Connecting

INTRODUCING OUR DEACON: THE REV. JANET SCHISSER

Janet Schisser has been a Deacon since June, 2006.  One year ago she moved to Columbia from Norman, OK in order to be close to her children and grandchildren.  While in Norman, she served as Deacon at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church.  Janet has a BBA degree from the University of Oklahoma, with a major in Accounting and a minor in Finance.  She enjoyed a 39 year-long career working in the secular world in that capacity, until she retired from full-time employment in June of 2007.  In addition to the Deacon Formation program in the Diocese of Oklahoma, Janet completed two units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at the Veterans Hospital in Oklahoma City. She has also done volunteer work for hospice and served as Devotional Life Coordinator of the Episcopal Church Women of Oklahoma. 

Serving as Deacon at Columbia Hope, Janet’s primary responsibility is articulated very well in our Book of Common Prayer, in the service of Ordination (on page 543): She is “to make Christ and his redemptive love known, by word and example,” to those among whom she lives, works and worships. She is to “interpret to the Church the needs, concerns and hopes of the world” (Book of Common Prayer, page 543).  In addition, she “[assists] the bishop and priest in public worship and in the ministration of God’s Word and Sacraments, and [carries] out other duties assigned to her from time to time.  At all times, [her] life and teaching are to show Christ’s people that in serving the helpless they are serving Christ himself” (Book of Common Prayer, page 543).  God has blessed Columbia Hope with Janet’s presence.  We welcome you to come and meet her!