"Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful...."  Joel 2:12-13a NRSV 

Dear Friends in Christ,

On Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, we begin the holy season of Lent, a time of prayer, fasting, and self-denial in preparation for Easter. Over my years in ordained ministry I have written a number of articles for parish and diocesan publications inviting those in my pastoral care to observe a holy Lent. These articles have urged the faithful to take on a spiritual discipline rather than see Lent as a season of giving up or invited folks to participate in Lenten programming. While these are good things, I want to invite us this year to go deeper.

We hear the prophet Joel invite us to rend our hearts and not our garments on Ash Wednesday. When we do that what do we see? I suspect that if we are honest with ourselves we see that even before this tearing there was much brokenness within. We see the scars left by our own failings, the brokenness of others, and the culture in which we live. If you are at all like me I suspect you see your own selfishness, your participation in unjust structures of society, and your denial of the truth not only about yourself and your relationship with those you love but the world in which we live. But as we rend our hearts, we see also the possibility of healing. A heart must be broken before it can be healed, just as a surgeon must open the body before it can be repaired.

Of late, I have become increasingly aware that it Lent is to mean anything it must mean surrender to grace as the operative in our life rather than our will -- Letting go and inviting God in Christ through the Spirit to enter deeply and receive the grace to be formed and molded by God, and God alone, rather than our images of God that are often less than God and frequently are idols. (I have often said the entire library which is the Bible, is a conversation and call to reject idolatry in all of its forms.)

What idols is God inviting you to set aside this Lent? What might you be worshiping that is less than God? Are we so busy trying to save ourselves that there is no room for the Savior?

These are the questions I am asking this Lent. Will you join me?

They call themselves the Rectors of Rock. The Fathers of Funk. The Collar Studs.

It's all cheeky fun, but believe it or not, these four Episcopal priests live up to the billing.

Fathers Drew Bunting, Andrew Jones, David Simmons and Don Fleischman are the fab four of Monstrance, a rock, blues and country band more interested in fun than fame, whose members lend their considerable talents to worthy causes throughout the Milwaukee diocese.

"We're not in this to make money. We know we're never going on tour," said Bunting, priest-in-charge at St. James Episcopal Church in Milwaukee, who sings lead vocals and plays bass in the band. "We just want to have a good time. We know we have these gifts, and we want to use them in service of the greater good."

Monstrance will take top billing - OK, the only billing - on the Red Door Tour when they rock St. Christopher's Episcopal Church in River Hills on Friday. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Red Door Clothes ministries at St. James & Trinity Episcopal churches in Milwaukee and Wauwatosa, and the Hospitality Center at St. Luke's in Racine.   read more 

We are currently accepting staff applications from returning staff and new staff applicants. Staff application forms are on our diocesan website at http://www.diomil.org/forming-disciples/camp-webb/   

We are hiring male and female Head- staff counselors, Cabin - counselors, and Counselors-In-Training. Counselors must be high school graduates. Counselors-In-Training may be rising seniors in high school for fall 2014. Staff application Deadline - April 15th!! All staff must be able to attend and complete the entire week of staff training, June 15-20 and full week of camp, June 22-27.

If you have further inquiries, please contact our Camp Director, Rev. Carla McCook, mccook@diomil.org .

Bishop Miller reminds both parishes and individuals that the First Sunday in Lent is ERD Sunday in the Diocese of Milwaukee!  

In 2009 at the 162nd Annual Convention, the Diocese of Milwaukee adopted a resolution dedicating the first Sunday in Lent as Episcopal Relief and Development Sunday and calling for congregations and individuals to be encouraged to support Episcopal Relief and Development's life-saving work through prayer and a special offering that will help heal a hurting world. To help you celebrate Episcopal Relief & Development Sunday resources and guides for Episcopal Relief & Development Sunday are available atwww.episcopalrelief.org/sunday . Please contact engagement@episcopalrelief.org  or call 1.855.312.HEAL (4325) with any questions.

Episcopal Relief & Development's Lenten Meditations booklets are now available in English and Spanish.   Printed booklets should be ordered by February 15 for delivery by Ash Wednesday, March 5, and can be ordered from Episcopal Marketplace online or by calling 1.866.937.2772.  PDF booklets and other Lenten resources are posted on Episcopal Relief & Development's website at www.episcopalrelief.org/lent, and individuals wishing to receive daily email devotionals can sign up online at www.episcopalrelief.org/lent.

If you would like a presentation at your parish contact Melanie Stewart at drmel@wi.rr.com or 414-405-3719.  She is also able to bring Lenten Meditations booklets to avoid shipping costs.  Anyone wanting Episcopal Relief & Development updates can send an email to Melanie.

Upcoming classes scheduled for February 22, 2014.

Madison Area class being held at St. Dunstan's, Madison.  Milwaukee Area class being held at Trinity, Wauwatosa. Click HERE to register (online).

Deacon Carol Smith, chair of the diocesan Commission on Global Reconciliation has announced that the Commission is soliciting input from diocesan clergy and laity as they prepare to recommend distribution of the  diocesan 0.7% Millennium Development Goal Funds. The amount in this year's diocesan budget is $5,752(plus $5,000 which pays partial salary of the Coordinator of The Haiti Project.)

The Commission will be meeting in July to consider the ideas received from members of the diocese, and will send its recommendations for distribution of the funds to The Executive Council for deliberation at its August meeting. For details on the Millennium Development Goal Fund and directions for submitting your input, please click HERE.