God willing and the people consenting, the Rt. Rev. J. Scott Mayer will ordain Ayodeji Omoniyi to the Sacred Order of Deacons at 7 pm on Monday, December 18, at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church in Keller. View event page for directions. Clergy are requested to wear cassock, surplice and white stoles. A reception will follow.
Omoniyi discerned that his call is to the diaconate specifically, so he will be a deacon rather than a transitional deacon.
Omoniyi is currently serving at St. Martin-in-the-Fields. He is married to Tope, and they have three beautiful children: two in college and one in high school. When he’s not working and serving at church, he loves playing cards, listening to reggae music, and cooking.
Born in Nigeria, Omoniyi was baptized and confirmed in the Church of Nigeria, part of the Anglican Communion. He has deep roots with other family members in church ministry. His grandfather was one of the first ordained catechists by the missionaries in Odo-owa, Ekiti State, Nigeria. His brother was ordained as a priest in the Anglican Church of Nigeria at 23 years old.
Omoniyi came to the United States in May of 1983 to further his educational goals, and attended Northern Michigan University in Marquette. Michigan was uncomfortably cold, so he relocated to Oklahoma City in January of 1984. He holds an Associate of Arts from El-Reno Junior College in El Reno, Oklahoma (1986), a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism (Public Relations) from Central State University in Edmond, Oklahoma (1987) and a Master of Criminal Justice Administration from Oklahoma City University (1992).
Omoniyi moved to Texas upon completing his graduate degree and secured employment with the Texas Youth Commission. He currently works with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department as a Monitoring and Inspection Specialist (Lead). He and his family moved to Keller from St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in Odessa in April, 2012 and became members of St. Martin’s.
Omoniyi began the process of disernment about the diaconate in the Diocese of Northwest Texas, and continued it in the Diocese of Fort Worth. “Overall it is about giving gratitude to the Almighty for his merciful blessings and his grace,” Omoniyi said.