My wife Cheri and I have been married for over forty years. We have two grown children, five grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren. I have an undergraduate degree in Business Management and a Master of Arts in Religion with a Certificate of Diaconal Studies from Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. I worked for Quest Diagnostics as their Executive Director Healthcare Standards and Health Interoperability for over thirty years. More recently I worked for Accenture to manage connectivity for the DoD Health Systems as they transitioned to their new medical record system for the military. I have been actively involved in Healthcare Standards Development, serving on several committees and boards. I officially retired in October 2023 just before moving permanently to Bonita Springs. I was ordained June 14, 2008, as a Vocational Deacon serving several parishes in the surrounding counties of the Philadelphia Area. I served on the CPE Board at Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ and as a per diem Chaplain (2008-2012). I also served as a Chaplain at Paoli Hospital, part of the Main Line Health System until October 2023. I served as Executive Director of the Episcopal Chaplaincy Board (2017-2023), the Commission of Ministry (2018-2023), and chaired the Diocesan Nominating Committee (2020-2023) in the Diocese of Pennsylvania. In my own community, I am the Vice President to the board of my HOA.
Why St. Monica’s
One of my favorite assignments in the Diocese of Pennsylvania was at the far corner of the diocese, Christ Church Pottstown, PA. When the rector retired, I was required to submit my resignation. The members of Christ Church were a very strong community and they looked after each other. I had that same feeling when my wife Cheri and I visited St. Monica’s last year before returning north. I felt instantly drawn to what felt like a caring community. Oh, and the sermons are not bad either!
What is a Deacon?
A deacon is called to servant ministry. There are 2 types of deacons, transitional deacons and vocational deacons. A transitional deacon is someone who has discerned a call to the priesthood; they are typically first ordained as a deacon for six or more months before being ordained a second time to the priesthood.
A vocational deacon has discerned a call to this specific ministry; a servant ministry to those outside the church. Most vocational deacons maintain a secular job and carry their ministry into the neighborhood and workplace since this role is non-stipendiary. A deacon is expected to be the eyes into the world for the church; reporting back how to best serve the needs of those that are not in the church.
When in the church, the deacon typically reads the Gospel, bids the confession of sins, sets the table for the Eucharist, and dismisses the congregation. The deacon is able to do everthing a priest does except the ABCs.
The ABCs, Absolve (Sins), Bless (the prayer after the confession and the wedding ceremony for example), and Consecrate (the sacraments). It is from this reserved sacrament that the deacon goes out of the church to serve the unchurched. Often the deacon leads the outreach and pastoral care programs at the parish they are assigned by the bishop. Even while serving at the parish, they are still under the bishop’s management. The rector/vicar of the parish and the deacon work together in support of the diaconal work the deacon does within and outside of the parish.
BCP Page 543 – The Examination in the Ordination of a Deacon (portion)
My sibling in Christ, every Christian is called follow Jesus Christ, serving God the Father, through the power of the Holy Spirit. God now calls you to a special ministry of servanthood directly under your bishop In the name of Jesus Christ, you are to serve all people, particularly the poor, the week, the sick, and the lonely….