Newly updated Lay Deacon Guidelines were introduced in December 2025. The NOW District President’s Office, working with the NOW Vice Presidents with input from the NOW Circuit Visitors, created these updated guidelines to encourage congregational use of Lay Deacons (their training, recognition, continuing education, and celebration of ministry) in accord with the resolutions of our Synod in the last decade of LCMS conventions. The following video is one of our online meetings introducing the new guidelines to our deacons and their supervising pastors in the NOW.