Don Miller in 2009
In mid-October, Don Miller, one of the longest-serving ministers in the North West, went home to be with his lord.
Don joined the Diocese in 1982, first serving as Rector in the Parish of the North Eastern Goldfields.
While there, he was struck by the story of the Mardu people, some of the last in Australia to come out of the bush. Though initially they had responded in great numbers to the gospel, this waned quickly as they struggled to adapt from life in the bush to living as fringe dwellers in a white urban environment.
In 1988, Don moved to Wiluna, and purchased Ululla Station, a 120,000ha sheep station 70km out of Wiluna. He hoped to make this a place where the local indigenous people could feel at home. There he served as a chaplain of sorts for the local Mardu people, as well as Rector of the church in Wiluna.
In his retirement, he moved to Mullewa, where he served as Rector up until the present day.
Bishop Darrell commended Don's ministry, saying:
"Don has been a long and very significant servant of our Lord Jesus in the North West. He was particularly cherished and effective in ministry among the region’s indigenous population.
We thank the Lord Jesus for his faithfulness to Don in the forgiveness of sins through the cross and the resurrection to eternal life. We also thank him for Don’s long example of sacrificial service and for the fellowship in the gospel we shared with him."
Please pray for Don's family and those impacted by his life and ministry, and that the gospel would flourish among the Mardu people.