In the Book of Acts, the 12 encounter a practical need which they address sacramentally by formalizing the office of Deacon and ordaining the first 7.  Of particular note, the Spirit has already been active in those they lay hands on that day.  About 4 chapters later Peter encounters Gentiles on whom the Holy Spirit has already fallen, and asks, somewhat rhetorically, “How can we withhold the sacrament of Baptism from them?” Sometimes the sacrament comes first and sometimes the Spirit gets ahead of us, and the Church struggles to keep up with the paperwork.  The inward and spiritual grace takes up residence when God says it does, and the outward and visible sign just has to catch up. I think that is the case today.  I have watched Katie serve the church for nearly 14 years as our Youth Minister, watched her endure the long process toward ordination with grace and without complaint – and even heard the Bishop comment that in Katie he saw a very clear embodiment of the office of Vocational Deacon. How can we do anything but hurry up and ordain her?  God’s already done the heavy lifting. It is about time we recognize it.

I also recognize that sometimes the significance of a liturgical event can overshadow anything one can say about it in a sermon.  For example, I’m not sure very many of you old married folk can actually remember the sermon preached on your wedding day. Everyone was hoping the priest would just wrap it up so you could get to the reception and start dancing, right? So, I will limit my comments this morning to a traditional “3 point sermon” – (leaving off the poem at the end).  And so that these points might be more memorable, I have distilled them down to an alliteration – a diaconal “Triple D”, if you will:  The ministry of the Diaconate brings to mind a Disaster, being Dumped on, and Dominoes.

Looking back over a year of pandemic shut down, the Arctic-like temperatures of “Snow-mageddon” a few weeks ago, and Holy Trinity’s great narthex flood of 2021, I can assure you that disaster will visit at some point in your ministry.  Disaster keeps ministry from being boring.  It certainly keeps you from becoming complacent.  In Katies’ last interview with the Standing Committee, she mentioned that one thing she was learning was that in pastoral ministry, you don’t have to fix things. If you ever need reminding of that, disaster will drive that point home.  In my own ministry, the time I spent in fire chaplaincy, I learned disaster was the norm.  We would describe a “good fire” as one where the building might be a total loss, but the fire was contained, everybody got out, nobody got hurt and the people were insured – praise God! 

The most important tool you have in your toolbox in disaster is the ministry of presence.  It will permit you the opportunity to live out the Gospel and grow in grace. So, when disaster hits, the most important thing is to just show up. Sometimes you will have to wade into the middle of chaos and wait.  People will be running around with all sorts of helpful ideas for you to do something – and that appeals especially to the servant nature of the diaconate, but giving in to that temptation may keep you too busy to see the true opportunity to minister.  Resist the immediate temptation to grab a hose, pick up an axe, run back and forth with your “hair on fire” like everyone else.  “Doing something” is seductive – “being present” is hard.  But if you can wait for just a moment, the need that you can address – the one God intends for you to address will present itself.  Disaster will stretch you, help you grow in faith and solidify your stance as a minister of the Gospel. I’m sure 30 years in child protective services and 14 years as a youth minister have been great preparation to greet disaster in the diaconate. 

Being dumped on in ministry will also happen.  Being dumped on is not always a bad thing even though it always feels like it at the time. It will keep you humble and will allow you to see that God can work with even the most negative circumstance, even at your expense.  When I was in CPE learning about chaplaincy, I was walking through my assigned ward in a community hospital, and noticed in one room, a woman dressed in street clothes, lying on top of the covers of the hospital bed, hooked up to an IV.  So, I poked my head in and asked if she might tolerate a visit from the chaplain. 

She hung on my phrasing and repeated it for effect. “Tolerate a visit.  Tolerate a visit? Sure, I might tolerate a visit.” 

So, I entered, introduced myself, and asked why she was in the hospital.  

She said, “I’m dying!”

Well, that put me out of step. So, trying to recover, I asked, “…and this treatment – is it helpful?  Does it make you feel any better? 

Her response was: “That’s it!  You’re done! Get out!”

So, somewhat stunned, I left and went straight to my CPE supervisor’s office to report the incident – afraid I might have done something wrong.  He picked up the phone and called the charge nurse. “How is the patient in 306? 

“Mrs. Smith?  Oh, she’s fine!  She’s in good spirits and enjoying her lunch!”

He hung up the phone, turned to me and said, “That woman has no control over what is happening to her.  You gave her something she could control.  Your being available for her to dump on, was your ministry to her.”

Think of it as a gift, and I have to say over my years in ministry, I have been given many opportunities to perfect it.  There isn’t a deacon here who has not, at some time or another, been dumped on while trying to do their best in ministry.  Expect it to happen in your ministry, too.  It is not necessarily a bad thing – and God can use it as a witness to his glory.  That’s why he picks the second son, the knuckle head, the con man, the persecutor, the stubborn and the broken toys of Scripture to minister in his name.  God can take you being dumped on and use it to show off.  Again, 30 years in CPS and 14 years in youth ministry must have prepared you pretty well to be dumped on as a deacon, too.

Finally, ministry is like dominoes.  Let me suggest that God is cagey and intentional like an old, retired domino player – taking the long view, thinking moves ahead.  Whether you know it or not, we are all here celebrating today because of a tile placed some years ago. An Anglican nun from the Caribbean engaged a Jewish journalist in conversation that opened a door and changed his life.  That journalist embraced the Christian faith, was baptized, confirmed, ordained deacon and priest.  He joined the Navy and served as a Chaplain on Okinawa, Japan. 

The next tile laid down was that chaplain engaged a Marine officer in conversation which changed his life, (You may guess where this is headed…because I was that Marine Officer). I was confirmed, ordained deacon and priest and have served as a fire chaplain since my curacy. 

God eventually put me here as Rector in this church where Katie was serving as a volunteer youth minister, and because I am not that smart, I’m pretty sure he put the thought in my head to ask Katie if she had ever thought about being ordained. It was a conversation that changed her life.  Now, I’m no longer Rector and retired - and will probably be long gone by the time the next domino is played – but I suggest you keep your eyes open. God sets you up in ministry for a reason.  He’s not just saving you for the dance.  He’ll make another play and you will be there because God is a God of purpose – he intends to use you to extend his will.  I am excited for you and for how that may come to be.  I am proud to know you, to call you friend, and I will pray for your continued ministry.  Kick Ass! Amen.