The Rt. Rev. Dr. Justin S. Holcomb, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida, ordained five deacons in three separate services in November, with one priest to be ordained Nov. 24 (watch for that story in our December issue). The new deacons are the Revs. Colleen Rothrock, Dan King, Wesny Dubic, Stephen Feibelman and Matthew Sparks.
Although they all serve in different churches with varying responsibilities, God has called each of them to the ministry of the diaconate, with each charged in the ordination to “be loyal to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of Christ as this Church has received them” (Book of Common Prayer, p. 538). They all recognize that their ordination did not take place in a vacuum; all have sponsoring churches, priests, family members and friends who have supported and will continue to support them on this holy path.
The Rev. Colleen Rothrock
Rothrock’s ordination took place on Nov. 3 at St. Mary’s, Belleview, where she serves. “I am very thankful to my priest, the Very Rev. Lisa Wimmer, as she encouraged and supported me to begin this process of discernment,” she said. “Then it was up to me as I followed the leadership of Archdeacon Julie [Altenbach] and others. St. Mary’s folks encouraged me on the way.”
Deacon Colleen Rothrock with Bishop Justin Holcomb | PHOTO: Lisa Bordelon
Although Rothrock’s ministry at Belleview has now expanded, she will continue in service there. “I will serve on the altar and do all the jobs that my position supports as needed,” she said. “I have visited those in hospice for many years, and I will find out what I am able to do as a deacon to further that part of my ministry.”
The ordination service was “more wonderful than I could have imagined,” she said. “I could talk about it at length. Something that was almost indescribable was when Bishop Justin did the prayer of consecration and put his hands on my head. Those were the holy moments when I realized that I was actually a deacon! (With all the joy and weight and thankfulness and emotions that come with that.)”
The Rev. Dan King
King, ordained just a week after Rothrock on the afternoon of Nov. 10, will continue to serve at his sponsoring church, which was also the site of his ordination: St. Edward’s, Mount Dora. “I’m incredibly grateful for all of the people there who have been so supportive throughout this process,” he said. “They’ve spent time discerning with me, encouraging me and praying for me all along the way. I don’t know that I could do this without them by my side.”
Bishop Holcomb performs the ordination for Deacon Dan King with assistance from Archdeacon Julie Altenbach. | PHOTO: Hunter Womble
This new deacon is the director of family ministries at St. Edward’s, working primarily with the children’s and youth programs. “I’ve recently been exploring more ways to take that ministry off-campus and into the community,” he said. “There are so many out there who need to experience the love of Christ, and I’d love to find more ways for us to be there for them. I’m also excited about continuing to dream and brainstorm more with the Rev. Mark Lafler about more ways we can impact our community, something important to both of us.”
King found his ordination service deeply meaningful, particularly his serving of the Eucharist. “After setting the table for the first time as a deacon, I then received Communion from the bishop, who told me that I should go serve the clergy in attendance first,” King said. “The first in line was my friend and classmate, Colleen, also now ordained as of last weekend. And as I served each of them the bread, I looked into each of their eyes, all looking at me with every bit of love and support I could ever ask for. It helped me know that I’m not alone in this ministry.”
The Rev. Wesny Dubic
The remaining three deacons were ordained to the transitional diaconate, in which ordination as a deacon is a step toward the priesthood, in a service held on the morning of Saturday, Nov. 16, at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke, Orlando. Dubic, a third-year student at Nashotah House, has a long history in the diocese and has served as the chair of its Honduras Commission for the past several years.
In effect, he has three sponsoring churches: the Cathedral Church of St. Luke, Orlando, his home church; Church of the Messiah, Winter Garden, where he has assisted the Rev. Soner Alexandre in ministry to the Haitian congregation; and St. Thomas, Eustis, which has helped support his seminary work through prayer, encouragement and the provision of a scholarship.
“Every single one of those churches played a role in my formation; that’s what made me the person that I am,” Dubic said. His seminary experience has given him an additional church to add to that list: Christ Church, Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, which he served during and after his required supervised parish ministry under the direction of the Rev. Seth Dietrich, rector, and now serves as deacon. “The people of Christ Church have been a blessing of support for me throughout this whole process,” Dubic said. “I cannot say just how grateful I am for being there.”
In May, he will complete his degree at Nashotah House; after this time, he hopes to return to the Diocese of Central Florida. “I let God decide what is best for me because he’s the one who’s ultimately in charge,” he said. “My hope is that he can place me somewhere that fits me and will also use my skills, my heart for the people, to be able to bless them and guide them closer to God.”
Bishop Holcomb with (L-R) Deacons Wesny Dubic, Stephen Feibelman and Matthew Sparks following the ordination service at the Cathedral | PHOTO: Archdeacon Julie Altenbach
For Dubic, being ordained at St. Luke’s had special meaning. “Just to be present in the church that formed me was amazing,” he said. “Every single person at the Cathedral, whether they know it or not, played a role in the formation of the person I am. And for me to be ordained as a deacon at this church that formed and embraced me for who I am – I felt like this was truly a Holy Spirit moment. The Holy Spirit was really present within this whole service, within my ordination, to shape me and help me, opening the next chapter of my life.”
The Rev. Stephen Feibelman
“All Saints, Winter Park, is my sponsoring church,” explained Feibelman, who serves as youth minister there. “I am grateful most of all for my wife, Meagan. These past six years of discernment have been the most spiritually demanding of our lives. I would not have made it to this point without her love and support. I am thankful for the guiding wisdom of Fr. Stu Shelby, the Rev. Jared Jones, the Rev. Elliott Drake, the Rev. Lo Cook and Deacon Liz Tucker, who, each in their own way, helped me to navigate the process toward ordination.
“I also remain eternally grateful for the generous support from those in my parish, in particular: the members of my Parish Discernment Committee; Liz Stewart and the staff of All Saints; my dear friend in Christ and youth volunteer extraordinaire, Mr. Joe Nooft; and of course, the students of All Saints Youth Ministry,” he said. “All of these wonderful people have been witnesses to this great call on my family’s life.”
Feibelman plans to continue his role in youth ministry at All Saints “until it is clear God is calling Meagan and me to something new,” he said. “We are excited to continue building the youth ministry at All Saints.”
Like the others, he knows ordination will multiply his ministry opportunities. “Being an ordained minister in this role provides a unique opportunity to introduce elements of sacramental ministry in an area where it is often lacking,” he said. “How exciting to provide formational opportunities for students utilizing the full breadth of Word and sacrament so well framed by the Anglican tradition!”
Feibelman also reflected on Holcomb’s sermon, in which he quoted the late Rev. Robert Capon on the nature of God’s work in the world. Capon said divine work comes through what he called “left-handed power,” which means “brokenness, hurt, weakness, even death.”
“So often we are fed platitudes about what it means to serve well,” Feibelman said. “These all end in the same basic fashion: ‘Just do what Jesus did, and you’ll be fine.’ What an exhausting and terrifying notion as one wrestles with the great burden of authority being placed on them in ordination! How much more comforting to hear our bishop encourage us not to ignore our natural tendency to seek power and success but to recognize them for what they are and turn to Christ with repentant hearts. I’ve tried and failed to make myself better. However, by the grace of God, I think I can do that.”
The Rev. Matthew Sparks
Sparks, who serves at St. John’s Church, Savannah, Georgia, has profound gratitude for his supporters as well. “It has been a blessing to be sponsored in this process by St. Paul’s, New Smyrna Beach,” he said. “I cannot thank Father Matthew Dallman and the vestry of St. Paul’s enough for their continued support. Father Dallman has been an essential support for me during my discernment by providing counsel, wisdom and stability.
In addition, “I want to thank the rector of St. John’s Church, Father Gavin Dunbar, and associate rector, Father Jonathan Jameson, for their support in discernment and preparation,” Sparks said. “Finally, my wife is worthy of the most gratitude for her resolve and her love toward me in this process.”
The new deacon intends to continue serving at St. John’s “for the remainder of the academic year,” he said. “It is my hope to serve as a parish priest in the time to come.”
God used the ordination service to speak to Sparks about his calling. “I was moved by several elements of the service, but especially when the bishop laid his hands on each of us and said the prayer of ordination,” he said. “There is such a clear sense of being called and commissioned in this action. I am humbled to receive such a blessing.”