Over the Pentecost weekend, Deacon Carol Peterson of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Joplin had the honor of representing our Diocese at the Triennial of Episcopal Deacons in San Antonio. This gathering had not convened since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The conference opened with a welcome from The Rt. Rev. Dr. David Read, Bishop of the Diocese of West Texas (the host diocese), followed by a keynote address from our new Presiding Bishop, The Most Rev. Sean Rowe. Deacon Peterson shared that she had been especially eager to hear what Presiding Bishop Rowe would say to the Church’s deacons. She was pleasantly surprised when, after brief introductory remarks about deacons living in liminal spaces—transitional, in-between places connected to the past and future, the known and unknown—Presiding Bishop Rowe invited the group into a Q&A dialogue.
“I seldom have opportunities to speak with this many deacons in one place,” he said. “I want to hear what you have to say.”
The discussion centered on how the Church might re-envision the Diaconate’s role in the future Episcopal Church. Deacons spoke about the dangerous nature of their calling: working with the marginalized, promoting racial reconciliation, and interpreting to the Church “the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world.” These reflections took place in the broader context of the current political and cultural tensions in the country.
Presiding Bishop Rowe urged deacons to “make the main thing the main thing”—to avoid being co-opted by partisan issues and instead remain rooted in the Gospel. He advised careful discernment about when and how to speak out, encouraging deacons to bring messages of peace and love to public events—not political slogans, but Gospel-centered witness. He also encouraged them to wear their clerical collars at social justice gatherings, so that the presence of the Church would be visibly known.
Presiding Bishop Rowe also announced his support for a new national task force being developed to explore and reimagine the Diaconate for the future Church. Other key topics of discussion included revisiting the transitional diaconate, the need for better support for deacons in their ministries, strategies for effective advocacy, and clarifying the role of deacons—many of whom still feel misunderstood by other clergy.
In his sermon at the opening Eucharist, Rowe emphasized that often the loudest voices dominate, while the Church neglects to do the fundamentals well. He called all present to share a compelling Gospel message—one that offers a clear and “winsome” argument for peace to a world desperately in need of it.
Over the course of the three-day gathering, Deacon Peterson also attended a variety of inspiring and informative sessions. These included topics such as the use of AI in ministry, refugee outreach, building a Diaconate that reflects the Church of the future, navigating public life as a follower of Jesus, the intersection of data and the Diaconate, preparing for General Convention, and a helpful session by the Church Pension Group on participation opportunities for deacons. Through informal networking, she also learned how the Diaconate is being expressed boldly and creatively in dioceses across the country.
Deacon Peterson described the conference as a time of discernment, renewal, and re-dedication as she reflects on her own path as a deacon in the years ahead. She expressed deep gratitude to the diocese and to the vestry of St. Philip’s for providing financial support that made her participation in this enriching event possible.
This article was submitted by the Rev. Carol Peterson, deacon at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Joplin.
