Being a Deacon

Here’s the most recent article I’ve written for Pobl Dewi, our Diocesan newspaper. I was asked to reflect on the ordination, but I’ve focused more on all that’s happened since. For all you avid Pobl Dewi readers out there, you’re getting a sneak-peak!

The last time I wrote for Pobl Dewi, I and six others in this Diocese were beginning the final approach to our ordination; some as deacons and others as priests. Now, on the other side of a relatively nerve-wracking service, I’m officially a ‘Reverend’, and have started working in the parish. It took less than a week before my first “Morning, Father”, and as it came from an elderly gentleman, it was a particularly unusual experience. I managed to refrain from quoting Matthew 23:9, and simply returned a greeting!

So, a week and a half into the role, what has being a Deacon and Curate been about so far? Rather reassuringly; people and God. Hospital visits, the drop-in centre, meeting churchwardens, school assemblies and lunch clubs, services in care homes, a day at Catalyst – and there have been Sundays too! Seeing God at work in people’s lives is a beautiful thing – and it’s happening all over the place!

My first sermon (delivered wearing my shiny-and-far-too-new-looking preaching scarf) was based around Jesus’ question to Peter; “Who do you say I am?” from Matthew 16. Peter, as we know, got the answer right, and prompted Jesus’ famous response. Of course, there are a couple of ways of understanding Peter being called ‘the rock’, but Peter himself went on to recognise (in 1 Peter 2:4-5) that the Church is made up of living stones, with Jesus as the foundation. The living stones that I’ve met here have been showing me what ‘being the Church’ and ‘doing ministry’ is all about, because they’re already getting on with it. Christians visit the hospitals, run the drop-in centre, are the churchwardens, work in the schools, help in the care home and gather to worship on Sundays – and far more besides! Each and every one has a ministry in the parish, whether they know it or not, and I’m sure that extends to the whole Diocese and the whole Church.

Being a living stone is taking our place in what God is building, and knowing our place, our vocation, calling or ministry is all-important. John the Baptist knew who he was because he knew who he wasn’t. He wasn’t the Messiah, he was the one who was to point to Him, to prepare His way. That’s my job as a Deacon and Curate, but it’s also our job, the role of the whole Church. As we minister together, ordained or otherwise, let’s keep pointing to our foundation stone.