I was ordained as a Deacon with the Southern Baptist church denomination in my late 20s.
We were involved with Heatherwood Baptist Church in Riverdale, Georgia. We had a great time there, enjoying the people and the activities. They were looking to bring new people into their "leadership" ranks and I was chosen.
The ordination service was very moving. The pastor led a prayer service on a Sunday night and all the deacons of the church came up and prayed for me and the other men being ordained.
I was given some limited instructions on how to care for the families that were assigned to me and sent out to do the work. I remember visiting a couple of the families and they thought I was a little young and inexperienced to be checking on them. I made notes and reported back the best I could. This was all during a time when I was off Tuesdays and Wednesdays of each week and had oddball shifts throughout the week. It was challenging.
I learned that the other deacons were regular guys that were older than me. The joking, the bragging about sports and bargains, and everything else was what guys did, just cleaner than what I was used to. A far cry from what I experienced at work.
I spent a year or so serving then rotated off of the active list. My wife and I moved and then started going to another church.
But I'll always be able to say that I am a deacon...
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