PROVINCE VII DEACONS’ RETREAT

One way to extinguish a fire is to spread the embers out so that in isolation they eventually die.  Conversely, gathering up the smoldering embers and providing kindling can revive a fire.  Deacons, because their financial support usually comes from work outside the church and they serve people on the edges of society, are susceptible to isolation and eventual compassion fatigue.  Kindling, in the form of the second Province VII Deacons’ Retreat was offered to deacons from across the province on April 30 through May 2, 2004.  In spite of the chilly, damp weather on the first two days, hearts were emboldened and rekindled by conversations focused on servant ministry and the servant church.

             This second retreat in 20 years was convened by Archdeacons Dana Wilson, Diocese of Northwest Texas, and Joyce Hardy, Diocese of Arkansas, at St. Crispin’s Conference Center in Wewoka, Oklahoma.  Financial support for the retreat was provided in part by Province VII, the Episcopal Church Center, and by the Diocese of Northwest Texas.  Twenty four people, ordained or in formation, from the Dioceses of Northwest Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, West Missouri and Kansas were led by the Rev. Richard Brewer.  Rick Brewer serves the Diocese of Oklahoma as Director of Deacon Formation and has consulted with other dioceses on deacon formation programs, worked extensively with Education of Ministry, and is one of the founders of Opportunities for Adult Christian Spirituality (OACES).  Rick comes to the retreat from a networking tour of England where he met with ministry formation people.  Resources drawn from for the weekend included “God Has a Dream: A Vision of Hope for Our Time” by Desmond Tutu, “Fashion Me a People: Curriculum in the Church” by Maria Harris, as well materials developed by OACES, Inc.

             The structure of the weekend was balanced between worship, sessions conducted by the retreat leader, soul breaks – periods of silence, and informal times for conversation or solitude.  Each session included a teaching and then a practice, which lead to ah-has! and frequent merriment.  Friday evening, Bishop Robert Moody, Diocese of Oklahoma, welcomed the participants and facilitated conversation about the new canons regarding formation and ordination of clergy.

             The first session on Saturday morning focused on one way of preventing compassion fatigue or “how to make space for all”.   We begin by being clear about our identity as drawn from the Examination from the Ordination of a Deacon, BCP Pg. 543.  A deacon’s overarching charge is that “at all times, their life and teaching are to show Christ’s people that in serving the helpless they are serving Christ himself.”  This is done in the context of our daily lives, personal histories and hoped for futures.  The question is how to discern which activities further the deacon’s charge and which distracts.  One method is to ask if the activity or task in question would enhance “our life and teaching in such a way as to show Christ’s people that in serving the helpless they are serving Christ himself.”  If the answer isn’t obvious then perhaps our response should be “No.”

             Another session focused on using the five areas of competency identified in the formation and ordination canons to discern useful resources.  The method is to try to categorize the resource under one of the areas which are 1) academic study including scripture, theology and tradition, 2) diakonia and the diaconate, 3) practical experience and training, 4) spiritual growth and discipline, and 5) human awareness and understanding.

             The focus in the afternoon session was the deacon’s service in engaging other people in doing the work or mission of the servant church.  We began with Desmond Tutu’s vision of God’s Dream, what we are used to calling the Kingdom of God:

 “God’s dream is that you and I and all of us will realize that we are family, that we are made for togetherness, for goodness, and for compassion.  In God’s family, there are no outsiders, no enemies.  Black and white, rich and poor, gay and straight, Jew and Arab, Muslim and Christian, Hindu and Buddhist – all belong.  When we start to live as brothers and sisters and to recognize our interdependence, we become fully human.”

 Missionary opportunities that further this dream are found in the given of our lives; that is, our interests, wonderings, needs, and basic questions of identity and purpose.  These givens can be powerful motivators and are common to all members of the church.  The role of the deacon is to find places and people needing the servant ministry of the church and then to help individuals find their unique place in that ministry.  This model can organize a community around servant ministry rather than administrative tasks.

             We were given a unique method to do this work in that it begins with a personal conversation rather than a presentation to a large group.  The initial step is to conduct one-on-one conversations that seek to discern the passions and interests of individuals.  Once a group of people is gathered, they are invited into a five-step process that includes prayer, learning, community formation, proclaiming to the larger community and then some direct activity of servant ministry. 

             Early Saturday afternoon was left unstructured.  Some rested or wandered the conference center grounds.  Others entered into informal conversations.   Some of the conversations centered on the role of an archdeacon and on alternative church communities.   These are groups of people seeking a Christ-centered spirituality that emerges from within and still remains a part of a traditional church community.

             The Saturday evening session provided a time for meditation on “Seeing with the Eyes of the Heart” from Chapter 5 of Desmond Tutu’s “God Has a Dream: A Vision of Hope for Our Time.”  Once again we were reminded of the imperative and power of prayer in servant ministry.  Being still after such a full day made room for the sessions of the day to sink into our hearts.

                 After a joyful Eucharist on Sunday morning, participants talked about how they wanted to continue the spirit of the retreat.  Membership in the North American Association for the Diaconate was encouraged.  The possibility of forming a deacon’s network within Province VII was discussed.   As a result of the retreat, a listserv has been set up through Yahoo!Groups.  All deacons and formation students are invited to join at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/provinceviideacons.  Finally we were determined to gather again every two years, alternating with the NAAD convention.  The next retreat would be during Easter 2006.  Refreshed and rekindled, we returned to our homes “looking for” ways to build up servant ministry in God’s servant church so that God’s dream would be our reality.