Deacons
are ordained to the ministry
of word and service
(BOD;
¶ 320)
and charged to
“give
leadership in the Church’s
life”
in, among other ways,
“assisting the elders in the
administration of the
sacraments”
and
“in the
congregation’s mission to
the world” (¶ 319). In continuity with historic and ecumenical practice, the role
of deacon in services of Word
and Table appropriately
includes reading the Gospel
lesson; leading the concerns
and prayers for the world, the
church, and the needy;
receiving the elements and
preparing the table before the
Great Thanksgiving; assisting
the elder in serving the
Communion elements; setting
the table in order; and
dismissing the people to serve
before the elder offers
God’s blessing. |
All
members of Christ’s
universal church are, through
their baptism, called to share
in the Eucharistic ministry
that is committed to the whole
church
(BOD; ¶
219).
Lay people assist the
presider in leading the whole
congregation to celebrate the
Lord’s Supper.
Pastors and other
leaders facilitate the full
and active engagement of the
ministry of all laity in
celebrations of Holy
Communion.
As part of this general
liturgical ministry of all
Christians, laypeople exercise
leadership of worship by
reading Scripture, leading
prayers, preparing the table,
providing and preparing the
elements, distributing the
elements, and helping with
other parts of the service. |
