The Episcopal Church	
The Diocese of Georgia

Requirements for Ordination as Deacon

1.	Practice a Rule of Life that includes regular worship, weekly service,
and daily prayer. A Sample Rule of Life is available from the Bishop.
This can be used by the Deacon to craft her/his own Rule.

2.	Attendance at all Deacon’s training events.  When attendance is not possible, an alternative training may be proposed to the examining chaplain and diaconal coordinator.  If an acceptable training alternative is not available, individual must wait until the training is available within the Diocese.

3.	Education for Ministry. Complete two years of EFM prior to ordination, with commitment to finish EFM. Deacons who do not complete EFM within three years after ordination may have their diaconal ministry suspended by the Bishop. Deacons must send a short paper (maximum 2 pages), to the Diaconal Coordinator after each year of study, reflecting on learnings and EFM’s application to the diaconate.

4.	Diocese-sponsored Training:
	Safe Guarding God’s Children
	Anti-Racism Training

5.	Practicum that postulant designs, to include:
Shadowing a deacon, not of own Church, at least six times during two-year period. This should include a variety of services, e.g., Sunday morning, Funeral, Wedding, Easter Vigil, or contemporary service.
	Observing a deacon in his/her diaconal ministry
	Practicum approved by diaconal coordinator
	Report on program and learnings to diaconal coordinator yearly

6.	Meet with deacon mentor and spiritual director (two people, probably not of home Parish) regularly (ideally monthly, but at least bi-monthly), and reflect on learnings to Bishop in Ember letters.

7.	Meet with home Parish rector or Vicar at least quarterly.

8.	One pastoral care training from the following options:  Clinical Pastoral Education, Community of Hope, Hospice, Stephen Ministry, Grace Corps, Introduction to pastoral care on-line, or other training approved by coordinator.  Participants furnish a certificate of attendance and/or recommendation from trainer.
 
Strongly Recommended

On-Line Anglican Study Series from Center for Anglican Learning and Leadership:

	We Will with God’s Help:  Ministry in the Anglican Tradition
	What We Believe:  Theology in the Anglican Tradition
	The Diaconate
	Introduction to Liturgy and Worship
	Let Us Pray:  Introduction to the Book of Common Prayer
	Making Choices:  Ethics in the Anglican Tradition

Courses or workshops at Sewanee, Kanuga, Honey Creek, or seminaries

These requirements will be in effect as of March 2010.  Postulants and Candidates who began examination under the previous system of preparation are encouraged to participate in all future DSM training events. Deacons are encouraged to attend DSM, and may consider this program continuing education.