The deacon's role is complementary to that of the priest presiding at the celebration. It is a ministry of word and sacrament. Deacon comes from the Greek diakonos meaning servant. The deacon serves the gathered community by reading the Gospel (having carried in the Gospel Book in the entrance procession), preparing the altar, assisting with the distribution of holy communion, and then cleaning the vessels afterwards. S/he also issue certain invitations to the congregation - to confess their sins, to share a sign of peace, to proclaim the mystery of faith. S/he then instructs them to go at the end of the service.

A senior clergyman of lower rank than a bishop but who is responsible for supervising the buildings and services of a cathedral or other church institution. A cathedral dean is also the senior priest of the diocese.

• In the Church of England a deanery is a collection of parishes within an archdeaconry. The more formal name, rural deanery, is less often used. The deanery is presided over by the rural dean.
• The official residence of a dean.
See the page Hampton Deanery.

Has a membership of all clergy who are licensed to a parish within the deanery, plus elected lay members from every parish.

A sub division of the church consisting of a number of parishes under the pastoral and administrative care of a bishop.

The disciples were the students of Jesus during his ministry and followed his teachings. The term disciple is commonly used to refer specifically to 'the Twelve', an inner circle of men whose number perhaps represented the twelve tribes of Israel. In the book of Acts, the Apostles themselves have disciples.