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Jun 25, 2018 | EDOT Staff

Nine Deacons Ordained

Pictured: (l-r) The Rev. Canon Kai Ryan, the Rev. Elizabeth Miller, the Rev. Nancy Wilkes, the Rev. Rebecca Sparks, Bishop Diocesan Andy Doyle, the Rev. Michele Bonner, the Rev. Korey Wright, the Rev. David Goldberg, the Rev. Nick Earl, the Rev. Suzanne Smith, the Rev. Mary Keenan, Bishop Suffragan Jeff Fisher, Bishop John Sloan (Alabama), Bishop Suffragan Dena Harrison and the Venerable Russ Oechsel.

Nine new deacons were ordained Saturday, June 23 at the Church of St. John the Divine, Houston in a solemn and celebratory worship service. Amid prayer, pitch perfect music and laughter, a full church witnessed nine peoples’ call from God reach the culmination of years of study, examination and spiritual deepening. Bishop John “Kee” Sloan, Bishop of Alabama and the guest preacher, told about several special campers he had had over the years who taught him that he was not always right, and that even in the darkness, he was not alone. He brought the best of story-telling and a southern drawl to the pulpit to illuminate profound reminders and elicit much laughter.

Sponsors from each sending church presented their candidate, who stood before Bishop C. Andrew Doyle for “The Examination,” a series of questions about their commitment and faithfulness after which they came forward and he laid hands on each one’s head and prayed for each to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Each was then vested by family members and received a Bible as a sign of their authority to proclaim God’s word.  A full video of the service is here.