Defend deacons

[organist]

In another thread southern comfort took a real swipe at deacons. Our church does need properly trained deacons who knpw about the liturgy and are there to serve the people!
WIth the shortage of clergy the laity are going to have to step in and they need training too!
The recent vocations Sunday went by without a whisper of the vocation of being a deacon - why?
Actually I love ooporganist's idea from his children of having a Parish Mum - that is exactly what we need!
Such a person would make sure that those who are missing are checked on, encourage those who come, give out hugs, reprimand the slackers, remember everyone's name even those who don't come more than once a year! Ooporganist's children suggest Parish Mum would get everyone to sing- I wonder just how? Kicking the non-singers? On the Easter day TV broadcast from Liverpool cathedral (which was terrific by the way!) they needed Parish mum to get that young man in the congregation who never opened his mouth to SING! Come on the Lord is risen - he could have mimed if he can't sing! Wonder why the cameraman loved that guy so much??? Oops offtopic again - sorry Mr Bear!
So why can't women be deacons????
They were in the early church so why not NOW?
At a recent talk we were told priests need to "love God, love people, follow Christ and help people to follow Christ". Well that can go for all of us can't it? We were also reminded that the Holy Spirit is working. We are not here to fix the church, we are here to follow Christ.

[Southern Comfort]

In another thread

This one, just for info: http://www.ssg.org.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=655

[oopsorganist]

Why was there no deacon in Father Ted?

[organist]

Do they have such things in the wilds of Ireland?

[presbyter]

Our church does need properly trained deacons who know about the liturgy and are there to serve the people!

But since there's nothing a Deacon does that a lay person cannot do (sometimes in extra-ordinary circumstances, I admit), why a permanent diaconate?

From the rite of ordination:


Bishop may conclude with:


These men, your relatives and friends, are now to be raised to the order of deacons. Consider carefully the ministry to which they are promoted.

They will draw new strength from the gift of the Holy Spirit. They will help the bishop and his body of priests as a minister of the word, of the altar, and of charity. They will make themselves a servant to all. As ministers of the altar they will proclaim the Gospel, prepare the sacrifice, and give the Lord's body and blood to the community of believers.

It will also be their duty, at the bishop's discretion, to bring God's word to believer and unbeliever alike, to preside over public prayer, to baptize, to assist at marriages and bless them, to give viaticum to the dying, and to lead the rites of burial. Once they are consecrated by the laying on of hands that comes to us from the apostles and are bound more closely to the altar, they will perform works of charity in the name of the bishop or the pastor. From the way they go about these duties, may you recognize them as disciples of Jesus who came to serve, not to be served.


Tease out the lay ministries in that, if you will. Discuss!

[JW]

Could I just throw Sunday's (Easter 5A) 1st reading into Presbyter's mixture - it reminds us why deacons were invented in the first place?