Fri
Dec
15
2006
A deacon by any other name
In a slightly ironic change of heart, the Anglican Church here in Sydney has decided to ordain me.
It’s only about 29 years late, but what the heck! ;-)
A bit of background.
I trained for Youth Ministry with Moore College and what was then called the Anglican Youth Department in 1976-78. That gave me a Dip Yth Min., but ordination was not on the books then, and I didn’t feel the need of it in my youth ministry role. So I merrily went on my way working in a variety of Sydney Anglican churches in full time youth ministry.
A major change happened in 1993 when I accepted the challenge to go and pastor a congregation in Tregear (Mt Druitt) with a colleague who headed up the neighbouring church.
In 1996 I was encouraged to apply for ordination. A long story short, I was knocked back due to a lack of a theological degree.
That bothered me for a while. If I was considered good enough to pastor a church mainly on my own, why wasn’t I good enough to be recognised by my denomination?
Background to the background.
In Sydney Anglican circles, some big changes have happened in the field of ordained ministry. For many years, being ordained meant going to Moore College, passing everything, being ordained as a Deacon, and then 12-24 months later automatically ‘progressing’ to the office of ‘priest’ (now referred to as the role of ‘presbyter’).
In Sydney, only Presbyter’s can be Senior Ministers (Rectors) in parish churches.
The powers that be have now decided that a more Biblical model is for the ordination standard to be Deacon, and the move to Presbyter to only happen upon the invitation of the Archbishop and for a specific reason.
Back to the main story:
Another application for ordination was made in 2001, with the same result. Didn’t bother me as much that time. While I felt I could fulfil the role of Presbyter, I didn’t feel driven to.
Roll forward to November 2006. Phone rings:
“Rob Smith here from the office of Ministry and Training Development. We want to ordain you Deacon.”
“Really?”
“Yes”
“You don’t want me to do another ten years study at Moore and produced a couple of multi-disciplined doctorates?”
“Not unless you want to”
“In that case, I accept”.
Three forest’s worth of paperwork later, come Saturday February 3rd 2007 at 10:00am at St Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney, you can just address me as ‘Rev.’!
What difference will it make?
Not a lot.
- I’ll be able to marry people – probably useful, given that I’ll be working amongst young adults at Springwood.
- I’ll be a step closer to being able to (legally) celebrate the Lord’s Supper in the Sydney Anglican system.
- I get a better long service leave deal(!)
- I have a modicum of recognition of my ministry role. I stress, that that doesn’t mean a great deal to me, but is sometimes helpful to others.
Feel free to join me on February 3rd if you’re not doing anything else ;-)
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Comment
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Congratulations!
Though indeed late (church administration is indeed odd sometimes – everywhere) it is good to be given not only the work but also the role and recognition! It’s a pity that you are so very far away. Would have liked to join your ordination as a lutheran colleague and textpatterner. :-)
(I’m a students pastor in bavaria/germany)
— Michael Schlierbach · Dec 17, 08:47 PM · #
Hey Michael,
Thanks for that! Writing about it seemed a bit like ‘blowing my own horn’ but it was a good chance to explain why it was happening after so long. :-)
I understand your remoteness, but hey, wouldn’t you like a holiday in sunny Australia in February? My memory of Europe (well, England) in February is that it is pretty bleak… ;-)
— NeilA · Dec 18, 01:40 AM · #
Rev Atwood.
About time. And as you suggest, it recognises the reality of how you have ministered for 10+ years.
But how does Rev Dr sound? ;)
— gary · Dec 18, 04:48 PM · #
Well, no one has ever accused the Anglican of rushing anything!
Rev Dr. has a nice ring to it – but the work to get there doesn’t. ;-)
— NeilA · Dec 19, 01:33 AM · #
Hi Neil,
of course I would like a holiday in sunny Australia! Due to climate changes we have had lots of snow till mid April – and I don’t really like snow and cold.
But I’m afraid at the moment my money will get us (my wife, me and our dog – wouldn’t like to leave him here) only as far as say South Italy ;-) But maybe I can think about later (or catch one of those weekend flights for $40), I think it would be a pleasure.
The children of one of my colleagues here had a school exchange for three months and now are really enthusiastic about Australia.
Funny: Today I read about someone who got his diploma with 77 years of delay. He had to leave university 1929 with only one paper missing. Now in the age of 100 he was listed as graduated . So maybe we will all get our Dr. degree some time in the future – no need to do extra work ;-)
— Michael Schlierbach · Dec 19, 04:35 AM · #
So, can we call you the Right Reverend Neil? (or, the Most Reverend Dad?)
— Ben · Dec 19, 01:11 PM · #
Maybe you need to change “ministrygrounds” to reverendcoffee.com… (it’s available by the way).
— Simon · Dec 19, 03:16 PM · #
Or perhaps ‘holygrounds’ (although it’s taken… :( )
— NeilA · Dec 19, 03:44 PM · #
@Ben – perhaps ‘Reverend Father’?
@Simon & Neil – maybe ‘holywater.net’ ;) or even holeyportafilter.
Regards, Gary
— gary · Dec 20, 02:08 AM · #
The last one sounds like something Robin says in the 60’s TV version of ‘Batman and Robin’! :-)
— NeilA · Dec 20, 08:08 AM · #
I didn’t know you needed to be a deacon to marry. Does your wife know this? Good to see Rob doing some good work – I hope he finds time to write some more songs. Will you now need a new wardrobe for formal occassions?
— steven Nicholson · Dec 23, 03:14 AM · #
Cute Steve… ;-)
Fancy dress wardrobe will be all borrowed… ;-)
— NeilA · Dec 23, 03:52 AM · #
The Anglican Church is even crazier than I’d thought [not in finally ordaining you, but in taking soooo long, and with such silly, silly rules]
— David McKay · Dec 25, 05:34 PM · #
Hi Neil,
Congrats on being ordained. I understand the frustration of not being able to preside at communion, and that is coming from the perspective of a lay reader licenced to preach.
Blessings craig b
— craigbennett · Jan 2, 06:35 PM · #
Thanks Craig.
In reality, the Lord’s Supper thing isn’t really an issue. Until Sydney Diocese works out the legal issues (and, more importanly the related implications for episcopal oversight of evangelical churches elsewhere), Peter J. has publically stated that he will not take any action against non-presbyters celebrating Communiuon.
But (to David Mc.) it is still a silly system that has been in place for far too long!
— NeilA · Jan 3, 02:31 AM · #
Hi Neil
Congratulations brother! Kerry and I would love to have been there. We remember you, Robyn and family fondly from our stay with you.
— Craig Newill · Jan 12, 01:15 AM · #