What’s the difference between the Minister of the Word and the Ministry of Deacon in the UCA?
A blog by Prof Rev Andrew Dutney
Deacons and congregations – #3 in the series (draft, 30 Sept 2020)
Deacons and Congregations.DUCAResourcePaper3.30Sept2020v2
Deacons and First Peoples
Number 2 in the series (draft, August 2020)
A draft of a new document, Deacons and First Peoples, will be the first in a series that provides an overview of the diverse ministries in which UCA Deacons exercise ministry in the UCA.
Deacons and Formation
Number 1 in the series (August 2020)
Formation for Ministry-Ministry of Deacon in the UCA
PhD thesis: On being a covenanting and multicultural church: Ordinary theologians in the Uniting Church explore what it means to be church. Rev Dr (Deacon) Michelle Cook
PhD thesis: De-Centred Ministry: A Diaconal View of Mission and Church Rev Dr Alison McRae
Unfinished business at church union by Rev Deacon Bill Harris (P.204-223)
Ecotheology and the diaconate – Jason John
Abstract: Since it’s inception in 1977, the Uniting Church in Australia has been outward looking, though its concern for creation was thoroughly anthropocentric. The late eighties saw the UCA recognise creation as valuable in and of itself, and also renew its commitment to the marginalised through the renewal of the diaconate. In 1997, creation has dropped off the national and state agendas, while the diaconate remains an issue because of the proactive work of deacons and their supporters. It may be that the diaconate is the link through which the UCA’s relationship with the rest of creation can be renewed. This is the story of the UCA, and what I hope will be my small part in it, as a student deacon committed both to the structural church, and to the rest of creation. It raises issues of money and power that will be familiar, to anyone with similar concerns, in a way that I hope will be helpful to the ongoing struggle for institutionally supported ecojustice.
The Diakonia Occasional Papers Volumes 1-10 are available to read and download here.
Diakonia Occasional Papers #1 (1993) A New Testament understanding of servanthood
A paper by Alison McRae: A New Testament understanding of servanthood: some implications for diaconal ministry in the Uniting Church in Australia
Diakonia Occasional Papers #2 (1994): A spirituality for the diaconate
Tracy Spencer, Life in the Spirit of Francis and Clare
Barbara Spencer, The Spirituality of Iona and its relevance to Deacons
Alison McRae, Introduction
Alison McRae, Religious Experience and the Search for Community: Howard Thurman in conversation with Henri Nouwen and Julian of Norwich
Alison McRae, The Web of Creation and the Search for Community
Judy Greenaway, Diaconal Ministry – Just and Spiritual
Margy Dahl, Bringing to Birth – An exploration of Diaconal Spirituality
Mandy Blacker, Spirituality of the Little Things
Bev Fabb, Linking Spirituality and Justice – some resources
Diakonia Occasional Papers #3 (1995) Deacons and the Sacraments
Jonathon Barker. Discussion Paper: Which Model of the Church?
Bill Thomas. Towards the Development of a Theology of Ordination in the Uniting Church in Australia
Judy McKechnie. The Sacramental Role of the Deacon – Historical and Ecumenical
Bev Fabb. Notes on Ecumenical and Historical Issues in relation to Deacons and the Sacraments.
Bev Fabb. Insights from Catholic theology.
Con Taylor. Deacons Celebrating the Sacraments in 1994-5.
Judy Greenaway. The Link Between Justice and the Eucharist.
Jason John. Should Deacons welcome non-Christians to the Lord’s Supper.
Dianne Bos. Deacons Sacramental Ministry – Biblical images.
Lorrae Burgess. The Deacon as a Sacramental Sign.
Doctrine Commission. Statement on Ordination and Sacramental Practice.
Diakonia Occasional Papers #4 (1996)
Servant leadership, & ‘it’s not fair:the anguished cry of suffering
Pam Batson, Servant Leadership
Meg Evans, It’s not fair: the anguished cry of suffering
Both papers draw on insights from Biblical studies, theology and the practical experience of diaconal ministry.
Diakonia Occasional Papers #5 (1997) Diakonia and community development
Peter Burke, Diakonia and community development
Diakonia Occasional Papers #6 (1998-99)
Exploring issues relevant to diaconal ministry in the Uniting Church – 1
McLeod, Judy. Partnership or Separateness – The role of Church in Community (1998)
Commission for Mission. A Common Sense of Purpose: The Rejoining of Word and Deed (extracts). 1994.
McLeod, Judy. Deacon/Social Justice Worker – role in pastoral relationships and social justice. 1998.
Copelen Child and Family Service, Operational Guidelines for Deacon/Social Justice position. 1998.
Spencer, Tracy. Tegwyn’s Coming Home: Narrative Approaches to Sacramental Theology. 1996.
Spencer, Tracy. The importance of the post-war movement towards a renewed diaconate. 1996.
John, Jason. An argument for broadening the scope of the diaconate in the UCA. 1997.
Diakonia Occasional Papers #7 (2001)
Exploring issues relevant to diaconal ministry in the Uniting Church – 2
Introduction to ‘Exploring issues relevant to diaconal ministry in the UCA.
Gledhill, Marion. Theological Issues on Diakonia in today’s Australian society.
Tansey, John. The Deacon as Evangelist. 2000.
Balabanski, Vicky. Bible Studies for the World DIAKONIA Assembly. 2001
Fabb, Bev. Closing sermon, World DIAKONIA Assembly. 2001.
Credal Statement, World DIAKONIA Assembly. 2001.
Diakonia Occasional Papers #8 (2002) Deacons – proclaimers of the gospel
1. Introduction to Volume 8, 2002
2. Marion Millin Papers
Walking in the way of life
Sermons Ordination 9th April 2002
Wembley Downs Uniting Church 18th March 2001
Good Friday 29th March 2002
Easter Service 31st March 2002
Anniversary of the UCA 23rd June 2002
Refugee Sunday 25th August 2002
Perth Wesley Church 29th June 1997
3. Pam White Papers Preaching
Sermons Kallista and Kennon 11th August 2002
St Stephens, East Ringwood and St Lukes Mt Waverley September 2002
4. Andy Calder Induction Sermon 6th May 2001
Outline of service for the Ritual and Pastoral Care Course 17th September 2001
Theological Hall sermon 10th May 2002
5. Murray Muirhead Ordination Sermon
Reconciliation Sunday 3rd June 2001
Induction Sermon 13th March 2001
“Living Water”
“The road to Emmaus”
6. Tracey Spencer Ordination Sermon 19th March 2001
DUCA Conference January 2002
7. Judy McLeod Pentecost 12, Rutherglen 26th August 2001
Lent 3, Rutherglen 3rd March 2002
8. John Tansey “Learning from the Faithful: Outsiders and the Canaanite Woman” 18th August 2002 St Kilda Parish Mission
9. Alison McRae “Hospitality, Marginality, and the Equality of Mission”
Synod of Victoria 20th September 19
Induction Sermon 17th January 1995
Induction Sermon 10th June 1998
Theological Hall 16th March 2001
Ordination Sermon 18th November 2001
Diakonia Occasional Papers #9 (2003)
Deacons reflecting on the practice of their ministry
Introduction to Volume 9, 2003
Michelle Cook: Experiences of the Ministry of Deacon in the Uniting Church in Australia since 1991.
Andy Calder: “God has chosen this for you” – “Really” A pastoral and theological appraisal of this and some other well-know clichés used in Australia to support people with disabilities.
Alison McRae: To what extent can we understand the Church as a sign of the Kingdom of God?
Discuss with particular reference to the Ministry of Deacon in the Uniting Church in Australia.
Diakonia Occasional Papers # 10 (2004)
Deacons reflecting on the practice of their ministry (Part 2)
Tracy Spencer: “Risking Embrace: walking, living, loving and dying together.”
Michelle Cook: “How am I a Deacon in this place? A social analysis and theological reflection on experiences in Emergency Relief.”
Alison McRae: “The ministry of Deacon is often described as being a ‘ministry on the margins’ in that it represents the church in dispersed from. How does this expression of ministry inform our understanding of mission in a post-Christendom church?”
Alison McRae: Bibliography produced for the National Diaconal Ministry Presessional
Ordination and Ministry in the Uniting Church – report to 1994 Assembly
Minor thesis – The Significance of Jesus’ Pause in Matthew 15:21-28 (Rev Deacon Wendy Elson)
“My interest is in the sound of women’s suffering and how contemporary women experience silence. I bring the contemporary woman, through my own story, into conversation with Matthew 15:21- 28, rehearing the narrative through a feminist voice. The focus will be on Jesus’ initial response to the plea of the woman, the silence described with the sentence, “But he did not answer her at all.” (NRSV). How are we to understand this pause in communication? What impact might it have had for this woman, marginalised by gender, ethnicity and class, and by her experience of being the mother of a child with disability? How might it impact contemporary women in similar circumstances, particularly those marginalised through their experience of disability?”
Theology for Prison Chaplaincy
Coetsier, Meins G.S., Towards a Theology of Prison Ministry, Trinity College Dublin, School of Religion, Loyola Institute, 2021, Download here. More description is on this website here.