Ordination vs Installation

[LiturgyInDMinor]

We recently added a new group of deacons to the church and I noticed some were listed as being ordained, and some installed.
What's the difference?

 

[Calvinist Dark Lord]

We recently added a new group of deacons to the church and I noticed some were listed as being ordained, and some installed.
What's the difference?

The ordained deacons are those who have not been deacons before. All are ordained to the office. Those who have served previously have no need of ordination. They retain their office (except for disciplinary matters), even though they don't have an 'active' service class.

It is the same situation as Ruling elders.

 

[LiturgyInDMinor]

Ok thanks.

 

[Cjwinnit]

(I should point out i'm not a Presbyterian)

My thought would have been that an ordination (say, as a deacon) is universal to the entire church, but that an installation is being put into an office in a local church.

 

[kenrapoza]

(I should point out i'm not a Presbyterian)

My thought would have been that an ordination (say, as a deacon) is universal to the entire church, but that an installation is being put into an office in a local church.

That's one way of putting it.

 

[Evenstar253]

I've never really thought about the difference, but it makes sense. I know pastors only have to be ordained once and then installed in a particular congregation. Would the same hold true for elders and deacons? In other words, if they held office at one church and then were elected to the office at a different church, would they have to be ordained again or just installed? (While most of you guys aren't PCUSA, I think the structure of church government is pretty similar to PCA, EPC, etc.)

 

[kenrapoza]

It's similar in the PCA. Our candidates for Elders are presented to the congregation by the Session (after rigorous training and testing). The congregation then votes and elects them. After that they are ordained and installed to serve that congregation. When they move on, I believe that they retain their ordination credentials, they just may need to be installed in a different congregation.

 

[Evenstar253]

Thanks Ken, that sounds right.

 

[hedrick]

(this is for the PCUSA) Note that when a person moves to another congregation, the letter of transfer states any offices to which they are ordained. Each Church maintains a registry of ordained deacons and elders. People are added to that registry when they join if the other church did their job by including the information on the letter of transfer. (Unfortunately, not all do.)

I'm Clerk of Session, so I get to worry about these details.