Deacons: Animating the Faithful for God’s Mission 

At baptism, every Christian is called to share in the ministry of Jesus Christ — to love, serve, and reconcile the world to God. Within that shared vocation, some are called to the distinctive order of deacons: those who animate the faithful to live the Gospel in daily life. 

Deacons awaken the Church to the world’s needs. They remind the baptized that ministry is not confined to the walls of the church but lived out wherever God’s people are found — in workplaces, neighborhoods, and public life. 

Rooted in the Greek word diakonia, meaning “service,” the diaconate embodies Christ’s servant heart and prophetic voice. Deacons bridge the gap between Church and world — bringing the world’s pain before the altar, and sending the Church out to respond with compassion and courage.  

In the Diocese of Ohio, deacons are not the Church’s primary doers of ministry, but its chief animators — inspiring, equipping, and mobilizing the Body of Christ for God’s mission of justice, mercy, and love. 

Deacons in the Diocese of Ohio: 

• Animate the baptized to claim their own ministries of love and service.
• Teach, invite, and challenge the faithful to fulfill their baptismal promises.
• Extend the bishop’s ministry of unity through collaborative, outward-facing service.
• Lead the Church beyond its walls to meet Christ in the world. 

The Character of a Deacon 

Those discerning a call to the diaconate often reflect certain spiritual and personal qualities that help them animate others: 

• Deep empathy and compassion across Ohio’s diverse communities.
• A gift for building relationships and empowering others to serve.
• Joyful confidence in the Spirit’s movement and a prophetic voice for justice.
• Conviction that all the baptized are instruments of God’s mercy and reconciliation.
• Resilience and flexibility, willing to be shaped by the Spirit and the Church’s needs.
• A mature, prayerful sense of self, centered in God’s love. 

Ministry in Worship and the World 

The vocation of a deacon is not a step toward priesthood, nor a validation of lay service — it is a distinct calling within the one ministry of Christ. 

In worship, the deacon’s role mirrors their mission in the world: 

• Proclaiming the Gospel as a word that calls the Church to action.
• Leading the Prayers of the People, lifting the world’s needs before God.
• Preparing the Eucharistic table, embodying Christ’s servanthood.
• Dismissing the congregation to “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” 

Each act symbolizes the deacon’s vocation to animate the faithful — sending the Church out to serve as Christ’s presence in the world. 

Serving Under the Bishop’s Direction 

In the Diocese of Ohio, deacons serve under the pastoral direction of the Bishop, extending the bishop’s ministry of unity and service. 

Assignments are made where the Church’s needs and the world’s needs meet — often beyond one’s home parish — as a reminder that diaconal ministry is always outward-looking and collaborative.  

“Lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called… with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.” 
— Ephesians 4:1–2 

Deacons serve as collaborators in unity — connecting parishes, mission areas, and communities so that together, the Church may embody the reconciling love of Christ.  

Begin the Journey 

Discerning a call to ordained ministry is a sacred and shared process between the individual and the Church.  

If you sense a call to the diaconate — to awaken, challenge, and animate the faithful for God’s mission — we invite you to begin the conversation with your priest, your local congregation, and the Archdeacon of the Diocese of Ohio.   

To officially begin the “diocesan discernment process”, you must be: 

• A confirmed or received communicant in good standing in the Episcopal Church.
• Currently an active member of your faith community.
• Be sponsored by your clergy-in-charge. The sponsoring cleric must have known the discerner for at least one year and feel confident moving them forward after prayerfully reflecting on these considerations.
• Attend Ministry Discernment Day with your clergy-in-charge or other priest from your faith community. 
• Submit application for ordination, along with accompanying materials (spiritual autobiography, work history, and letter of recommendation/support from clergy-in-charge). 
• Please contact the Office of Leadership Development to learn more about discernment, formation, and ordination in the Diocese of Ohio. 

Mr. Russ Tripi, the Canon for Leadership Development

The Ven. Bryan Gillooly, Archdeacon