In May of 1988, the Rev. Brooke L. Swertfager was the first person to be ordained by the late Bishop William Lazareth.  The service took place at St. John - St. Matthew - Emanuel Lutheran Church in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Born and reared in Sylvan Beach, NY, she was baptized there at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church by Pastor Paul Steinke and later confirmed there, as well.

Receiving a Bachelor of Arts  in English, with honors, from Concordia College, Bronxville, she went on to receive the Master of Divinity degree in 1985 from Union Theological Seminary in Manhattan.

Having begun her tenure at Christ Lutheran Church in 1991, Pastor Swertfager's has also served as the  Dean of Manhattan; member of the Executive Committee of Seafarer's & International House; member of the Pastoral Care Committee at NYU Medical Center; and participant in the Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue of the Archdiocese of New York.

Pastor Swertfager is married to the Rev. William Eric Baum, pastor of Saint Barnabas Church in Queens. The couple reside in Manhattan together with their sons. The family is full of avid hockey players and fans.