Dear Friends in Christ,

I write you in advance of the 77^th General Convention of the Episcopal Church which will convene July 3 through 12.

As I have prepared for General Convention, the passage of scripture that has informed my heart and prayer are the words from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, "So do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today." I have learned, in my almost nine years as bishop, that there will be plenty of opportunity to discern how best to respond and follow through on the decisions of General Convention following General Convention. It is only then we will know what has actually been approved and mandated.

I would also remind you that national media sources are rarely if ever the best sources for seeking to understand the actions of General Convention. In today's media climate, conflict and division sell advertising space. We are a Church that has a rather complicated polity and features a breadth of nuanced theological opinions and positions. The understanding and communication of nuance is not one of the media's strong suits.

As your bishop, I am confident that we will go forward together regardless of what is or is not decided at General Convention. This ability to go forward together may, in fact, be our most important witness to a world which is more and more divided along economic and ideological lines. Remaining in community with each other is a crucial witness of our understanding of what it means to be the Body of Christ, even when (or maybe especially when) we disagree on certain issues.

In conclusion, I ask your prayers for me, the members of our Diocesan Deputation, and all the members of both Houses of General Convention. Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide our work.

To Him who can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine be all power, majesty, dominion and glory now and forever.

Yours in Christ,

The Rt. Rev. Steven Andrew Miller

Bishop of Milwaukee

As many know, Mary's Room won the national Rubber Maid competition for a much needed makeover of its headquarters, based at St Paul's Episcopal Church in Watertown. This important community based outreach program for parents and children provides diapers, clothing, furniture and other critical supplies for infants and children up to two years of age. The program currently serves over 60 parents and 150 children, with new people arriving weekly.   On July 10-11 Rubber Maid's trucks and staff will arrive to assemble the space. St. Paul's is throwing a community-wide Baby Shower for Mary's Room to celebrate this much awaited event!

The Guild Hall will be open for two full days July 10^th and 11^th from 10am to 4pm with a bottomless coffee pot and cookie jar. The parish is hoping that their friends, neighbors and fellow churches will drop by to see the Rubber Maid Crew at work creating the State of the Art space! Everyone in the diocese is invited to participate in this event, take a sneak peak at the assembly process with Rubber Maid Staff (along with the press corps!) and bring a small gift of diapers (size 4 or 5 needed urgently) or wipes, lotion or shampoo for the babies the Mary's Room serves. St. Paul's invites you to come and see God at work in the community for the community. Those unable to attend the celebration who would like to give a shower gift, may send it to Mary's Room in care of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 413 S. Second St, Watertown WI 53094, c/o Alice Mirk.