We are now firmly in the third year of Bishop Brewer’s episcopate and what an exciting time it has been! One of the goals Bishop Brewer has challenged our Diocese with is to reexamine our ordination processes, both for the Priesthood and the Diaconate. Bishop Brewer, along with Canon Justin Holcomb, the Commission on Ministry, and myself have worked very hard to step back and examine our ordination processes from a objective, zero-based perspective. After careful examination new conclusions have been drawn. (From this point forward I will be speaking for the Diaconate preparation process only!)

According to the National Canons for the Episcopal Church, Title 3.6.5F states:

Before ordination each Candidate (for the Diaconate) shall be prepared in and demonstrate basic competence in five general areas:

(1) Academic studies including, The Holy Scriptures, theology,
and the tradition of the Church.
(2) Diakonia and the diaconate.
(3) Human awareness and understanding.
(4) Spiritual development and discipline.
(5) Practical training and experience.

Our Diocese has gone above and beyond the National Canons for required steps in the ordination process. The Canons require a time commitment of a minimum of 18 months for the ordination process. Our Diocese is going to require a minimum of 2 years.

Prior to now, the Diocese of Central Florida has required 4 years of academic preparation that consisted of taking classes 9 months of the year for 2 Saturdays per month. Given the sheer geographical size of our Diocese, this requirement alone has caused us to lose valuable human resources and leadership potential in the laity who feel called, but cannot commit to the academic requirements.

Research has suggested that the average preparation for the Diaconate is a 2 year process, including the academic preparation, with highly developed focus on Mission in the World, Leadership, and Evangelism.

Bishop Brewer has challenged us as a Diocese with his 5 Strategic Point Plan:
1) Strengthen Relationships; 2) Raise up Leaders, both Clergy and Lay; 3) See our Neighborhoods as mission fields; 4) Take our place in the Councils of the Church and 5) Revitalize Children’s and Youth Ministry.

In an effort to meet this call, reach potential clergy leaders and continue to focus the Diaconate as the front line ministers in the world for the church we are going to implement some changes in our ordination preparation for the Diaconate. These changes have been called for and approved by Bishop Brewer and enthusiastically approved by the Commission on Ministry.

First, the academic preparation will be reduced to 2 years. Those who are ordained will continue to return for further training for 6 months after their ordination, much like the Ministry, Leadership and Mission for the priests.

Secondly, ordinations will take place in September instead of December. The churches need their deacons out in the world and we want to get them there!

Third, we are developing a method for on-line learning that will alleviate some of the travel to Orlando for training and allow those in the far reaches of our Diocese to avail themselves of distance learning and be able to realistically enter the Diaconate preparation process.

The silver lining for the distance learning is that it will be available to all; lay people, Sunday school groups, and Bible study groups. The possibilities are limitless. We are abundantly blessed in Central Florida in our clergy and lay teaching resources. We will now be able to make them accessible to all.

All the remaining steps in the process for ordination will remain the same. Again, we have a more defined process than the National Canons call for and feel that these changes will continue to strengthen the Diocese through a strong, well prepared Diaconate.