Bishop DeDe Duncan-Probe will ordain Edwin Way of Utica, New York to the Sacred Order of Deacons on Saturday, July 27, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. All are welcome to attend the celebratory service either in-person at Grace Episcopal Church in Utica or online via live-stream. Details of the service are available here.
Edwin recently shared a bit about himself with us as he prepares for his ordination. Please keep him especially in your prayers this week, along with all our clergy and all those discerning a call to ordained ministry.
Tell us about your background. What led you to discern a call to ordained ministry?
I was brought up in a clergy family in Myanmar (Burma). My father was a priest and served in The Diocese of Hpa-an for decades. Due to political situation we fled to refugee camp. While living in camp I served as a catechist as well as a youth leader in our church for years before I moved to the USA. I have been trying my best to help and serve the Karen community here since I lived in Utica as their spiritual leader and later as a catechist. I married Day Moo and we have two children, Abraham and Grace. Abraham got in an accident and passed away in 2020. It was very hard for our family to overcome this tragedy but it drew me closer to God. Being Anglicans our Karen families love to worship in church with others but because of the language barrier, our Karen community was concerned about their spiritual journey and are longed for native-speaking church leadership to worship in their own language for years. They feel like they are sheep without shepherd. Since I have been serving them for years I believe I am called to serve as an ordained person if I could have opportunity to do so.
What types of ministries are you currently involved in? What will you be doing after your ordination?
I am now serving as a catechist and assisting in our church as assigned by the rector. I lead services such as thanksgiving, anniversary, birthday, memorial services and helping [the Karen population], not only in Utica but Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo and in other states when needed to do so. I organized and designed our American Karen Episcopal Youth day every year which hundreds of youths gathered together for three days for worship, bible study, lecture, games and fellowship in different places. I will be very happy to serve officially as an ordained person and will be able to do more in pastoral care, leading home services, doing Bible study for Karen families and working together with our rector and vestry in our church.
What is your hope or dream for your ministry in our diocese?
I hope to reach out more Karen families in our church and nearby and to bring them to church, to serve them more effectively as an ordained person as they are longing for years and to help more in our church activities which would be assigned by our rector and vestry. If [it is] God’s will, I will also prepare for priesthood the best as I can after [ordination to the diaconate].
As you reflect on the journey that has brought you to this point, to whom or to what do you feel most grateful?
First and foremost I am most grateful and give thanks to God for calling me to serve. I am very grateful to Bishop De De for her understanding the need of spiritual leadership of our Karen community and accepting and supporting me to serve as an ordained person. [I’m also grateful to] the standing committee for their support and Rev. Christine [Williams-Belt], my rector, for her understanding and supporting me in this ordination process and working with me closely. [I’m also grateful to] the vestry for their understanding of the need for Karen families in Grace Episcopal Church and their support [as well as the] America Karen Episcopal Ministry Formation Group who had been working very hard to help and support me to serve as an ordained for years. Finally, I’m grateful to the Grace Episcopal Church Karen families and families from other states who regard me as their spiritual leader, accepting my ministry and supporting me to serve as an ordained [minister].
