Jonathan LeMaster-Smith

Deacons in The United Methodist Church have now been given authority to preside over sacraments (Holy Communion and Baptism) and Charge Conference (the annual meeting of the leadership of the charge) beginning January 1, 2025 (or before, if their bishop chooses to grant it earlier).

I have received a few questions and comments on this.

The first was, “We have Deacons?!”

Yes, we have had Deacons as a separate order since 1996. My wife is an ordained Deacon in our annual conference. Before that, clergy were ordained deacon and then after this provisional period and board of ordained ministry approval, ordained elder. We no longer have a transitional deacon (as some more liturgical traditions have). Our deacons are ordained and connected in the same way as elders in our denomination. By meeting the educational requirements, being approved by board, and being elected to the Order of the Deacon by the annual conference ordained clergy meeting in executive session.

Deacons are called to ministry of Word, Service, Compassion, and Justice in order to bridge the gap between the church and the world. They are appointed to specialized ministries both within and outside the church, but are expected to be actively involved in both the ministries of the church and the world. I know deacons who run radio stations, serve as youth and children’s ministers, serve as social workers, run mission agencies, and, on occasion pastor churches and communities seeking to be actively involved in mission.

Second, “They can’t perform sacraments?”

Deacons have not been allowed to perform the sacraments (without special permission) or preside over the formal business of the local charge for a few reasons. We believe that the work of the sacraments and the business of the church are tied to the life of the congregation, and thus should only be done in communal context. Deacons are always serving in a local congregation, but every local congregation should have an elder, local pastor, or other clergy person (usually) appointed to preside over sacraments.

However, some deacons who are appointed to serve in situations outside the church may have a need for sacramental authority. I think of this particularly in terms of campus ministry, chaplaincy, and emerging worship spaces. No, a Deacon who is a lawyer is probably not going to be baptizing, nor should they in that context.

Because, we understand sacraments to be tied to the life of the church. Baptisms should always be baptisms into the local church (this is another whole thing that I am eventually going to do something with). We don’t willy-nilly baptize people. Communion is not to be done in isolation. Private communion is not a thing we do (again, another thing we need to talk about). We need to remember our theology and polity around these practices.

Third, “Why do they want sacramental authority?”

I know many deacons who did not want sacramental rights and will likely use them very little. They are also afraid of the reality that there is a clergy shortage and they might get asked, forced, or guilted to serve a church as pastor-in-charge full or part-time. (There is concern about the domestication of the Deacon into the church) Those that do want sacramental authority want of course include ministry context, but also name it as an issue of respect and authority.

Deacons (who have ordination requirements that are essentially the same as an Elder) are continually treated as less important than elders even though they are co-equal orders with distinct callings. This move cracks more of this barrier.

In the end, I trust Deacons to make decisions about their calling in ministry, when the sacraments make sense for them, and when they don’t. Some deacons are not called to sacraments, others see them as part of their specialized ministry, but all deserve respect and acknowledgement of their ministry and vocation. I also call on Elders to be respectful and responsive to the ministry of the Deacon.

I think this move (like all General Conference actions) is not an ending of a journey, but a continuing exploration of how we understand the church, clergy, sacraments, and God’s Kingdom.