News & Messages

Bishop Miller Urges Action for Gun Safety

Dear Friends in Christ,

On Monday, Cindy and I the privilege of being present when Governor Evers signed the executive order calling for a special legislative session to address Gun Violence. In particular, the governor is asking our legislators to pass two bills: one to expand current background check laws and the other to create an extreme risk protection process or red flag law. Over 80% of Wisconsin citizens support this legislation and yet this legislation has been stalled for some time.

I write you today to ask you to contact your state representative and state senator to urge them to consider this legislation that so many of our citizens’ support.

You can find the contact information for your state representative and senator here:

https://maps.legis.wisconsin.gov/

I, of course, hope you will support this legislation that I believe will make all of us safer by taking an important step to reduce gun violence. What is most important though is that you make your voice heard. Responsible citizenship is an important element of Christian life.

Yours in Christ,

The Rt. Rev. Steven A Miller
Bishop of Milwaukee

Bishop Miller Visits Tanzania

Dear Friends in Christ,

I write you having just returned from a visit to our companion Diocese of Newala, Tanzania for the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the diocese. I bring you greetings from our askofu rafaki (friend bishop), who asked me to convey to you his love and prayers along with gratitude for all we in the Diocese of Milwaukee has done with and for the diocese.

What made this trip especially important was that I also had the opportunity to meet over 20 other members of the Tanzania House of Bishops who were also present for the celebration liturgy on Sunday. Nurturing the relationship between the Church in Tanzania and The Episcopal Church is especially important as we approach the Lambeth Conference next summer.

As you will see from the picture the Archbishop and I have the same vestment maker, Sr. Helen CMM. When I saw his cope and noticed the same blue material on the orphrey, I asked him if Sr. Helen had made his and he responded, “yes.” I shared with him that mine was as well, a gift from you, the Diocese of Milwaukee, on the 10th anniversary of my ordination and consecration as your bishop.

Please continue to pray for the Diocese of Newala and our sisters and brothers there. Know that they are praying for you. Below are a couple of pictures from my visit.

+Steven

Archbishop Maimbo Mndolwa and Bishop MillerArchbishop Maimbo Mndolwa and Bishop Miller

The Rt. Rev. Oscar Mnung'a and his wife, Mama Agnes

 
The Rt. Rev. Oscar Mnung'a and his wife, Mama Agnes, and Fr. Oswald Bwechwa

The structures in the second and third pictures are a type of cistern. The Diocese of Milwaukee has assisted with some of the cost of building cisterns like there there.

Bishop Steven A. Miller to Retire

Dear Friends in Christ,

Some years ago when Cindy and I were replacing the roof on our home in Racine, one of our neighbors came by and asked if there was a problem with the roof or was it “just time.” We responded it was “just time.” This phrase has now become part of our family vocabulary. That conversation came to me as I prepared to write this letter to you.

After over thirty-five years of ordained ministry and almost sixteen years as your bishop, it has become clear to me that it is time for me to retire and pass the crozier on to the 12th bishop of Milwaukee. Last night, the Standing Committee, Chancellor and I met with the Rt. Rev. Todd Ousley of the Office of Pastoral Development to inform them of my intention to retire in November of 2020 and to begin the process of electing the next bishop of this Diocese.

I have felt a multitude of emotions as I considered these plans, but gratitude for our work and life together in my 16 years as your bishop is first and foremost. I have loved being your bishop and serving Christ with and among you. Our diocese has made a distinctive commitment to forming young persons for ordained ministry and giving them the opportunity to lead, as evidenced by the fact that we have the second-youngest average age of priests in the Episcopal Church. Moreover, thanks to the joint venture with LZ Developers at St. Francis House, our campus ministries at UW-Madison and around the Diocese are on a sure financial footing.

We have also reformed the way that we as a diocese come together to do the work that God has given us to do. Our governance is more representative and transparent than ever, and by making some difficult choices, we’ve lowered the percentage that parishes pay into the diocesan budget and the percentage of the diocesan budget that comes from these assessments. And through some difficult years in the life of our church, our diocese has remained united—not of one mind on all the issues of the day, but united in Christ nonetheless.

With my impending retirement, you have an opportunity, from a position of stability, to face the future. I pray that God will bless you with wisdom and courage, and that the Holy Spirit will lead you in discerning the role our diocese is called to play in the lives of our members, our communities and our church.

In the months I have remaining with you, Cindy, the girls and I hope to have the opportunity to say good-bye to many of you in person. Please be assured that you are in my prayers and that I will carry you all in my heart wherever God calls me to go.

Yours in Christ,

 The Rt. Rev. Steven Andrew Miller
11th Bishop of Milwaukee

PDF of Bishop Miller's letter

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