Bishop Emeritus Wayne N. Miller serves the synod part time until a new bishop is elected at the 2026 Synod Assembly. Bishop Miller served as bishop of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod from 2007 to 2019. Growing out of 23 years of congregational ministry, his administration was marked by a deep commitment to help the congregations and communities of the synod to embrace renewal, growth, and positive change.

In addition to leading the synod program staff, he preached and taught regularly in the synod’s congregations and shared his perspective and insight in his column for the synod supplement in the Living Lutheran.

Throughout his tenure, he was a member of the ELCA Conference of Bishops Task Force on Immigration Reform and was for 10 years chair of the committee on Ministry Among People in Poverty. He has served as a member of the governing boards of Advocate Health Care, Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, the We Raise Foundation, and is currently a trustee of Carthage College, Kenosha, Wis.

Prior to his election in 2007, Bishop Miller served as the senior pastor at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Aurora (1994-2007). During this time worship attendance grew from 250 to 550. In addition, he facilitated social outreach and community involvement through broad-based community organizing and various social service ministries.

He was born in Chicago in 1950, and has lived most of his life in the Chicagoland area. He holds an undergraduate degree in music, and for a time was a professional member of the Chicago Symphony Chorus. He has been married to Pamela Miller since 1980; they have two grown sons.

In addition to his previous parish duties, Miller was a member of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod Council. He has been an adjunct instructor of Christian Thought at Aurora University, a founding board member of Suicide Prevention Services of the Fox Valley, and a member and presenter for a special judicial commission on Domestic Violence in the Faith Community.