Father William “Bill” Miller is a noted public speaker, teacher, and writer. He began his ministry as the Director of Youth Ministries at the Church of St. John the Divine in Houston, Texas. Under his leadership, the youth program grew by 800% and started a number of innovative outreach, social justice, and music ministries. For eight years he served as Vicar and later Rector of St. James Church in Austin, Texas, a historically African-American parish. The congregation quadrupled in size, started a school for economically disadvantaged students, and became a model for multi-cultural ministry. Miller served as Rector of historic Trinity Church in Houston for seven years. During this time, the parish more than doubled in attendance and giving, completed an ambitious $3 million renovation and restoration, created a critically-acclaimed art-filled chapel, and began a flourishing Jazz and Gospel service. Since the Rev. Miller became the Rector of St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church on Kauai in 2006, the parish has grown by 50% and initiated innovative new ministries for children, youth, and the music and arts community.

Father Bill is the author of The Gospel According to Sam: Animal Stories for the Soul(Seabury: New York) www.facebook.com/The.Gospel.According.to.Sam. His sermons and lectures, including CONVERSATIONS WITH DOG, based on The Gospel According to Sam, are favorites with churches and organizations across the country and in Europe. Miller recently completed The Beer Drinker’s Guide to God: Spirituality for Real Peopleand his current writing projects include Awakening the Sleeping Giant, a guide to discerning one’s passion and potential and NET: How Real Churches Really Grow, concerning the growth of ministries and congregational development.

William Broyles Jr., a former editor of Newsweek, and the Academy-Award nominated screenwriter of Apollo 13, The Polar Express and Cast Away, said, “William Miller is a magician with language. His stories are beautifully written. They’re parables, gateways into the deep mysteries of life, love, and death. They find wisdom in dogs and humor in stingrays, and great joy in the everyday wonders of life. The simplest things become beautiful and, right before your eyes, divine.”

An avid music lover, Miller founded four jazz festivals and collaborated with musicians to create ten different jazz masses utilizing the music of Coltrane, Ellington, Armstrong and others. His live music venue, Padre’s, opened to rave reviews in the West Texas arts town of Marfa in May 2009 (www.padresmarfa.com).

Father Bill currently resides on the island of Kauai with his dog Nawiliwili Nelson.  You've got to love a guy with a dog named Nawiliwili Nelson.