I write to you on this Labor Day weekend as the sound of Harley Davidson motorcycles fills the air in southeastern Wisconsin. My hope and prayer is that this summer has been a time of refreshment and renewal. For Cindy and me, this past month has been taken up doing some long overdue projects and getting our daughter Haley off to college.

As most of you know, I spent the first part of the summer in our companion diocese of Newala. It was a joy to get to know Bishop Oscar, his family, and all the people who are the Diocese of Newala and I believe this relationship will be a blessing to both dioceses for many years to come. I look forward to introducing them to you when we report on our trip at Convention and someday face to face.

Four days after my return from Tanzania, Cindy and I attended the open house at X01 in Madison. It was great to see the finished building and all the work that has been done at St. Francis House. I am pleased to report that X01 is fully rented and that Jonathan Melton, our chaplain, is again keeping office hours at the House. The first Eucharist of the academic year was held last Sunday and we will rededicate the space and celebrate Jonathan's New Ministry on September 15th.

The day following the X01 Open House I flew to Dublin, Ireland to attend the International Anglican Liturgical Consultation as a member of the Standing Liturgical Commission of the Episcopal Church. The focus of the meeting was liturgies of healing and reconciliation. In addition, each province in attendance reported on work within their province on a number of matters. I found it an educational experience. Highlight's for me were attending Evensong at St. Patrick's Cathedral, seeing the Book of Kells at Trinity College, Dublin, and the grave of Jonathan Swift, sometime Dean of St. Patrick's. I returned on the third of August grateful for this time of learning and for the new friendships made.

As the summer comes to a close, I look forward to resuming parochial visitations, our pre-Convention meetings, and the fall meeting of the House of Bishops. Please know of my prayers for all of you. Please join me in praying for the people in Tanzania and Egypt, especially our sisters and brothers in the Diocese of Newala and the Diocese of Egypt.

Yours in Christ

The Rt. Rev. Steven A. Miller

Bishop of Milwaukee

       On Saturday, August 17, St. Simon the Fisherman Episcopal Church, Port Washington, led its fifth annual Senior Vacation Bible School at nearby Heritage Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The SVBC "team" comprised Mary-Beth Boling, Jonathan Boling, Patricia Conry, Jeani Foster, Jill Hess, the Rev. Julian Hills, Kent Larimer, Ruthann Peterson, Maurie Saffarrans, and Brenda and Patrick Walsh. Also indispensable was Melanie Kaster, who coordinates special activities at Heritage and "recruits" the SVBS participants.

This is a one-day, all-day event that combines several "Ten Minute Worship" services (residents choose the hymns / songs), Bible stories, Bible word puzzles, crafts, storytelling - everything in a regular VBS except the high-energy outdoor games!

      Back in the mid-2000s, St. Simon the Fisherman ran several children's VBSs at the church. But despite valiant efforts at publicizing them, they were poorly attended. This was partly because many other churches in the area were also running VBSs. So it occurred to Fr. Julian Hills, priest in charge at St. Simon, that it may make sense to offer 'the VBS experience' to some older folks in the community, especially since the parish already had a relationship with two local elderly and nursing residences, one of which was Heritage Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.  

      The SVBS team has found the experience to be exhausting but immensely rewarding. Fr. Hills notes that especially during craft activities, each team member becomes engaged one-on-one with the residents, not by formal assignment but in 'the way that friends work with friends'. SVBS team members have found their faith and parish mission refreshed by the residents' stories, their faith, and their courage in the face of sometimes traumatic life events or debilitating illness.

Do you know of clergy shirts which are going unused?  The Bishop of Newala would gladly receive them for the dozen new priests and deacons (including the first African woman in his diocese!) whom he will ordain this winter.  Although cloth and tailoring is available, both cost money and so people cannot always obtain them.

Bring clergy shirts, collars and buttons to the pre-convention hearings or to Diocesan Convention on October 19.  

Address questions to Paula Harris, Chairperson of Newala Companion Diocese Committee. at  stlukesmadisonrector@gmail.com .

Camp Webb was a SUCCESS!

We had 34 registered campers!

We didn't go over budget!

These are big success points for Camp Webb as we've been working hard to make camp a purposeful ministry in our diocese.

I have to thank my star Program Director, Sarah Hoff, for her 8th year of ministry, leadership and guidance.

I've already heard from families that their campers are still talking about the fun and the things they learned at camp this summer.

We truly lived an excellent week of adventure: lakefront, campfires, climbing wall and ropes course, CanoEucharist, daily worship, crafts, and FUN!

Our theme this summer walked us through Luke 7:27 "Love the Lord your God with all your body, mind, heart & soul and love your neighbor as yourself."

Each day we took just a piece of Christ's commandment and discovered together how we can obey. Camp Counselors April Carstens, Josh Fuher and Haley Miller made a great week for Intermediate Campers. The High school leadership camp delved deeply into the learning with seminarians: Lars Skoglund and Ezgi Saribay using the Living Compass workbooks, "Living Well with Living Compass for Emerging Adults and Teens." This curriculum is available for confirmation classes and for teen/young adult formation classes from Living Compass.org.

The dates for Camp Webb 2014 are already set!  

Staff Week - June 15-20, 2014

Campers' Week (Intermediate & Leadership Camps) June 22-27, 2014.

Mark your calendars now. Plan to register early as this year we were full - you want to avoid a waiting list! Registration Opens December 15, 2013.

You can Camp all year long! Follow Webbster, our Camp Webb goose on Camp Webb Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/#!/CampWebbWisconsin

Saturday, Nov. 2, 9am to Sunday, Nov. 3 noon 

This Diocesan Youth Event is an opportunity to deepen teens' understanding of and engagement with one of the great feasts of the church! We'll gather at Zion Church in Oconomowoc, WI, to explore the connection between Halloween and All Souls', learn the dramatic and scary stories of the lives of some saints of the church, prepare life-size puppets and write a script to dramatize one saint's story, enjoy a fancy-dress dinner, and share our saintly puppet story as part of Zion's Sunday worship.

Registration fee is $25 per youth (7th to 12th grade).

For information, contact the Rev. Carla McCook at mccook@diomil.org. To Register, http://www.diomil.org/ministries/christian-formation/youth/

by The Rev. Carla McCook

We are changing the way we schedule trainings this fall to hosting regional trainings in place of scheduling trainings on an as needed basis. We want to be proactive and resourceful in these trainings for the diocese. Regional trainings allow us to plan the dates for trainings in advance for calendar planning. Deacon Terry Garner is scheduling the fall and spring (2014) classes now.

Tentative Dates and Places are:

October 5th, 9am-Noon at Nashotah House.

February 22, 2014, 9am- Noon - two places, same time! One class will meet in Madison and the other on the eastern side of diocese. As soon as the locations are confirmed we will let you know.

ONLINE SGC and SGP CLASSES INFORMATION:

SGC is also available for renewal of certificate on-line!

Safeguarding God's People (SGP) is ONLY ONLINE.

NEW Online Course: For VBS and Day Camp Staff

If you or your parish is leading a VBS or hosting a Day Camp (non-overnight camp) your staff can now take the Safeguarding Training Online! We are one of the first dioceses to make this training available.

Online registrations are always done on or before the 20th of each month. Online course certificates are sent out on the 30th of each month.

You can always visit our website, www.diomil.org to view Master List of Attendees, Know Who's Required to take these trainings, and more information.

St. Paul's Church 175th Anniversary "Homecoming Sunday"

You and yours are invited! On Sunday, September 8, 2013, the people of St. Paul's Church, 914 E. Knapp, Milwaukee will host Homecoming Sunday as part of our year-long celebration of the Church's 175th Anniversary. We have a wonderful Eucharist planned at 10:15AM, with a special Festive Reception to follow in the Great Hall including collages of historical pictures and a new History of St. Paul's Church.

• Were you a former Clergy person at St. Paul's?
• Were you baptized at St. Paul's?
• Were you confirmed at St. Paul's?
• Were you married at St. Paul's?
• Are you a present or former member of St. Paul's?
• Have you participated in St. Paul's music program?*
• Are you a former or present staff member of St. Paul's?

Whatever your past affiliation has been with St. Paul's Church we certainly hope you will want to be a part of this event!!!

*If you were a member of one of St. Paul's choirs and would like to take part in the service on September 8, please contact Tim Benson the Music Ministry Director at: Timothy_Benson@mac.com or St. Paul's Church 414-276-2677. He will supply you with music and you will be robed.