Deacon Reflection: A Disturbance of Deacons

By The Rev. Sallie Simpson

I recently attended the annual Deacons’ Retreat for the Diocese of North Carolina. Many of the deacons were there, and as part of the retreat we all shared the various ministries and projects we are involved in. Several years ago, we decided we should have a name for our group. We discussed the various names that are used to describe groups of animals and people. We mentioned a gaggle of geese, a flock of sheep, a pod of dolphins, a pride of lions, and a school of fish. We also brought up a troop of scouts, a squadron in the military, and a team in sports. After much discussion, we decided on a “Disturbance of Deacons”!

Why in the world would we choose “disturbance”? Isn’t a disturbance the interruption of a settled or peaceful condition? Aren’t disruption, upheaval and commotion synonyms for disturbance? Yes – all of this is correct. I don’t remember all of our reasons for choosing “disturbance,” but I do remember some discussion about deacons disturbing the status quo when it needed to be disturbed.

As the deacons shared their ministries at the retreat, I realized that most of us had “disturbed” the status quo in some way. There are deacons who help provide much-needed assistance to immigrants through the Galilee Center and other ministries. There are deacons involved in prison ministry and assistance with re-entry into society after release from prison. There is a deacon who helps immigrant and minority students and their parents navigate the complicated paths to getting needed assistance in the schools and courts. There are deacons involved in affordable housing and healthcare for low income persons. One deacon is involved in providing band instruments for low-income students who would not otherwise be able to play in the school band. There are deacons involved in pastoral care and end-of-life care, providing support both to patients and their families. One deacon is a member of a team of health care professionals who meet regularly to pray and discuss how they can better support their patients through prayer. Another deacon works in agriculture advocacy and activism. There are deacons who help with Alcoholics Anonymous groups. There are deacons who help immigrants who are in sanctuary in churches. There are deacons involved in helping to address issues of food insecurity, including food pantries and soup kitchens. There are deacons involved in Hispanic literacy programs for elementary school students. One deacon shares creative ideas so young children can become familiar with Episcopal worship practices and share these with their friends. Deacons are involved in environmental advocacy and protection. Deacons volunteer with Habitat for Humanity.

Deacons are not satisfied with the status quo; they want to change what needs to be changed. Yes, they want to disturb what needs to be disturbed. Deacons also actively participate in peaceful protest marches, attend city and county council meetings and meet with government officials. 

While I was thinking about deacons “disturbing,” I was reminded of the spiritual “Wade in the Water.” Most of us think of the great abolitionist Harriet Tubman teaching the slaves she was leading to freedom to “wade in the water”  to keep the scent of their footprints from being detected by the dogs chasing them. That is correct. But there is more to that spiritual. The refrain that is repeated several times in each verse is “God’s gonna trouble the water.” C. Michael Hawn, Professor Emeritus at SMU school of Theology, writes that the refrain is based on John 5:2-9, the story of the pool in Jerusalem near the sheep gate. There were porticoes around the pool where sick and lame people lay, waiting for the pool to be stirred up. Periodically when the water was stirred up, the first people who got into the pool were healed of their illness. Thus, God troubled the water and healed the sick. The late Howard Thurman wrote: “Do not shrink from moving confidently out into the choppy seas. Wade in the water because God is troubling the water.”

All of us are called by God to serve others. God calls us to do different things, based on our talents, interests and abilities. Often we have to go against the status quo. We do have to be “disturbing” at times. We are in the Order of Deacons and most of us have an assigned parish where we serve, but much of our work is done outside the physical walls of a church or chapel. When we are in the community at large, we are often disturbing the status quo as we wade into choppy waters. We are indeed a Disturbance of Deacons!