Bishop Carlye J. Hughes joined the deacons of the Diocese of Newark on November 17, 2018 for Deacons Day at Grace Church in Madison. Our Bishop meets with all the deacons annually to spend some retreat time together and for business discussion. The Archdeacons – The Venerable Peter Jackson and The Venerable Diane Riley – meet with our Bishop on a regular basis.
Deacons serve immediately under the authority and the pastoral leadership of the Bishop. The Bishop assigns a deacon to a congregation or organization after consultation with the deacon and the Archdeacons.
One of three distinct orders of ordained ministry (along with priests and bishops), deacons are called to exercise "a special ministry of servanthood" directly under the deacon's bishop, serving all people and especially those in need (BCP, p. 543).
The central focus of diaconal ministry is service to the community outside the boundaries of a parish. Given the call of the Episcopal Church to be a Missional Church, a deacon’s role in the world is particularly appropriate. The ministry of deacons varies widely, taking such forms as hospital or prison ministry, specialized counseling, ministry to the elderly, poor, dying, or homeless, and persons with mental illness; or at the local or state level, to advocate for social justice and change.
Please contact The Venerable Peter Jackson (jacksonpeter915@gmail.com) or The Venerable Diane Riley (dianenriley@yahoo.com) should you be discerning a call to the diaconate.
