Thoughts for the Day

Seven Chosen to Serve

Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, ‘It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait at tables. Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.’ What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

The word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

The Arrest of Stephen

Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit[c] with which he spoke. Then they secretly instigated some men to say, ‘We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.’ They stirred up the people as well as the elders and the scribes; then they suddenly confronted him, seized him, and brought him before the council. They set up false witnesses who said, ‘This man never stops saying things against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses handed on to us.’ And all who sat in the council looked intently at him, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

The growing community of believers in Jerusalem has grown and is facing new challenges. The Greek-speaking believers felt that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. However, the apostles, led by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, come up with a solution to address the problem while maintaining unity. They realise the importance of their primary calling of preaching and prayer, and they appoint seven deacons, to oversee practical issues for the community, freeing the apostles to devote themselves to their spiritual responsibilities. This was to establish a church structure that still exists for most of the major branches of Christianity today, and also lead to the arrest of it's first martyr, Stephen.

In the Anglican Church the ordination of a new Deacon usually comes after some years of ministerial training and may be for full-time paid (stipendiary) ministry in a parish or part-time unpaid (non-stipendiary) ministry. At the service the new Deacon makes various promises, among them "to strive to make the love of Christ known through word and example, and have a particular care for those in need." Although most Deacons are ordained as a Priest a year later, they remain also a Deacon to their dying day - called to serve God's people in the most practical of ways. Their badge of office, as it were, is a stole worn during worship diagonally.

Licensed as a Deaconess I had to wait a few years for the Church of England to change its rules concerning the ordination of women as Deacons, but the oaths to God, to my Bishop and to the Sovereign, along with the promises taken were to mean a lot to me, even if a diagonal stole made me in my quirkier moments feel like an older version of a "Miss England competition". Today, I remember I am still a Deacon and help out in the parish where I can.

Collect for the Ordination of a Deacon

God our Father, Lord of all the world,
through your Son you have called us into the fellowship
of your universal Church:
hear our prayer for your faithful people
that in their vocation and ministry
each may be an instrument of your love,
and give to your servants now to be ordained
the needful gifts of grace;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.