What Deacons & Deaconesses is

Being asked to serve as a deacon or deaconess is a statement by the congregation about a person’s character. The role is wide: greeting and ushering, care of the church property, security, assisting with baptisms and communion, and generally seeing to the physical needs of the congregation.

Both English words come from the same New Testament Greek term. Traditionally men served as deacons and women as deaconesses, and while many Adventist congregations now overlap the roles considerably, both remain essential and neither is junior to the other.

Increasingly the role extends past the physical into the pastoral — caring for new members, families with small children, people in crisis, and supporting the pastoral staff. Much of the most important work this team does is never seen by the congregation.