Bethel Begins / The founding bishops
Bishop Arnold George Miller
A gentle giant who connects Bethel to the Apostolic Ark, the first Apostolic church in Jamaica. Chapter 11 of Bethel Begins, ‘The Giant of Faith’, tells his story.
“Required reading for every member of our church.” Bishop Dexter E Edmund, Presiding Bishop
From the book
Bishop Arnold George Miller could be described as a gentle giant. He was a man of great physical and spiritual stature. Bishop and Mother Birdie Miller are significant in that they connect Bethel to the very first Apostolic Church in Jamaica, the Apostolic Ark. This is because both Bishop and Mother Miller were saved in the Apostolic Ark, in Brown's Town. In fact, Mother Miller was the church organist.
“Bro Arnold” as he was known at the time left the Ark to answer the call to rebuild post-war Britain, arriving in Birmingham in 1954; a year later “Sister Birdie” and their first son David came to England. Recognising the gifts within Bro Arnold, Bishop Dunn ordained him as a Deacon, then as a Minister, then as Assistant Pastor and elder within the Gibson Road Assembly.
Bishop Miller is integral to the story of the purchase of 2 Gibson Road. At that time the saints had just started to rent Gibson Road. Whilst Bishop Dunn was in Baltimore for Bishop Carr's Convocation, he received a phone call from England. It was “Deacon Miller”, sharing that the property's manager was ready to sell Gibson Road. Bishop Dunn made a bid for £3,000, which was accepted.
Edited extract from chapter 11 of Bethel Begins: The Beginnings of Bethel United Church of Jesus Christ Apostolic by Nicholas Myers.
Key facts
- Saved atThe Apostolic Ark, Brown's Town, Jamaica
- Arrived in Birmingham1954
- WifeMother Birdie Miller, organist at the Ark
- Sent to pastor Manchester1965
- Settled in Manchester1970
- Consecrated bishopIn the 1980s, the same year as Gerald E Edmund and Martin H Simmonds