From Bishop Miller- June 2025

In Bishop James Dunlop’s address to the Lower Susquehanna Synod assembly (June 5-7), he described the growth of Christianity around the world compared to what we experience in our area. He said, “The church is growing in the world; it’s just not growing here.” I have shared similar words in conversations and reports to our synod.

The danger in repeating these thoughts is that we begin to believe that what we experience is what is supposed to be—that the aging and decline in our congregations is inevitable. We have just celebrated the feast of Pentecost, the day on which God’s Holy Spirit alit on Jesus’ disciples and the evangelical mission of the church began. In readings, hymns, and prayers, we were reminded of the power given to the church to proclaim boldly the Good News of Jesus Christ crucified and risen for the salvation of the world.

“The Bible ought to come with a warning label,” said Bishop Dunlop in his sermon to the assembly: So should we be warned when we pray our Pentecost prayers, because when we pray for the Holy Spirit we might just be set on fire. We were reminded that the church is not built on our efforts but by the power of the Holy Spirit to enflame the hearts of believers and to blow open the doors where we hide ourselves from the world.

I invite all our members to pray for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, that we will be set afire with the love of Jesus and blown into our communities and the world to share the Good News. No congregation is too small to pray for this gift and to be awakened for the God’s mission. May we all be filled until we burst with love for our world that God so loved.

Bishop Miller represented the synod at the Lower Susquehanna Synod Assembly where Rev. Stephen Herr was elected bishop. Our bishop will serve as a mentor to the newly elected bishop from Gettysburg.