Episcopalianism
MINEOLA — The Church of St. Dunstan in Mineola has been blessed to have a Bishop in residence as its new Rector.
Bishop Fraser W. Lawton, who hails from Peace River, Alberta, Canada came to Texas on sabbatical shortly after Fr. Thomas Pantle retired in May 2018. Throughout his sabbatical, Bishop Lawton delivered sermons that were uplifting and thought-provoking, sermons that motivated parishioners to become more proactive in their faith. During this time, Bishop Lawton led the church, as the Vestry initiated its search for a new Rector.
In the following months, it became clear that the Bishop’s warmth and charisma were vital to the life of the parish family and would be such a blessing to the Church of St. Dunstan.
While in East Texas, Bishop Lawton and his wife, Veronica fell in love with the friendliness of the people, the energy at St. Dunstan and of all things, the heat!
“The Lawtons bring many gifts, and I foresee a time of great fruitfulness and creativity, a new season in St. Dunstan’s ministry,” said Rt. Rev. Dr. George R. Sumner, Bishop for the Diocese of Dallas, in a recent letter to St. Dunstan’s,
Under the direction of Bishop Lawton. St. Dunstan will become a second Cathedral in the Diocese of Dallas, known as a pro-cathedral (the second Cathedral in the Diocese of Dallas).
“For our Lord is calling St. Dunstan to a leadership role in East Texas on behalf of our other congregations,” Bishop Sumner said.
The new Rector, the first Bishop to be appointed in East Texas, has been tasked with bringing together the congregations in Northeast Texas, as St. Dunstan’s serve a five-county area, Chirstine Brosky, church representative, stated in an email to the News-Telegram. “Under the leadership of Bishop Lawton, St. Dunstan’s will be a center for ministry in the region, providing support and encouragement to its neighbors,” said Bishop Sumner.
ABOUT THE BISHOP
Bishop Lawton was born in Saskatoon, Canada into a Christ-centered Anglican home. His family moved to Alberta when he was 8 years old, and he has continued to live there, except for his university years.
He was blessed with a wide variety of church experiences through his childhood, including the influence of the 1970s charismatic movement in North American Anglicanism. He felt a call to ordained ministry at a young age, and entered the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad in Saskatoon immediately after completing a Bachelor of Science from the University of Saskatchewan.
He was ordained Deacon in 1993 and priest in 1994 and has served his entire ordained ministry in the Diocese of Athabasca. He served in three parishes, with the majority of the time at St. Thomas in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. St. Thomas’ was a non-traditional church in many ways, open to the active expression of gifts of the Spirit, contemporary worship and new or different ways of expressing the gospel.
In the last few years as rector, Bishop Fraser and Veronica led the youth ministry in the parish and were delighted to see amazing spiritual growth and the emergence of the gifts and leadership of the young people.
Bishop Fraser has served on the College Council for Emmanuel and St. Chad, Council of General Synod, Province of Rupert’s Land Executive, every General Synod since Montreal, and Provincial Synod. He has also been an advisor for Women’s Aglow (now Aglow) and has led various workshops including six Anglican Renewal Ministries (ARM) clergy and lay leadership training events. He was a member of the ARM Board for two years.
In 2010, the Lawtons left Fort McMurray and moved to Peace River, where he was consecrated bishop and began this new ministry. Fraser and Veronica have four children. Fraser is a sports fan, enjoys reading and puttering (on rare occasions) in his workshop.
Bishop Lawton and Veronica will make their home in Mineola and welcome all to attend the Church of St. Dunstan and become part of the church family.
His installation as Rector will take place at the Church of St. Dunstan at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28 at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church, 800 North Johnson in Mineola. A reception will follow. For more information, call 903-569-2478, email dunstan5@att.net or go online to churchofstdunstan.org .