Poor Deacons

From Holy Land

I am an ordained deacon in the United Methodist Church. That means I’m clergy with a specialty (mine being family ministry) and I don’t officially itinerate (though I am appointed) or administer sacraments.

When this order of clergy was first introduced in the UMC, we were kind of thought of as the adopted child. Well loved but pitied in a small since. I heard a few times, “Oh she’s just a deacon.” I feel like things have changed since we’ve been around more and have proven our usefulness. I no longer feel like a lesser clergy person and am happy for that.

That was until I visited St. Anne’s Church in Jerusalem. This was a special visit for me as it was one of the sites I had missed by being ill. A few of my friends went back with me so that I could see it and hear its acoustics. We sang hymns in harmony together in the chapel and listened to the sound echo throughout. It was really quite beautiful.

Then we went outside to look around. There is a lovely garden to the side and the pools of Bethsaida are on the other side.

Directly across from the entrance was a stone pillar with a plaque above it. You may not be able to see the words on it in the picture but it reads, “Here lies a Deacon who died in probation.” Or something to that effect.

I guess I should be glad that this Deacon got a tomb of honor but why was he/she on probation?

The world may never know. All I know is that I’m not on probation and feel that I have a great ministry left to offer.

From Holy Land

Other Deacons on the trip pictured above.

Until Everyone Hears,