About DACE…

A message from our President, Kathryn Fitzsimons:

Welcome to the website of the Diaconal Association of the Church of England.

I was ordained deacon in the Church of England in 1990 and since then have been asked questions such as "What is a deacon?", "What do deacons do?", "Are deacons a new invention?", "Why do deacons in the Church of England have an Association?" and "Are there many of you?"

This website will give answers to some of those questions through stories, pictures and history; it will also point you to further resources.

Speaking personally, being a deacon is about making links between church and world. Too often the two are separated in our contemporary English culture and yet this is not the example set by Jesus. Being a deacon is about showing the world, through service to the wider community, that the love of God is available to all and also enabling all Church members to participate in that service which is part of our baptismal calling.

I hope you will find our website useful and thought provoking.

In the service of Christ,

Canon Kathryn Fitzsimons (President of DACE 2006-2010)
Diocese of Ripon & Leeds