Sacred Spaces, Digital Servers: A Future Deacon’s Journey

By Seminarian Rachel McWhirter

When people think of a deacon, they often picture someone working in hospitals, leading outreach programs, or advocating for justice in the public square—a visible presence of service in the world. But what about a deacon who ministers through the digital realm—the same space where people gather to learn, connect, and seek meaning? Scripture reminds us that God’s message extends to all corners of the world, and in this digital age, that includes online spaces. Becoming a deacon is about responding to a call shaped by service, innovation, and a commitment to ensuring that all people experience Christ’s love in meaningful ways. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I stepped into this call by helping Christ the King in Houston transition worship online, ensuring connection during uncertain times. That experience revealed how digital ministry bridges faith and technology, meeting people wherever they are. Through years of navigating pastoral transitions, technological challenges, and evolving congregational needs, my understanding of ministry’s adaptability has deepened.

What does service in the digital realm look like? Diaconal ministry is about equipping the church for service, ensuring that faith is accessible and engaging in all spaces where people gather. At Christ the King Lutheran Church, my work has focused on building and sustaining community both online and in-person. In 2024, I launched a faith-based mobile app that integrates with our website, providing worship bulletins, sermon podcasts, in-app giving, and interactive devotionals. Hybrid digital materials, such as the CTK Summer Road Trip Travel Journal and Lent Activities Journals, have helped integrate faith into daily life beyond Sunday mornings. Additionally, livestreaming worship every Sunday has become a crucial way to keep our homebound, sick, and traveling congregation members connected, allowing them to participate fully in the life of the church. These initiatives reflect the evolving role of deacons in ensuring that the church remains a place of connection, inclusion, and innovation.

Beyond congregational ministry, my path of diaconal formation includes advocacy, theological reflection, and collaboration in the broader church. At Wartburg Theological Seminary, I have worked to shape diaconal education through leadership roles on both the Global Advocacy and Student Activities Committees, championing justice-oriented initiatives and community engagement. I was successful in advocating for systemic changes to Wartburg’s constitution, ensuring diaconal students have equitable access to leadership opportunities. My contributions to seminary-wide initiatives—such as serving on the Worship Task Force and creating hybrid theological education materials like the Labor Acknowledgement Project—have reinforced my understanding of how deacons bridge faith, service, worship, and innovation. Additionally, my work with Queer Confirmation, an ELCA-sponsored project providing affirming faith formation for LGBTQIA+ youth, has highlighted the vital role deacons play in making the church a place of inclusion and transformation. My commitment to faith formation also led me to redesign the Camp Hope summer camp curriculum for 2025 with LEAD Ministries, ensuring faith education is accessible, engaging, and adaptable for a new generation of learners. These experiences affirm that Word and Service ministry is about equipping and mobilizing the church to engage with the world in meaningful ways.

Diaconal digital ministry also requires a global perspective, and my travels in 2024 have profoundly shaped my understanding of this call. During my January seminary term in Africa, I was immersed in the faith and life of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT). Engaging with communities whose resilience, hospitality, and joy in worship moved me deeply, I was reminded of the vastness of the Body of Christ. The relationships I built and the lessons I learned will forever shape my ministry, reinforcing my belief that diaconal ministry is about meeting people where they are. Later in the year, my travels to France during the 2024 Olympics provided another opportunity to reflect on the global expression of faith. Visiting historic churches and worshiping with and speaking to many folks from diverse international communities reaffirmed that the church is not confined to a building but exists wherever God’s people gather. These experiences have further deepened my commitment to ensuring that all people—especially those on the margins—encounter Christ in ways that resonate with their lives, whether through digital ministry, creative storytelling, or direct pastoral care.

As I continue this journey (next stop this summer is Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) in a level 1 trauma ward in the medical center), I remain committed to bridging faith and daily life, uplifting those on the margins, and creating spaces where the Gospel is lived out in both familiar and new ways. I am also reminded that this call is not walked alone. It is shaped by the prayers, mentorship, and encouragement of those who have supported and challenged me—professors who have expanded my theological imagination, colleagues who have shared in the work of ministry, and a church actively discerning what it means to serve today. Please keep all diaconal candidates in your prayers as we follow God’s call into lives of service and love, equipping the church for mission in new and evolving ways. May we continue to carry the Gospel wherever people gather, ensuring no one is beyond the reach of grace.