Bishop Harold Miller marks 50 years since ordination
Former Bishop of Down and Dromore, the Rt Revd Harold Miller, has marked 50 years since his ordination at a service of Holy Communion in St Paul’s Parish Church, Lisburn - the church where he was ordained on 24 June 1976.
Marking this milestone, Bishop Darren McCartney, rector of St Paul’s and a former incumbent in Down and Dromore, paid tribute to Bishop Harold’s “lifelong service to Christ and his Church” and “his deep commitment to the gospel”.
Bishop Harold began his ordained ministry as a curate in St Nicholas’ Church, Carrickfergus, where he remained for three years. He later served in Nottingham as Director of Extension Studies and Chaplain of St John’s College, before returning to Belfast as Chaplain at Queen’s University. He subsequently became Rector of the Carrigrohane Union of Parishes in Cork and a Canon of St Fin Barre’s Cathedral.
In 1997, Bishop Harold was called to serve as Bishop of Down and Dromore, a role he held with passion and resolve until his retirement in 2019. His episcopal ministry included leadership across worship, theology, mission and church renewal.
Among his many contributions to the wider Church, Bishop Harold was closely involved in liturgy and church publications. He served as Chair of the Liturgical Advisory Committee and Chair of the Publications Group and was a member of the Hymnal Revision Committee. He also contributed to the 2000 Hymnal, the hymnal supplement, and the work which led to the Church of Ireland’s 2004 Book of Common Prayer.
Bishop Darren also highlighted Bishop Harold’s heart for mission and service beyond diocesan boundaries, noting his support for Christian mission through links with organisations including Tearfund, SAMS, CMS, Crosslinks, Summer Madness and wider diocesan partnerships. He also co-chaired AMICUM (The Anglican Methodist International Commission on Unity in Mission) from 2009 to 2015.
Paying tribute to the character of Bishop Harold’s ministry, Bishop Darren said: “Harold’s ministry has never been about seeking prominence, but about faithful service. He has served with conviction, thoughtfulness, and a genuine love for the Church and for people.”
He added: “His work has left a lasting mark, not only through the offices he held, but through the lives he encouraged, the churches he strengthened, and the example he set.”
Bishop Darren concluded: “Today we give thanks to God for Bishop Harold’s 50 years of ordination, for his calling and his leadership. We honour his faithfulness, his dedication, and his lifelong service to Jesus Christ.”
Looking back
Bishop Harold recalled the day he was ordained by Bishop Arthur Butler as a beautiful sunny day with lots of young people at the ordination. “It was colourful and it was vibrant in the middle of a world torn apart by the Troubles,” he said.
Three others were ordained alongside him: Philip Knowles, later Dean of Cashel, David Chillingworth, later Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church and Barry Irvine.
Reflecting on his ministry, Bishop Harold said that he had loved the variety, both in terms of the roles and the places where he and Liz had served. He also affirmed God’s provision for him and his family especially in Cork when there was often “too much month and too little money.”
There were challenges, with being a bishop among the biggest, but great joy in what the Lord planted in him at conversion, in people coming to faith in a life transforming way throughout his ministry, in his involvement in building ecumenical relationships and the privilege of “simply proclaiming the word of the Lord.”
And what of that call to ordination?
“I remember being told when I was young by a Methodist minister who I was close to when I was converted, never go into the ministry unless you have to. In other words, there must be such a compulsion, such a sense that this is the right thing to do. Don’t go into it lightly. So going into the ministry for me was something I absolutely felt compelled to do. I never had a particular moment when God revealed to me that he wanted me to be ordained, but I had a very special moment of conversion when I was 15, which was really a moment of saying to the Lord, whatever you want me to do I will do, wherever you want me to go I will go. All of that seemed to come together for me and I would want to say to people, if God is compelling you to do something, check it out with people around you, check it out with the church as you have to do for ordination but if he’s compelling you to do something, do it, give your life to it.”
What wonderful advice. We join Bishop Darren in saying: “Harold, thank you for all that you have given. May God continue to bless you richly in the years ahead. Congratulations on this wonderful anniversary.”
