Anglican ministry
Ministry commonly refers to the office of ordained clergy: the threefold order of bishops, priests and deacons.8. c. 1) was to establish royal authority in all matters spiritual and temporal, even assigning the power of ecclesiastical visitation over the Church in the English Realm.An extraordinary minister has the spiritual power but may only perform the sacrament in certain special instances under canon law (i.e. emergencies).“Bishops are ordained to be shepherds of Christ’s flock and guardians of the faith of the apostles, proclaiming the gospel of God’s kingdom and leading his people in mission.”[13] The service continues in the Liturgy of Ordination to describe Bishops as “principal ministers of word and sacrament, stewards of the mysteries of God”[13] they are to “preside over the ordination of deacons and priests, and join together in the ordination of bishops.”[13] Moreover the rite describes Bishop’s as the church’s “chief pastors”.The choir dress or convocation habit for bishops, which used to be their only vesture until pre-Reformation vestments were revived, consists of the cassock, rochet, chimere and tippet.In recent years, the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia has moved from the traditional leadership of an Archbishop of New Zealand, to a Presiding Bishop, and now to a triumvirate of Co-Presiding Bishops representing each of the tikanga, or cultural streams, in the church — Māori, European and Polynesian.All of the member churches of the Anglican Communion comprise one or more ecclesiastical province, a grouping of dioceses for administrative purposes.The overwhelming majority of ordained ministers in the Anglican Communion and the Church of England are priests (also called presbyters).The Bishop at the ordination declared “With the Bishop and their fellow presbyters, they are to sustain the community of the faithful by the ministry of word and sacrament, that we all may grow into the fullness of Christ and be a living sacrifice acceptable to God.”[13] In the Ordination prayer the Bishop prays that “Through your Spirit, heavenly Father, give these your servants grace and power to proclaim the gospel of your salvation and minister the sacraments of the new covenant.”[13] The Bishop continues “May they declare your blessings to your people; may they proclaim Christ’s victory over the powers of darkness, and absolve in Christ’s name those who turn to him in faith; so shall a people made whole in Christ offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to you, our God and Father.”[13] After the prayer of Ordination the Bishop anoints the palms of the newly ordained priests saying “May God, who anointed the Christ with the Holy Spirit at his baptism, anoint and empower you to reconcile and bless his people.”[13] All priests are entitled to be styled The Reverend, and many male priests are called Father.In worship, the traditional vesture for Anglican priests is their choir dress of cassock, surplice, academic hood (if one has been awarded) and a black tippet.However, at the Eucharist, the revived pre-Reformation vestments of alb, stole, chasuble and occasionally the amice and maniple, are worn in large sections of the Communion.For example, in certain dioceses, an "executive archdeacon" assists the bishop in certain administrative functions while not holding a parish appointment.Still today, each parish in England and Wales gives to its incumbent the title rector or vicar depending on the historical situation with tithes, but, as all clergy in these churches are paid from central funds, the distinction is meaningless.However, in some member churches where mission societies have been instrumental in their continuing development, parish priests are called chaplains.[13]” Deacons are called to “share in the pastoral ministry of the Church and in leading God’s people in worship”,[13] “They assist in administering the sacraments; they distribute communion and minister to the sick and housebound.”[13] Although deacons are fully members of the clergy (they wear clerical collars and are styled the Reverend), they are not permitted to preside at the Eucharist, bless people, or absolve sins.Most deacons serve as assistant curates in parish churches, a ministry that usually continues into their ordination to the priesthood.Some deacons serve as minor canons in cathedrals or as assistant chaplains in a wide range of non-parochial ministry.They are also accorded responsibility for pastoral care and community outreach, in keeping with their traditional role of manifesting the church in the world.Certain laypeople may receive specific commission or authorisation from a bishop (often on recommendation of a parish or its clergy) to perform certain aspects of ministry.The rationale for licensing is that the ministry is considered too specialised or otherwise extraordinary to be carried out in the absence of individual evaluation and recommendation.Although derived from the same name as deacons, deaconesses have often been considered lay ministers in the church (probably at least from the time of the First Council of Nicaea, which agreed with this view).In 1862, the Bishop of London, Archibald Campbell Tait, restored the "ancient order of deaconesses" with Elizabeth Ferard by the laying on of hands.A catechist in most parts of the Anglican Communion is someone who is licensed by the bishop on recommendation of the priest and local church council.In most villages, the catechist also works with youth, educates parents and godparents for the Baptism of their children, rehearses those to be confirmed, and many other duties.In some churches lay people commonly take on the role of lay-reader as above, and as well perform some of the other functions listed below without necessarily being identified as such by either title or vestments.Their liturgical responsibilities include some or all of the following: A distinct kind of assistant at the altar in services of the Eucharist (although he or she may be coincidentally ordained), especially in Anglo-Catholic worship, is the subdeacon.The essential ministry of personal or lifestyle evangelism is a role carried out by many Anglicans among their family, neighbours, friends and associates, demonstrating in practical ways the healing nature of God.
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