THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 28, 1995 TAG: 9512230152
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 05 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JOAN C. STANUS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines
Twelve years ago, Robert M. Miller didn't even attend church, much less see it as his calling.
Back then, as a career Army officer, he was one of those Christians who turned to organized religion only at Christmas, Easter and an occasional christening or wedding. He and his wife, Linda, wanted their two daughters to learn about the Christian faith by attending church, but they rarely found time to take them.
``We weren't really serious,'' Miller admits now.
Then, an Army buddy invited Miller to attend his church. Miller promised to think about it. The friend asked again. Miller hedged again. After much asking and even more hedging, the friend offered a ride to church. Only then did Miller finally agree to go.
That Sunday changed his life.
``When we arrived at the church, everyone came up to us and greeted us by name,'' he recalled recently. ``I thought, wow, this is like coming home.''
Not long afterward, after attending a few confirmation classes with his wife and then a church retreat, Miller experienced a profound spiritual revelation.
``There was no longer any doubt,'' he said. ``I realized that Christ was real and was calling me to something greater. So I spent the next 10 years getting more and more involved in the church through a lay ministry, but it wasn't enough. I realized God was calling me to an ordained ministry.''
After retiring from the Army in 1992 and relocating his family, Miller entered Virginia Theological Seminary to pursue that calling. He graduated with a master of divinity degree last May.
On Dec. 9, his dream came true, when he was ordained an Episcopal priest in ceremonies at his new parish, the Episcopal Church of the Advent in Ocean View. His former Army buddy, Jim Chipps, now himself an Episcopal priest, was at his side.
``I knew immediately this was where I was called,'' said Miller, sitting in his study at the church one recent afternoon. ``God answered my prayers.''
As an Episcopal priest, Miller now will be able to administer sacramental rites to members of his congregation. He has served as deacon-in-charge at the church since last July, delivering weekly sermons and providing spiritual leadership, but was unable, for example, to administer communion until he was made a priest.
Only the fourth permanent clergy member to head the 75-year-old congregation, Miller now has high hopes for revitalizing the Ocean View church. Most of the current membership, he admits, are longtime members who became disillusioned and hurt during a three-year search process for a new priest.
The Church of the Advent's former rector, Herbert Smith, died suddenly on Thanksgiving Day 1991. Much loved and an active member of the community, he had been with the church for 26 years. The search to replace him was ``long and painful,'' Miller said. Several promising candidates did not work out, and the church has worshiped under several temporary rectors.
With a firm commitment to his new post, Miller hopes to infuse new hope and joy into the congregation. His first order of business is to do just as his old Army buddy did, extending invitations to the unchurched.
``Eighty percent of people go to church because someone invites them,'' said Miller, 47. ``This parish is now growing old with the neighborhood. We don't have a lot of young families; we have a lot of grandparents and great-grandparents. But at one time, about 35 years ago, 405 attended Sunday School each week. Now we have a total of about 120 to 150 people attending services on Sunday.
``My interest is in seeing the church grow through evangelism and reaching out to the unchurched. We've very hopeful. It's a question of building a feeling of family. I don't treat numbers and I don't treat dollars as issues. If numbers or dollars are down, it's not a problem. My goal is to deal with the spirit. People will begin to see we're carrying a joy here ... and they'll want to come to our church.''
Much of that joy will be spread through community outreach, he said. The parish already has a strong history of service. Members operate food and clothing pantries and work in partnership with such groups as the Haven Family Shelter and an area AIDS hospice on several projects. Miller hopes to eventually establish a child-care program in a wing of the church that once housed Sunday school classes but is now used primarily for storage.
``There's a community need for this kind of service, and we want to fill that need,'' he said. ``At the same time, we hope it will help us revitalize by bringing more people to the church.''
After 12 years of increasing leadership responsibilities within the church, Miller believes he is more than ready for the challenges ahead.
``I'm so excited to be here,'' he said. ``This parish's vision is on the future, and they want to step boldly to bring more of the kingdom of God to the community. I have no doubt; this is exactly where I'm supposed to be.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MOTOYA NAKAMURA
Robert M. Miller is now the rector at Episcopal Church of the
Advent.
by CNB