Editing Deacon (section)

===Methodist churches===

In Methodism, deacons began as a transitional order before ordination as [[Elder (Methodist)|elders]] (presbyters). In 1996, the [[United Methodist Church]] ended the transitional deacon and established a new Order of Deacons to be equal in status with the Order of Elders. Both men and women may be ordained as deacons. Deacons serve in a variety of specialized ministries including, but not limited to, Christian education, music, communications and ministries of justice and advocacy. Unlike United Methodist elders, deacons must find their own place of service. Nevertheless, the bishop does officially approve and appoint deacons to their selected ministry.<ref>{{cite web|title=Deacons and Diaconal Ministers|url=http://www.gbhem.org/clergy/deacons-and-diaconal-ministers|publisher=General Board of Higher Education and Ministry – The United Methodist Church|access-date=23 February 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223125110/http://www.gbhem.org/clergy/deacons-and-diaconal-ministers|archive-date=23 February 2017}}</ref> Deacons may assist the elder in the administration of Sacraments, but must receive special approval from a bishop before presiding over Baptism and holy communion.<ref>''The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church'', 2008, para. 328</ref> United Methodist deacons are present in North America, Europe and Africa.

The [[Methodist Church of Great Britain]] also has a permanent diaconate—based on an understanding of the [[New Testament]] that deacons have an equal, but distinct ministry from presbyters. Deacons are called to a ministry of service and witness, and "to hold before them the needs and concerns of the world". The [[Methodist Diaconal Order]] is both an order of ministry and a religious order within the Methodist Church in Britain. It was formed in 1989 as a successor to the Wesley Deaconess Order and is open to both women and men. Diaconal ministry is one of two ordained ministries within the Methodist Church.<ref>{{cite web|title=Deacons and Presbyters|url=http://methodistdiaconalorder.org.uk/index.php?page=deacons-and-presbyters|publisher=Methodist Diaconal Order|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227082808/http://methodistdiaconalorder.org.uk/index.php?page=deacons-and-presbyters|archive-date=2013-12-27|access-date=2017-02-23}}</ref> The original Wesleyan Deaconess Order was founded by [[Thomas Bowman Stephenson]] in 1890, following observation of new ministries in urban areas in the previous years.<ref name="MDO-history">{{cite web|title=History of the MDO|url=http://methodistdiaconalorder.org.uk/index.php?page=history-of-the-mdo|publisher=Methodist Diaconal Order|access-date=23 February 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012085958/http://methodistdiaconalorder.org.uk/index.php?page=history-of-the-mdo|archive-date=12 October 2016}}</ref> The order continued as the Wesley Deaconess Order following Methodist Union in 1932, but, following the admission of women to "The Ministry" (as presbyteral ministry is commonly termed in the Methodist Church), a number of deaconesses transferred and recruitment for the WDO ceased from 1978. The 1986 Methodist Conference re-opened the order to both men and women and the first ordinations to the renewed order occurred during the 1990 Conference in Cardiff, which coincided with celebrations of 100 years of diaconal service in British Methodism; deaconesses had previously been ordained at their annual [[convocation]].<ref name="MDO-history" />

The [[Methodist Church of Southern Africa]] ordains deacons who constitute a diaconal order, similar to that in the British church.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Order of Deacons|url=https://www.methodist.org.za/people/deacons|publisher=The Methodist Church of Southern Africa|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170223211910/https://www.methodist.org.za/people/deacons|archive-date=2017-02-23}}</ref>