Bishop Gregory Brewer ordained the following nine candidates as transitional deacons on the evening of January 30 at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke in Orlando: Karl Nicholas Braunschneider, John Garry Edwards, Joshua Michael Gritter, Lauren Renee Ellis Larkin, Zachary David Neubauer, Gladys Rodriguez, Frank Wayne Samuelson, Louise Bernhardt Samuelson, and Ashton Knight Williston.

Ordination as a transitional deacon is the final step before becoming a full-fledged priest and is a role that requires a minimum of six months’ service. We were honored to have additional bishops in attendance at the ordination: the Right Rev. Dr. Graham Kings, mission theologian in the Anglican Communion; and the Right Rev. Dabney Smith, bishop of the Diocese of Southwest Florida.

Bishop Brewer delivered an inspiring sermon on “The Unshakable Call to Service as a Deacon.” He said: “Servanthood is the foundation on which all Christian leadership is built, regardless of the office, be it bishop, priest, deacon, or layperson. A servant is no greater than his master, and Jesus said, ‘I am among you as one who serves.’ It is not just that we are never above lowly tasks like cleaning the toilets. It is more encompassing than that. Servanthood is a lens through which we view the entirety of the Christian life.”

Most of these new deacons will return to seminaries across the country to complete their final studies prior to being ordained to the priesthood.