Diakonia is a call to discipleship. The invitation is to live your life for Christ, to commune with other Christians, and to undertake theological learning that will mature your understanding of the Word and carry that learning to others in love and service.

The Florida-Bahamas Synod has a Synod Parish Deacon Ministry in which synod parish deacons are commissioned for a ministry of Word and Service that flows from the pastoral office of Word and Sacrament and is accountable to it.  A Synod Parish Deacon is approved by the bishop of the synod to serve a local congregation at the authority of the pastor. Their ministry is volunteer ministry, focused in their local context.

According to the constituting documents for the program (1998): “A Synodical Deacon is one who is inwardly compelled and outwardly affirmed for service in both the congregation and the world…  We understand a deacon as a particular minister with gifts and a calling for providing vision and practical leadership for the congregation’s ministries. Through their common calling and theological training, deacons, exercising their teaching responsibility, would assist the pastoral ministry in underpinning the particular ministries of their calling to the ministry of Word and Service.”  “Synod” references that they have been certified and approved by the Synod Deacon Oversight Committee. “Parish” references that the context of their call is their local congregation and community, under the authority of a pastor. “Deacon” references the function of their ministry—that of the diaconate serving the community, assisting in worship, and proclaiming the Word within the geographic confines of our synod.