Four Ordained Transitional Deacons

“You cannot exercise your office (as an ordained clergy) unless you have the majesty of God ever in front of your eyes,” said the Rev. Tyler Prescott in his sermon at the ordination of Luke Deman, Will Klauber, Newman Lawrence and Corey Prescott to the Transitional Diaconate on  Saturday, May 25 at the Cathedral of St. Luke and St. Paul in Charleston.

Bishop Mark Lawrence, the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina who ordained the men, said, “This in my experience is the more traditional way to ordain candidates to the diaconate and priesthood—all together with clergy and laity from around the diocese coming to seek God’s anointing upon those who have been sent out from various congregations for further training—and now in the midst of the gathered assembly set apart to the sacred order within Christ’s Church.”

“It was such a powerful day,” said the Rev. Luke Deman, who will be serving at his sending church, one of the Diocese’s newest church plants, St. Timothy’s,  Cane Bay. “It’s difficult to choose one thing that stands out. It was a culmination of this journey that I and the other seminarians have been on together for three years.  We went through the Commission on Ministry together, a season of prayer, discernment, preparation and training.  Then, to stand side-by-side and be ordained at the same time was such a blessing.  That moment when the Bishop takes your face in his hands and he’s pressing down on you ordaining you – I’ve really never experienced anything like it. Then to have friends and family, people who have been a part of that journey from both near and far come and be a part of it. It was such a privilege – so humbling. The whole thing was an experience I’ll never forget.”

About the Ordinands

Luke Deman

Luke grew up in Goose Creek, South Carolina and received a BS in Computer Information Systems from the College of Charleston. He joined the Anglican tradition after graduating college, attending church at St. Paul’s in Summerville. He left St. Paul’s to help plant St. Timothy’s in Cane Bay. He worked for Blackbaud for 10 years before moving to Ambridge to get his Masters of Divinity from Trinity School for Ministry. He is married to Jennifer, and has a son named Oscar (6 years old) and a daughter named Marcie (1 year old). He is excited to be returning to South Carolina and having the opportunity to stay involved with the community at St. Timothy’s in Cane Bay.

Will Klauber

Will grew up in the Charleston area. He began attending St. Michael’s in high school and college. It was there that he was drawn to the Anglican tradition after growing up in the Methodist Church. He double majored in chemistry and marine science at the University of South Carolina and spent several years pursuing a career in environmental toxicology before answering a call to vocational ministry. He has served as the youth minister at Christ Church in Mount Pleasant and as the Summer Camp Director at St. Christopher Camp and Conference Center. He plans to return to the Lowcountry to plant St. Aidan’s of the Sea Islands on Johns Island. Will is married to Sara and they have two children, Elizabeth (8) and William (5).

Newman Lawrence

Newman wasn’t sure where home was growing up in a military/ministry family but came to Charleston in the fall of 2002 when he began college. Throughout the years since coming to Charleston he has worshipped at St. Michael’s where he met his wife, Trish (Sosnowski) Lawrence. During several mission trips and two years spent in East Africa, Newman began feeling a call into ordained ministry. Newman graduated from The Citadel in 2006 with a BS in Education (Social Studies) and graduated from Trinity School for Ministry with his Master’s of Divinity on May 11. He has accepted the call to be a curate at the Church of Our Saviour on Johns Island. The term “curate,” refers to a priest who is in their first post after ordination to the transitional diaconate and then to the priesthood. Newman, Trish, and their 18 month twins, Hank and Huck, are looking forward to their time at Church of Our Saviour on John’s Island.

Corey Prescott

Corey grew up in Charleston, South Carolina, where he came to faith through the ministry of his family, St. James, and Camp St. Christopher. Having graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Chemistry, Corey was working as a Research Assistant at MUSC when the Lord called him to Church of the Good Shepherd, where he spent seven years in ministry before entering the ordination process. He graduated this May with a Masters in Divinity from Trinity School for Ministry, and this summer he will join the staff of St. John’s Church, Florence. He and his wife, Cory, have two children, Grace (3), and Ford (8 months).