VOCATIONAL DEACONS: A VITAL LINK By The Rev. Deacon Alberta Buller
“At all times, your life and teaching are to show Christ's people that in serving the helpless they are serving Christ himself.” (Ordination of a Deacon, Book of Common Prayer, p543)
[February 22, 2024] Vocational Deacons are the link between the Church and the world in the Episcopal Church. It is our role to bring the world's needs, hopes, and concerns to the Church and empower those in the church to go out and help meet those needs.
One of my ministries at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Apostles in Hilo, is Hale Iki (Small House). Hale Iki is a special place where families have a small home until more permanent housing becomes available. Once a home is available and the family is ready to move in, the Program Coordinator at Hale Iki provides me with a list of move-in needs. These items include furnishings, household cleaners, hygiene supplies, dishes, curtains-almost anything you can think of that would be needed to move into a new home. Additionally, I have gift cards on the list so that families have the joy of choosing items for themselves.
A few weeks ago, a parishioner gave living room furniture to a family who moved into their new apartment. This week, I delivered cleaning supplies, dishes, and other household items that our congregation donated. I believe this is a wonderful way to bring the needs, hopes, and concerns of a community to the church and a way for our church to help meet those needs.
There are many, many ways that Deacons serve. One example is Midwives on Missions of Service-Episcopal Deacons/RNs training women to be midwives in Sierra Leone where there is little maternity care available. (Visit their website HERE.)
Rev. Stephen Bentley is a Deacon who repairs bicycles and gives them away, providing transportation for people to get to work. (Watch a video on YouTube HERE.)
Deacons serve in hospitals, in prisons, in community food banks, feeding programs, and in countless other ways.
If you feel called to the diaconate or see a deacon in someone you know, I encourage you to speak to another deacon (if you have one), and/or your priest. Feel free to contact me with any questions or if you’d like to donate gift cards to Hale Iki: [email protected]
For more information, visit our Diocesan website HERE or our Diocesan formation program, Waiolaihui'ia Center for Ministry, HERE.
Pictured: The Rev. Deacon Alberta Buller with a delivery from Holy Apostles, and Joanna Watkins, Family Assessment Center- Program Coordinator (Contributed photo)