The Methodist Diaconal Order, founded by Thomas Bowman Stephenson in 1890, is both a religious order and an order of ministry Methodist Diaconal Order where currently, the order reports to have about 280 presbyters, who follow a common Rule of Life.
Wesleyan Deaconesses and the Wesley Deaconess Order were founded by the Rev. Thomas Bowman Stephenson in 1890. The MDO is both a religious order and an order of ministry (or in other words, an order of clerics regular). Currently the order reports to have about 280 deacons, who follow a common Rule of Life. In the Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox churches, the diaconate is one of the major orders  the others being bishop, presbyter (priest), and, historically, subdeacon. 
