FEATURE

Starting this Thursday, June 25 until Saturday, June 27, over 230 deacons, deacons-in-training, elders, and ministers from across the denomination will gather outside Chicago for the fifth National Diaconal Summit of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church for training, fellowship, and encouragement in diaconal ministry.

For many deacons, ministry is carried out quietly behind the scenes—in hospital rooms, around kitchen tables, during late-night phone calls, and through countless acts of compassion known only to a few. The National Diaconal Summit provides a unique opportunity to step away from their regular responsibilities for three days of encouragement, instruction, refreshment, and fellowship with brothers who share the same calling. One of the highlights of every Summit is the joyful sound of hundreds of voices raised together in song. As deacons from across the denomination gather, the rich congregational singing serves as a powerful reminder that they are united in Christ and laboring side by side in service to his church.

Sponsored by the OPC Committee on Diaconal Ministries (CDM), the Summit, held every four years, is designed to strengthen the church’s network of deacons, equip them for faithful service, foster meaningful relationships, and provide practical training for the work of mercy ministry.

This year's plenary sessions will feature a rich blend of biblical reflection, historical perspective, and practical wisdom. In addition to the plenary sessions, participants will choose to attend three of the nine workshops offered, covering a variety of practical ministry topics. These workshops are designed to help deacons think biblically and serve effectively in the diverse circumstances they encounter within their congregations.

There is nothing like attending in person, but for those deacons who couldn’t come this year and those interested in learning more about mercy ministry, each session will be recorded and made available on OPCCDM.org later this summer.

Please pray for these men as they travel to and from the Summit, for the speakers and workshop leaders as they prepare and teach, and for the deacons in your own congregation—as well as the nearly 1,000 deacons serving throughout the OPC—that the Lord would strengthen and encourage them in their God-given ministry of mercy.

Daily reports from the Summit will be posted on OPC.org. Be sure to check back throughout the event for updates and photos from this unique gathering. Updates will be posted to the CDM Facebook page as well as the Orthodox Presbyterian Church Facebook page.