An Ode to a Deacon

Matthew 25:40 Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.

Summary: This week I give thanks for Deacon Joanie Cahill, whose ministry has taught us that following Jesus always leads us beyond our church walls and into the lives of those who need love most.

Dear St. Augustine Family,

There are people who quietly change the heart of a church. Deacon Joanie Cahill is one of those people.

This Sunday we will say goodbye as Joanie, Brian, and Erin begin a lifelong dream of moving to the Pacific Northwest. They are following God's call into a new chapter surrounded by towering trees, beautiful water, and a place they have long hoped to call home. While we are sad to see them go, I cannot help but be grateful for the years we have shared together.

The ministry of a deacon is unlike any other ministry in the Church. At ordination, deacons are charged to serve all people, especially the poor, the weak, the sick, and the lonely. They are called to remind the Church that Christ is already waiting for us outside our doors. Their vocation is to help us see the dignity of every human being and to call us back whenever we forget.

Joanie has lived that calling among us with remarkable faithfulness.

She has continually challenged us to love more deeply and more courageously. She has reminded us to stand beside those whose dignity is too often denied, especially our LGBTQ+ neighbors and people of every race. Through her seasonal Prayers of the People, she taught us to pray not only for ourselves, but for the needs of the whole community. Her preaching called us to widen our compassion. She helped shape worship, organized outreach, proclaimed the Gospel, assisted at baptisms and the Eucharist, and led us in Bible study. In countless ways, she helped us become more like the Church Christ dreams we can be.

That is what faithful deacons do. They help the Church remember why it exists.

Although Joanie's ministry among us is ending, its fruit is not. Every act of compassion we offer, every stranger we welcome, every person whose dignity we defend, carries forward the seeds she planted here.

Thank you, Deacon Joanie, for loving this congregation so well. We are better because God brought you to St. Augustine. May God bless you, Brian, and Erin. May your new home be filled with joy. And may the Holy Spirit continue to expand your ministry wherever you go.

Warmly,

Pastor Anny+

Prayer Gracious God, we thank you for the gift of Deacon Joanie and for the love she has shared with our church. Bless Joanie, Brian, and Erin as they begin this new adventure, and help us continue the work of loving and serving your people with joyful hearts. Amen.