The Reverend Stuart Brooks Keith, III

Rector and Senior Pastor

The Reverend Stuart Brooks Keith III, or simply Father Brooks, hails from Tampa, Florida. Following a tenure in professional youth ministry in Orlando, Florida, Father Brooks graduated from the Virginia Theological Seminary in 1992, married his wife Julie Papa Keith shortly afterwards and was called to Golden, Colorado as a new priest.

He was called to Transfiguration as Associate Priest in 1995 and named Rector in 1998. Father Brooks enjoys leading a dynamic, growing congregation while providing leadership in the diocesan and national levels of the Episcopal Church. He enjoys the Rocky Mountains with his wife and two daughters while remaining an avid reader and fan of science fiction, fantasy and everything Scottish.

970.376.1647
Brooks@episcopalvail.com

The Reverend Emily Anderson Lukanich

Vicar

Emily Anderson Lukanich is the daughter of military personnel who landed in Charleston, South Carolina, for the balance of her youth. The eldest child of three, she grew up on the beach in a resort destination similar to the lifestyle of the Vail Valley. A graduate of the University of Illinois-Champaign in French literature, she felt a calling in her mid-20s.

After marriage to her husband Christopher and now a mother of two, she received her Masters in Divinity degree from the Virginia Theological Seminary in 2014. Lukanich arrives in the Vail Valley from Blacksburg, Virginia, where she is currently curate for the Christ Church congregation. Lukanich and her husband were both teachers for several years before she left the profession for the seminary.

970-476-0618
emily@episcopalvail.com

Deacon Michael Williams

Deacon

Mike Williams grew up in the suburbs of Detroit and attended the University of Michigan for my undergraduate and two graduate degrees in Finance, Logistics Management and Computer Science. After 38 years of service in the United States Army that included 15 years on active duty and 23 years in the Reserves and several international conflicts and combat missions, he moved to Vail. He is a certified ski and golf instructor and has lived in the Vail Valley for the past 31 years.

Mike has been involved with service activities for most of his life.  At Transfiguration, he has served as a member of the Vestry and as Senior Warden.  He also has led our Community Supper program, the Toys for Tots drives, clothing drives and mission trips.

Steve Baird and Mike were very close friends and worked closely while Steve was ECOT’s Deacon.  Steve kept trying to convince Mike that he should become a Deacon as well.  Mike felt that he was already making a meaningful contribution as he was.  Two weeks after Steve died, Mike had a dream in which Steve told him it was “his turn.”  Mike spent the next three weeks thinking this through. Steve visited Mike again and again told him it was “his turn.”  Since that time, Mike’s heart and mind have continued to tell him that this call was true, and he made the right choice in becoming a Deacon.

“As my studies continue, God continues to affirm that my heart is true and that He is with me.”

Denise Delaney

Director of Pastoral Care

Denise Delaney assists clergy in pastoral care duties serving the ECOT congregation. She also trains members to be pastoral caregivers and manages a Care Team who provide this service on a regular basis.

Denise also serves as Staff Hospital Chaplain for Vail Valley Medical Center and Shaw Regional Cancer Center and teaches the Theology of Social Ethics and Social Justice to junior high school students at Vail Christian High School. Denise was a bank executive before becoming a hospital chaplain about five years ago. Her training includes a Master’s Certificate in Chaplaincy, Master’s of Science in Social Work, Master’s of Theological Studies, Bachelor’s in Biblical studies.

The Reverend Mark G. Huggenvik

Vicar Emeritus

Reverend Mark Huggenvik joined the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration on Dec 1, 2010 as a half time associate pastor.  He retired from full time ministry in 2007 after serving ELCA (Lutheran) congregations for over 35 years.  He is a Luther College (Decorah, Iowa) and Luther Seminary (St. Paul, MN) graduate and has additional training and certification in Intentional Interim Ministry.

He has served congregations in Pasadena, Thousand Oaks and San Clemente, California, Apple Valley, Minnesota as well as  Interim Pastor of Mount of the Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Vail, CO.   From 1999-2007, he served as the Senior Pastor at American Lutheran Church in Sun City, AZ, one of the 100 largest congregations in the ELCA.

His passion in ministry is preaching, teaching, Bible study and he has been instrumental in planting a mission church in Peoria, AZ and was a founding board member for Many Mansions, a low income housing organization in Thousand Oaks, CA.

Mark has been married to Barbara for 40 years and they have three adult daughters and 4 grandchildren.  During the winter months, Mark and Barbara serve as the winter caretakers of the beautiful Beaver Creek Chapel in Beaver Creek, CO.  In his free time, Pastor Mark enjoys biking, hiking, skiing, reading and travel.  He and Barbara have led several large church group tours to Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Turkey and the Greek Isles.

970.476.0618
office@episcopalvail.com