Cherub around Christ's Throne with the face of an Eagle; Book of Kells. The image of our Deacon Councils is Christ the Eagle, who administers the incorporation of members into the mystery of the Word made flesh.
Diaconal functions of member formation in general and of the Catechumenate and of the Novitiate in particular are led and administered by Basileia’s Deacon Councils.
Appointment
Each ecclesial jurisdiction of Basileia has its own Deacon Council led and administered by Deacons even if its diaconal functions must initially be led and administered by one or more founding Presbyters. When the total number of members of a Deacon Council exceeds 12, then the members elect no more than 12 of their number to an Executive Team, which in turn elects one of their number as the Presiding Member of the Executive Team and of the Deacon Council as a whole.
- Alliance Deacon Council. This Deacon Council is automatically composed of the Deacon Council Presiding Members of all Basileia Communities and Vocational Societies.
- Community Deacon Council. This Deacon Council is automatically composed of the Deacon Council Presiding Members from its Abbey and each member Fellowship and of the Chapters of the Abbey and each Fellowship.
- Abbey Deacon Council. This Deacon Council is composed of the Deacon(s) appointed by the Abbey’s Presbyter Council and automatically by the Deacon Council Presiding Members of each of the Abbey’s Chapters.
- Fellowship Deacon Council. This Deacon Council is composed of the Deacon(s) appointed by the Fellowship’s Presbyter Council and automatically by the Deacon Council Presiding Members of each of that Fellowship’s Chapters.
- Society Deacon Council. This Deacon Council is automatically composed of the Deacon Council Presiding Members of each of that particular Society’s Chapters.
- Chapter Deacon Council. This Deacon Council is composed of the Deacon(s) appointed by the Chapter’s Presbyter Council.
Functions
Deacon Councils of the Basileia Alliance, Basileia Communities and Vocational Societies consolidate the collective wisdom of Basileia’s Deacon Councils in regards to member formation in general and to the Catechumenate and Novitiate in particular and then, by initiatives, disseminate this back to their respective member jurisdictions in particular and to Basileia in general.
Since all Basileians are members of Fellowships, Abbeys and/or of Chapters, only the Deacon Councils of these jurisdictions directly lead and administrate the formation of Basileians in general and in the Catechumenate and the Novitiate in particular. Drawing on the whole of Basileia’s collective wisdom in regards to forming members, each of these Deacon Councils adapts and innovates this wisdom to their respective jurisdictions and, through the agency of Soul Friends, to each individual.
Specific functions of Deacon Councils of Fellowships, Abbeys and/or of Chapters are as follows:
- Officially recognize or appoint Soul Friends for all guests and participants in our Basileian way of life who so desire to have a Soul Friend.
- Officially recognize or appoint Soul Friends for Catechumens entering the Catechumenate and for Candidates entering the Novitiate.
- Officially recognize or appoint Soul Friends for all Adult Communicant Members who have completed the Catechumenate.
- Officially recognize or appoint Soul Friends for all Governing Members who have completed the Novitiate.
- Equip Soul Friends of guests, participants, Catechumens and Adult Communicant Members to customize and adapt Basileia’s bank of Catechism methods and resources to their disciples.
- Equip Soul Friends of Candidates in the Novitiate to customize and adapt Basileia’s bank of Novitiate methods and resources to their disciples.
- Equip practitioners of Godly Play for children.
- Share with Basileia as a whole any innovative and improved methods and resources for member formation that emerge by design or spontaneously from the initiative of members.
- Maintain and enhance the convergence of affective (“feeling/heart”), didactic (“knowing/head”), and sensorial (“doing/hands”) methods.
- Facilitate the use of personality and gift assessments in the Novitiate.
- Present Catechumens to the jurisdiction’s Presbyter Council for approval as Adult Communicant Members.
- Present Candidates in the Novitiate to the jurisdiction’s Presbyter Council for approval as Governing Members.
- Logistically coordinate membership ceremonies.
- Produce membership certificates, baptismal certificates, marriage certificates, ordination certificates, etc., giving copies to recipients and keeping copies on record.
- Maintain a registry and profile for all members in regards to their respective roles, membership status, personality profiles, copies of certificates, etc.
- Maintain a registry of all Soul Friends and their disciples.
- Present proposals to the jurisdiction’s Presbyter Council for amendments to Basileia’s Constitution in general and to the Catechism in particular.
- Hold an annual summit with the jurisdiction’s Missional Council to determine how membership formation can be modified or improved in light of the needs and challenges of the jurisdiction’s various missional initiatives.
