news brief
Building improvements are underway
This spring, the Holton and Campana families provided a significant donation to St. Luke’s for building improvements. A special Building Fund was created in honor of Lori Holton, and a list of projects was identified and approved by the vestry.
The first project was the installation of a new building-wide WI-FI system. It was recognized that the second floor space is a treasure but needs complete updating. Renovation work is now in progress to install a new HVAC System, flooring, closing the opening between the first and second floor near the organ, new dedicated private office space for the rector, larger central meeting and classroom space, remodeled bathroom, record storage area and demolition of old second floor deck and installation of new fire exit and stairs down to the ground.
Target completion date for the work is November. At that time there will be an open house and blessing of the new space.
news brief
General Convention approves Wisconsin reunification
As one of its final acts of its June 23-28 meeting, the 81st General Convention approved the reunion of the dioceses of Milwaukee, Fond du Lac and Eau Claire, after a nearly three-year process of discernment that was celebrated on the floor of the House of Deputies and later in the House of Bishops.
“The timing was absolutely right, and we paid attention,” the Rev. Jana Troutman-Miller, a deputy from Milwaukee, said in describing the diocese’s process to the House of Deputies in a speech after the vote on Resolution D051. She was joined on the platform by deputies from the three dioceses, all wearing matching hats featuring the state’s outline. “Please pray for us as we go from here to begin the real work of this reunion; the living into this call that we have been paying attention to.”
Because the merger was enacted canonically as a reunion, it takes effect as soon as both houses vote and the results are certified by General Convention’s secretary.
(story and photo by Episcopal News Service)
news brief
The Rev. Brit Bjurstrom Frazier is new rector
On January 6, the Feast of Epiphany, the vestry of St. Luke's announced that the Rev. Brit Bjurstrom Frazier, M.Div., will become rector at St. Luke’s in April.
Mother Brit is currently associate rector at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, where in addition to preaching and celebrating the Eucharist she has built up children’s and youth ministries, established a summer camp, and provided pastoral care for parishioners and families. Before her call to St. Mark’s in 2021, she was associate rector for liturgy and formation at All Saints’, Chevy Chase, Maryland, where in addition to liturgical responsibilities she led adult education, including multiple courses, lecture series, book clubs, scripture studies and a Spiritual Classics Reading Group.
Mother Brit is a graduate of Wellesley College and Virginia Theological Seminary where she received her Master of Divinity in 2019. She has a deep interest in foreign languages, speaks French and Spanish and can read and write in Latin and classical Greek. Before entering seminary she was employed as project manager at Marvel Entertainment in Burbank, Calif.
While she has lived her adult life on the west and east coasts, Brit has deep Wisconsin and Sister Bay roots. She was born in Milwaukee, raised in Cedarburg, and spent summers in Sister Bay, where her parents have a summer home.
Mother Brit is married to Mark Frazier, an actor and professional carpenter. In her spare time she enjoys camping, reading history, cheering for the Green Bay Packers, cycling, fitness, Star Trek, and making rosaries.
Though she officially begins at St. Luke’s April 1, her first Sunday with the parish will be April 16. Watch for opportunities to get to know her over tea and elsewhere and be sure to give her and Mark a warm St. Luke’s welcome! Bishop. Matt Gunter will preside at her formal institution on a date to be announced.
