of Churches to establish the AIDS Task Force for the Council, providing monthly services throughout both Christian denominations and in the Jewish and Muslim communities in the state.  This continued to be the focus of my diaconal ministry for over 10 years.  After that, I began working with at-risk families through my work at Head Start, eventually becoming the head of the Statewide Fatherhood Initiative.  Our work brought together family centered non-profit agencies and state agencies that included departments of Education, Taxation, Job Training, and Human Services.  We worked to provide needed education to young fathers, so that they could begin to address their child support arrearages and get back into the lives of their children.  Spiritual components often included special services and safe haven for our patients or parents so that they could re-focus on developing positive relationships. 

As I learned skills in embroidery and sewing, I was able to learn to make fair linen and vestment embellishments, and have, from time to time, offered them in memoriam or as a special gift to parishes.  Also, I was honored to have been asked to make the wedding cake for our now retired bishop, Geralyn and her husband, Tom.

 


More recently, I have focused on gathering people with talents for sewing, knitting and crocheting, especially in parishes, who make infant hats, afghans, quilts, as well as sweaters, scarves and hats for adults in need and in the military.  We have also produced many Prayer Shawls.  I am now, in addition to my on-going fiber arts ministries, helping to develop technology opportunities for our deacons.  I started and run this blog, which provides us and the wider community information about members of our community.  In my time at the Cathedral, I oversaw the website, printed media and the Cathedral newsletter publications, as well as their Social media on the Net.  I am excited to continue to help bring the diocese into a new and helpful era of technology support for their various ministries.

I have served in a variety of parish settings, the most recent being as deacon at The Cathedral of Saint John, until it closed in April of 2012.  Having served at the Cathedral twice as deacon and earlier as a student, a large majority of my ministry occurred while on assignment there. 

One of the most exciting projects that I was able to engage the Cathedral parish in was the making of a story quilt, which, through knowing what the squares mean, helped bring escaped slaves to freedom prior to the Civil War.  This quilt was made and dedicated at The Cathedral, to acknowledge the 200th anniversary of the legal end of allowing the importation of Africans to be sold as slaves in this country.  I truly miss my time and ministry there.

I am currently unassigned in a parish setting.  However, this does not mean that I am not functioning as a deacon in the world!  In addition to the electronic media work mentioned above, I am currently working on "The 60th Year Project," which is the making of 60 quilts for babies at risk, to celebrate my 60th year.  Who says deacons can't have fun with life?!

Deacon Joyce Thorne Strives to Help the Unemployed

While the Rev. Dcn. Joyce Thorne has been ordained since May 22, 2010, her outreach and ministry to those in need has covered several decades.  She has worked for Rhode Island Housing, where she helped people who were to become first-time home owners to attain their goal.  She has been a part of the congregation of The Cathedral of Saint John for most of her adult life, and was involved in outreach there. She helped with the Meal Site that was begun there by parishioners and Deacon Ida Johnson.  She also had a hand in the creation of a quilt to recognize the end of the importation of slavery in this country, along with parishioners and Rev. Dcn. Barbara Mays-Stock.  Joyce had an ongoing presence at the altar, serving in early years as part of the Altar Guild, and later as subdeacon and lay reader.

But it wasn’t until she attended the ordination of Deacon Ricky Brightman that she began to sense her call to the diaconate in a more direct way.  “I was sitting at the ordination, and at several places, I felt a presence, a hand on my shoulder, though I knew there was no one next to me.  I began to feel drawn to ask about the Diaconate.”

She had discussions with Deacon Ricky and eventually spoke to the Dean, Maria DeCarvahlo about the idea.  But it was when she spoke to Dean Harry Krauss that he told her to consider involving herself in the Discernment Program offered by the Diocese.  This program is set up to help people find where God is calling them to serve.

When Deacon Joyce began attending classes, she was one of two students going through the process, but in the end, she finished alone.  “That was hard,” said Joyce, “because there was no one to bounce ideas to, or to hear what they were thinking.  It was a little bit lonely. “

Joyce had two ideas for her ministry as she went through the process.  First, she thought of working at a nursing home, listening, helping, talking and being a presence.  When that choice was not accepted, she decided that her other option was to utilize the opportunity that she had to obtain regular information about job postings and make them available to parishioners, friends, and ultimately provide a Diocesan wide service of information and networking.   “In this declining economy, it seemed that I could offer this every day and help those who needed this information to find work,” she said.

Deacon Joyce brings her ministry into the church in specific ways.  First, she let all the priests of the Diocese know that this service was available and there are 10 or 12 priests who have asked that her daily emails be sent to their parishes for any who might need them.  Then, she began to receive emails from priests, asking to add some of their parishioners directly to her email service, which she has done.  She is still looking to do more with this and asks that if anyone would like to be added to her list, for them to contact her at lbmp1805@cox.net.  Deacon Joyce is currently assigned at Saint Luke’s Church in Pawtucket, and can be reached there as well.  In addition to her diaconal work, Joyce was elected to serve on the Commission on Finance at the most recent Diocesan Convention.

Deacon Joyce has also been working on the new database at the Diocesan House on a voluntary basis, and is helping Episcopal Charities to update all important data for their mailings.  She enjoys her time at the Diocese.  “I think it’s great to be there, because there is always so much going on.  I see new young people, meet new priests coming into the Diocese and I have learned that what is involved in running the diocese is remarkable.  It’s an eye-opening experience to see all the work that is done there to protect and serve all the parishes of the Diocese, and it is clear to me that they really do care,” she said.

Deacon Joyce’s journey into her life as a deacon had some twists and turns.  Her family did not always think that it was something that she could do, but came to support her in the end.  Two of her grandchildren died while she was in training to become a deacon.  “It was my faith in God that kept me going.  If I had not had that deep faith, I would have thought at that point that God had just given up on me.  I know that God has taken my right hand and walked with me throughout all of this, and that God would never leave me,” she said.

Deacon Joyce celebrated her 72^nd birthday in January, and since this is the mandatory age of retirement for deacons, she requested that the Bishop allow her to continue her work as a deacon.  National canon law allows the Bishop at his/her discretion to allow a deacon to serve going forward.  There is then a yearly meeting and review with the deacon going.  Joyce says, “I feel great, and don’t want to give it up because I feel that I can be of service.  I will continue to do this on a yearly basis until I can’t anymore, but until then, I hope to continue in my diaconal duties.”

A Program for Diaconal Formation

In Province One, a school has been developed in Massachusetts that has opened its doors to those who are called to be deacons throughout the Province.  Bishop Shaw has said that he wants to be open to helping others move along in the formation of their deacons.  At the present time, there are 12 students in process, seven from Massachusetts, two from New Hampshire and three of them are from the Diocese of Rhode Island.  Jim Kelleher, Grace Swinski and Ed Dean represent Rhode Island as students in this new collaborative effort.  They attend weekend classes once a month and engage in a community and prayer life that is designed to bring them all together for learning and spiritual development.

 

 The formation of deacons has taken on a variety of faces throughout its 30 years in the Diocese of Rhode Island.  Deacons have been ordained here under different schools of thought and practice.  Since its beginning, there have been three bishops involved in the process, and each has branded the diaconate in their own particular way.  And as the diaconate in Rhode Island has continued to grow and develop, such has also been the case throughout Province One (New England), and, in fact, for the national church as a whole.  We struggle with who a deacon is, why they are called into service and how to educate and equip them for their future role in the church and the world.

 

  Deacon students in the Massachusetts program, with Archdeacons Grinnell & Zifcak

 When asked, Bishop Nicholas Knisely had this to say about the new opportunity for our Rhode Island deacon students:

“As three dioceses in Province 1 are in the process are revitalizing their diaconal ministries, the Dioceses of New Hampshire and Rhode Island have been welcomed into the existing formation program of the Diocese of Mass. This is happening at the same time that a working group is being formed to find ways that all the Province 1 dioceses will find common ground regarding diaconal formation. 

There are a number of reasons that I'm excited about this. Chief among them is that it allows us to start immediately forming new deacon classes here in Rhode Island, and will soon bring new energy and ministry to the diocese as a whole. It also allows us to work with other dioceses in New England toward finding a common vision and understanding of what diaconate means in the 21st century. As this vision emerges, all the bishops are hoping that it will create a network of deacons that will naturally look for ways that we can all coordinate ministry across diocesan lines as appropriate. Third it brings us a great deal of resources for formation, both in terms of class work and community that we simply wouldn't be able to do by ourselves here in Rhode Island.

 

Stay tuned about all of this. I'm hoping that Rhode Island will again be in the forefront working on the creation of new shared materials for our Province, and God willing, for the wider Church.”

 

The Venerable Pat Zifcak is the archdeacon in Massachusetts who oversees deacons-in-formation, so she is entirely involved in this diocesan program.  The archdeacon says that the program started about 15 years ago, and that Bishop Shaw began his journey of development of this program by looking at the program that was in place in Rhode Island.  There were conversations with the Canon to the Ordinary, Julia Slayton, and soon a program for deacons was envisioned.

 

The program today is very similar, with minor changes, and it has continued to be very strong, according to the archdeacon, right up to the present.  There are currently about 37 deacons in Massachusetts, and all except those who came after ordination from other dioceses have been ordained after completing this program.

Archdeacon Pat

 

 

In Massachusetts, a period of discernment begins the process for those who feel called into the diaconate.  During that time, the aspirant meets with their congregation and clergy, and also engages in a program meant to clarify to what ministry (laity, priest or deacon) he/she is being called.  The second phase is to meet with the bishop, Standing Committee and Commission on Ministry (COM), to further discuss and clarify.  Also, there are conferences, followed by applications being sent in August each year.  By September, the subcommittee set by the COM makes their decisions, in November interviews are held and postulants are notified before Christmas about entering the program.  The Rhode Island applicants would, of course, go through this part of the program in-house in our Diocese.

Preparing for dinner and sharing conversation with the deacon students

The program is a three year cycle and entry points are in September each year.  The students and staff gather for their weekends at the convent of the Sisters of St. Anne in Arlington, where they are supported, encouraged (and fed!) by the sisters while they are there.

The Sisters of St. Anne made a wonderful dinner for us!

For more information on discerning a call to the diaconate, speak to your parish priest and ask how to proceed.  You may also call the Bishop’s office and ask for a brochure called, “Diocesan Program for Diaconal Formation.”  This brochure outlines in detail the structure of the program and gives good insight into the Massachusetts program. As always, deacons throughout our diocese are very happy to sit and answer questions if you are simply looking to inquire into what our deacons in Rhode Island are doing.  And of course, follow this blog to "meet" the deacon students and deacons in Rhode Island, see what they are doing and where they are located.

 

I would like to thank the Sisters of St. Anne and the staff and students who welcomed me, along with the Archdeacon from Rhode Island, The Venerable Janice Grinnell to their January weekend.  We enjoyed the opportunity to meet the postulants and their supportive staff.





Deacon's Anniversaries!

This afternoon I want to make an important entry.  The community of deacons in Rhode Island are celebrating on Tuesday, February 4, the 25th anniversary of the ordination of  Lois Neilsen, Gail Wheelock and Betty Lou Wright.  Each of these deacons have a long and enriched history of diaconal service in Rhode Island.  In time, we will have the opportunity to meet each of them and hear about their work through this blog, but for the present, we could not let the day pass without offering our heartiest congratulations and hope that they will continue to share their gifts and service well into the future!

An Interview with The Rt. Rev. Nicholas Knisely, Bishop of the Diocese of Rhode Island

It has been a year since Rhode Island elected its current bishop, Nicholas Knisely.  In that time, he has spent much effort, working with the newly appointed Archdeacon, The Ven. Jan Grinnell, to evaluate the current status of and the future prospects for the Diaconate in Rhode Island.  We caught up with him recently, to ask him some questions regarding his thoughts on the diaconate.  His remarks are below.

 

BMS:  Bishop Knisely, can you tell me a little bit about your experience with the Diaconate in your years as a priest?

Bishop Knisely:  I've been particularly blessed to work with 6 extraordinary deacons during the

time I served as a parochial priest. In fact, every parish I served as the Rector eventually either had a deacon assigned, or lifted up someone to that ministry.  In every case, I valued the shared ministry we had. In Pittsburgh, the deacon I worked with helped with the pastoral care of the parish. In Bethlehem, the deacon ran our daily Soup Kitchen. In Phoenix, the deacons ranged from the Archdeacon, who was the administrator of our school for deacons and the diocesan liturgist, a deacon who ran a Community Health ministry, a deacon who was a fierce voice of social change and a deacon who focused on pastoral care and animal rights advocacy.

 

BMS:  What have you found most helpful and/ or meaningful about deacons in the Episcopal church?

Bishop Knisely:  I've said in other places that I believe the deacon's voice is the distilled prophetic voice of the church. I believe the deacon's ministry is lived out on the fringes of the church and the world and as such is a sign of what God expects of every Christian.

 

BMS:  What are your expectations of deacons in the Diocese of Rhode Island?

Bishop Knisely:  I hope that they will continue to live as a community along with their fellow ordained communities of presbyters and bishops, working to serve the Gospel here in the state. I hope that they will continue to listen and look for the working of the Holy Spirit in the world and be insistent in calling our attention to that action.

 

BMS:  What do you envision the Diaconate here in Rhode Island to look like in 10 years?

Bishop Knisely:  In ten years, I hope that most parishes that want to have a deacon serving as part of ordained leadership will have one. I hope that we will see the diaconate reenergized by new voices, young voices and people who are not at present a part of the Episcopal Church.