news brief

In keeping with diocesan guidelines, in-person worship will resume Sunday March 21at 10 am at St. Luke's. Worship had been suspended until St. Luke's interim rector, the Rev. Frank Maxell, had received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccination. His second dose will be March 11.

The worship setting is being shifted from the sanctuary and nave to the Canterbury Room fellowship hall because of the higher attendance possible under diocesan guidelines and higher ceilings allowing for lesser risk of viral transmission. Under the diocesan Back to the Building guidelines announced in February, in-person worship attendance is limited to 50 persons or 25 percent of the worship space, whichever is less. At St. Luke's the traditional worship setting will only allow 18 persons, whereas the Canterbury Room will permit 25 to attend.

Another safeguard recently put in place is a series of ultraviolet air purifiers installed in the church's HVAC system.  

The online signup link will be published in the St. Luke's E-News.

St. Luke's rector, the Rev. Barbara Sajna, retired January 24 after 16 years of service with the parish. Serving as interim rector for the next 12 to 18 months will be the Rev. Frank Maxwell, a retired pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America who lives in Sturgeon Bay with his wife Mary. Maxwell, who has served as interim at the ELCA congregation Shepherd of the Bay in Door County, began his ministry at St. Luke's January 25.

Maxwell served as pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church on Washington Island for eight years, and served on the board of Door County Community Foundation. When visiting their vacation home in Key West, Florida he and his wife attend St. Paul's Episcopal Church. He has assisted there and in 2017 served as supply priest.