LCMS deaconesses are women who are professional church-workers, trained to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ through works of mercy, spiritual care, and teaching the Christian faith. “Deaconess,” from the Greek word diakonos, means “servant.”
Because of the strong historic and ongoing human care component in deaconess ministry, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s Deaconess Ministry works closely with LCMS deaconesses across the world.
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About LCMS Deaconess Ministry
What is a deaconess?
LCMS deaconesses are women who are professional church-workers, trained to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ through a ministry of works of mercy, spiritual care, and teaching the Christian faith.
“Deaconess,” from the Greek word diakonos, means “servant.” Phoebe, named in Rom. 16:1-2, was a helper to Paul and others. She often is considered the first deaconess.
Where do deaconesses serve?
Deaconesses serve primarily in three settings:
- Missions — both foreign and domestic;
- Congregations — teaching, visiting the sick and imprisoned, or serving in family or other caring ministry; and
- Institutions — serving as chaplains in hospitals, prisons, retirement communities, and facilities that care for people with developmental disabilities. In order for a deaconess to be endorsed as an LCMS institutional chaplain, she first must complete a master’s degree in theology along with four units of clinical pastoral education (CPE). As an institutional chaplain, a deaconess provides valuable spiritual care to those she encounters, complementing the Word and Sacrament ministry of an ordained pastor.
Because of the strong historic and ongoing human care component in deaconess ministry, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod’s Deaconess Ministries maintains a consultative presence on the Deaconess Council, which was formed to enhance the coordination of training and promotional activities.
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History
What is the history of deaconesses in the LCMS?
While deaconesses have served the Lutheran church since the 1830’s in a variety of roles, it wasn’t until 1922 that the first deaconess began to serve in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
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- In 1919, the Lutheran Deaconess Association (a pan-Lutheran organization) was formed and began training deaconesses for the Evangelical Lutheran Synodical Conference of North America, which at that time included the Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and Norwegian Lutheran synods.
- Between 1919 and 1935 all deaconesses trained to be nurses, and their training took place at hospitals or institutions in Fort Wayne, Ind.; Beaver Dam, Wis; Hot Springs, S.D.; or Watertown, Wis.
- In 1935, the deaconess training centers were consolidated into one school in Fort Wayne, which moved to Valparaiso, Ind., in 1943.
- In 1980, The LCMS opened its first synodical deaconess training program at Concordia University Chicago (River Forest), for both undergraduate and graduate training, and in 1981 added a deaconess colloquy program.
- Concordia Deaconess Conference (a free association of confessional LCMS deaconesses) was formed in January 1980.
- In 2002, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, started a graduate level deaconess program.
- In 2003, Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, also opened a graduate level training program.
- In 2008, Concordia Publishing House published a book titled In the Footsteps of Phoebe: A Complete History of the Deaconess Movement in The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, written by Dcs. Cheryl D. Naumann, providing in-depth history of deaconesses in the LCMS.
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Resources
Reports, fact sheets, and general information on Deaconess ministry.
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Education Programs
Educational opportunities for graduate, undergraduate and pre-deaconess programs.
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Concordia Deaconess Conference
Concordia Deaconess Conference (CDC) is a free association of certified or rostered Lutheran deaconesses and a Recognized Service Organization of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. All CDC members and affiliates subscribe to, and live by, the Word of God and the confessions in the Book of Concord.
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Motto
What is the deaconess motto?
Based on 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3, the CDC motto reads:
Working in faith
Laboring in love
Remaining steadfast in the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Another deaconess motto is “The True Deaconess Spirit” by Wilhelm Loehe. Many deaconess motherhouses in Germany adopted Loehe's poem as their motto in the 19th and 20th centuries. It later gained popularity in America after the immigration of German deaconesses to this country.
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The True Deaconess Spirit
What is my want? I want to serve.
Whom do I want to serve?
The Lord in His wretched ones and His poor.And what is my reward?
I serve neither for reward nor thanks
but out of gratitude and love.
My reward is that I am permitted to serve.And if I perish in this service?
“If I perish, I perish,” said Queen Esther.
I would perish for Him who gave Himself for me.
But He will not let me perish.And if I grow old in this service?
Then shall my heart be renewed as a palm tree.
And the Lord shall satisfy me with grace and mercy.I go my way in peace
casting all my care upon Him.
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