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Becoming a Deacon.

petrocpetroc
edited December 1969 in Coptic Orthodox Church
So i have been Considering becoming a Deacon for the longest time now. but what is holding  me back  is that  i do not know how to read  coptic and i am afraid of doing something wrong. I feel that i should approach this with extreme high honor and a great deal of instense respect. i am just really afraid to mess up or soemthing that is wrong. i have always admired becoming a deacon but never did becuase the  lead deacon in our church was a bit forceful when it came to the hymns. and tsony was the same when it came to teaching coptic. so i just never felt welcomed.

any advice for this dilemma?



GOD BLESS,

Peter A

Comments

  • minatasgeelminatasgeel
    [quote author=petroc link=topic=7775.msg101348#msg101348 date=1238174779]
    So i have been Considering becoming a Deacon for the longest time now. but what is holding  me back  is that  i do not know how to read  coptic and i am afraid of doing something wrong. I feel that i should approach this with extreme high honor and a great deal of instense respect. i am just really afraid to mess up or soemthing that is wrong. i have always admired becoming a deacon but never did becuase the  lead deacon in our church was a bit forceful when it came to the hymns. and tsony was the same when it came to teaching coptic. so i just never felt welcomed.

    any advice for this dilemma?



    GOD BLESS,

    Peter A


    well part of deaconship is to sing hymns. so you will need to learn. BUT if you keep yourself back from becoming a deacon saying that "when i learn coptic and hymns i'll become a deacon", this means you'll NEVER become one!!!

    There are simple things that you need to know before being ordained an epsaltos (chanter). farther than that, you learn everything within deaconship because the 1st 2 ranks and instructional ranks.
  • ophadeceophadece
    [coptic]Petroc pamenrit>
    e;nanef pe peknis] `ntaoi e;be ]diakonictyc[/coptic]
    It is good your great honour for the deaconate
    [coptic]`mperoi `nkouji `nhyt qa pekmetatcaji `n]metrem`n<ymi @ arihytc `n[icbw `n]lac nem nihymnoc ouoh ari`vmeu`i je `n`cse an `ntekerpoumeu`i `nje en,ai niben qen nihymnoc e;be `knaerhytc kata `nou'altyc[/coptic]
    Don't be discouraged about you not speaking the Coptic; start learning the language and the hymns and remember you shouldn't remember every thing in hymns because you will start as an epsaltis
    [coptic]oujai qen `P=[=c[/coptic]
  • CopticdeaconCopticdeacon
    [quote author=petroc link=topic=7775.msg101348#msg101348 date=1238174779]
    I feel that i should approach this with extreme high honor and a great deal of instense respect.


    I am glad you said this many times people become deacons with out realizing how much it is an honor to serve in the holy of holies where as in the OT no one but the High Priest was allowed to go in ONCE A YEAR and we enter every week.

    You should become a deacon and learn the hymns as you go. In my church Abouna will even let men who aren't ordained Epsaltos(singers) to elbes during the liturgy so they can learn how to serve in the liturgy and all that and when a bishop comes they ordain him.
  • jydeaconjydeacon
    What everyone has said is correct, I would like to add, that when you feel you don't want to mess up, who are not wanting to mess up for? The people? Or God? If the answer is people you have the wrong idea already, Yes the deaconate is a huge honor and blessing, but it has to be taken as if the people truly don't exist and you are serving God. Also to add to what I Believe said, in the Original Rites, only FULL deacons and higher were aloud in the alter, not just any level of the deaconate. Lately it has become much more loose to do various reasons that don't have to do with this topic. Anyway, as they all said, don't be discouraged, take baby steps and learn little by little, don't assume this will be easy either, it takes dedication and effort on your part. If you take this seriously, you will be fine.

    God Bless and Pray for me and my weakness,
  • Unknown
    Petroc,

    Have you asked your FOC for things you might do to be more prepared?  He will be the best person to ask.

    Still, I found this servant's prep course to be kind of nice: http://www.saintmina-holmdel.org/servants/index.php

    As far as learning to read Coptic, so many coptic letters look like their english equivalents that if you can read English, you're half-way there.  Most of the letters that are left you will most likely need to learn in math classes. 

    Here is a good website to help learn: http://suscopts.org/deacons/coptic_lessons.shtml. 

    This site may also be helpful for other info: http://www.omniglot.com/writing/coptic.htm

    Hope this was helpful.
  • Michael Boutros
    It really is very noble and gallant that you do respect the idea of deaconism so much, and it's truly great to see that when nowadays being a deacon is seen as a chore that parents force upon children. As for making mistakes, whenever anyone in the church says to me that they are scared to serve because they will make mistakes, I have a reply ready: for everything that I do right in the Church, I have done it wrong at least twice and have learned. Reading a book and asking questions is wonderful, but it should be supplementary to actually serving and learning. If you don't want to serve on Sunday because you will feel nervous, then go to the early liturgy during the week, or, if you have more time, to one of the normal weekly liturgies. The only way to learn is to practice.

    In God,
    Michael Boutros
  • IoannesIoannes
    i think you should become a deacon, it is a wonderful thing. im a convert to coptic orthodoxy and i am also learning the hymns. some helpful advice, i would listen to hymns as much as possible on CD or on the ipod as well as the liturgy, that was it was almost muscle memory. it takes time but with the love of God you will be just fine.
  • mkilada
    I am so amazed and moved by how seriously you are thinking. Being a deacon would be such an honour for me. I cannot be one because i am a girl. The boys in my church take it as a nuisance and wish they werent deacons and i just get so annoyed. I dont know how to read coptic but i know a lot of hymns mostly because i listened to them all my life. My dad made sure that even thought i wasnt a boy id still know hymns. He would make my sister and I listen to hymns all the time. Putting some of them in my ipod and i find my self singing along without meaning to. As the person said above if you can't read coptic just be logic. Some of the letters are english. You'll manage. Thank you for taking this seriously, i really respect you.
    -Marina
  • mohebomohebo
    Being a Deacon is a tough task , it is not like it seems to be chanting and competing in hymns and learning coptic language.That is not deaconship that is a choir. You find the devil working on the deacons and competition which lead to anger from within who said what and who has better voice and knows better or talented in the memorizing hymns.All of that the devil work on each deacon.
    First you have to be spiritual and like to read and study the bible and memorize it more than the hymns and coptic lang.
    because the word of God is more important than anything else .Jesus said Whoever loves me memorize my word.
    By time you will be a better deacon and you can control yourself and chant by your spirit.
    Look at St.Steven he was the real deacon . 
  • Unknown
    [quote author=mohebo link=topic=7775.msg102579#msg102579 date=1241590139]
    Jesus said Whoever loves me memorize my word.


    Where does it say that?
  • peterfarringtonpeterfarrington
    I guess mohebo is applying the text..

    (Joh 14:23)  Jesus answered and said to him: If any one love me, he will keep my word.

    Father Peter
  • LondonCoptLondonCopt
    I was told by my bishop that the most important aspect of being a deacon is to lead a life of prayer and thanksgiving, bringing others to Christ. This is the most important part of our service, that we lead the church not only in the hymns, but also in prayer. It makes me so happy seeing how much respect you have for this service, I know that I definitely take it for granted sometimes.

    Just remember, hymns are merely ONE part of serving as a deacon, and not even the most important part. Spend some time in prayer and let the Holy Spirit guide you - He'll never lead you wrong :)

    Matthew
  • mabsootamabsoota
    hi marina and all women who would like to serve more,
    there are loads of things girls and women can do, like giving out envelopes for the collection of money, washing and filling the cups for the water after communion, teaching sunday school, cooking (if your church eats together after mass), and loads of behind the scenes stuff; visiting the sick, helping old people etc etc.
    also women can learn the hymns really well and then sing loudly where they are in the congregation, this will encourage everyone else to learn them too. women can study the Bible well and use this knowledge to help family and friends with problems (or post on tasbeha!), and of course, all of us, women and men should live a holy life and spend time in prayer and Bible study and growing in the love of God so that everyone around us is blessed by the work of God in our lives.
    wow, it sounds like a lot of work, i realise that i myself am no-where near this goal, but i think if we try to get closer to it, we will have a lot of peace from God.

    there is more discussion and suggestions on this topic here:
    http://tasbeha.org/content/community/index.php?topic=7847.0
    i especially recommend father peter's posts.
    so next time you're looking at the deacons in church and maybe daydreaming a little, think about what you can practically do to live for Jesus more in your life, at home, work, study and in church.

    the advice of LondonCopt is also good for women, so pray and ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

    may God guide us.
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