News & Messages

A Message from Bishop Miller: The Annunciation, March 25, 2020

March 25, 2020

Dear Friends in Christ,

Grace and Peace to you on this most holy day when we remember the Good News, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” That word showed us the way to walk in love by giving ourselves to and for one other as the heart of our way and love.

Out of love and compassion for each other, we have ceased worshipping together in our parishes for the duration of the Safer at Home order. Out of that same love, compassion and care, we are gathering to worship as one diocese so that our clergy and lay leaders can focus on essential ministries of care and compassion.

We invite you to come together as a diocese to worship with us on Sunday mornings. At 10 am, we will livestream a Liturgy of the Word service through YouTube and Facebook Live. These services will feature officiants, preachers, readers, and musicians from throughout the diocese. We will also have bulletins available for you to follow along at home.

We look forward to coming together as a diocese to worship and pray with you. Please join us.

+Steven

The Rt. Rev. Steven A. Miller
Bishop of Milwaukee

A Statement from Bishop Miller Regarding 12-Step Groups

March 21, 2020

A Statement from Bishop Miller Regarding 12-Step Groups

Dear Friends in Christ,
 
The diocese has been participating in statewide calls with Lt. Governor Barnes and clergy. You may have been hearing from other clergy different information concerning the number of people allowed in gatherings and interpretations of the governor’s restrictions. 
 
I have reviewed my letter from March 17, 2020, and the guidance restricting meetings to no more than 5 people exceeds the state-mandated requirements at this time, with one exception. This 5-person restriction remains in place within the diocese.
 
I had exempted 12-Step programs from the gathering size requirement. The state, however, specifically has not exempted 12-Step programs from their meeting size restriction. Therefore, 12-Step programs like AA meeting in facilities in the diocese will be required to meet the state requirement of not more than 9 people in a meeting. 
 
Since the development and implementation of actions to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus is fluid and changing, we will occasionally have to make changes based on the events around us.
 
I ask for your continued prayers for all those affected by the virus and especially those in need, the elderly and those who have contracted the virus worldwide.
 
Deacon Bill Dunlop is monitoring the statewide calls on our behalf. Thank you, Bill, for volunteering to manage this.
 
+Steven
 
The Rt. Rev. Steven A. Miller
Bishop of Milwaukee

Letter from Bishop Miller on COVID-19

Dear Friends in Christ,

Greetings in this Holy Season of Lent. Please know of my prayers for you all and especially at this time which has seen the emergence of the Coronavirus COVID-19. Many are wondering what the emergence of this virus means for our common life. At the bottom of this letter you will find resources from the Diocese of Olympia and the Diocese of Fond du Lac. I encourage you to review them as individuals and as congregations.

I ask you to do the following.

PRAY – for all those affected, for health care workers and clinicians, and for those working to eradicate this virus.

KEEP CALM – Unnecessary panic is never helpful any situation.

WASH YOUR HANDS – properly, for at least 20 seconds (the time it takes one to say the Lord’s Prayer) with soap and hot water.

REMEMBER - Receiving the Eucharist in one kind (either the bread or the wine) is a full communion with Christ. It is not necessary to receive communion in both kinds. Follow any amended communion practices in your parish with charity.

It is not necessary to exchange the peace physically by hugging and shaking hands; a bow or flashing the peace sign is acceptable. Remember until this Book of Common Prayer, the Peace was simply a verbal exchange. One way to help strengthen this change might be to move the peace to right after the Lord’s Prayer as authorized in the liturgy. Also, remember that you do not have to greet everyone in the church.

STAY HOME- If you are sick or have been exposed.

May God bless you in this holy season.

The Rt. Rev. Steven Andrew Miller
Bishop of Milwaukee

SAM/bjk

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

https://ecww.org/covid19response/

https://www.diofdl.org/news/communion-and-the-coronavirus