(AFRO NEWS) The Rev. Dr. Melanie Rogers Miller shattered the glass ceiling on July 27 at the 52nd General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (AME Zion) in Greensboro, N.C., by becoming the second woman ever elected as bishop in the church’s 228-year existence.
She is now the only living female bishop within the denomination.
Miller’s path to the bishopric began in 2018 when she launched her campaign for the 2021 election. She acknowledges it was an uphill battle as many people didn’t know her, and she was not elected.
Campaigning again in 2022 for the 2024 election, her second effort gained global momentum as she continued with the original slogan, “Traveling the globe to capture the heartbeat of Zion.”
Highlighting her relentless determination, she declared, “I visited five continents, 42 nations, 42 states, and 350 AME Zion churches,” making her presence known far and wide.
Out of 17 American candidates—14 men and three women—Miller was one of five elected, winning with a two-thirds majority from the 668 delegates that voted, 70 percent of whom are women, marking a major milestone in her journey.
Bishop Eric L. Leake, secretary of the Board of Bishops of the AME Zion Church, where Bishop Miller serves as his assistant and colleague, remarked that she is already a “valuable asset to the Board of Bishops.” He praised Miller for her “class, commitment, wisdom, and dedication,” noting her deep concern for others and her strong work ethic. He added that she is “humble, not haughty,” and in this election, she was “intentional about making sure she was known.”
Leake mentioned that in AME Zion elections the focus can sometimes lean more toward “popularity” than “qualification.” He noted that, historically, “it’s been a male-dominated board, and people are used to electing men.” However, this time, “the general conference was intentional about electing Melanie Miller as a bishop.”
Bishop Miller also acknowledged the male-dominated system, noting, “We elected our first woman bishop in 2008,” referring to Bishop Mildred Bonnie Hines, the 98th bishop in the line of succession of the AME Zion Church, who passed away on May 23, 2023. In 2024, 16 years later, “I’m the 110th bishop in line of succession.”
The Rev. Dorothy A. Patterson, pastor of Wallace Temple AME Zion Church in Bayonne, N.J., alongside Miller’s husband, the Rev. Jimmie L. Miller Sr., presented her for consecration.
“What Bishop Miller is carrying right now is life changing,” Patterson said, and “I am so absolutely filled with joy and have this attitude of gratitude to God first for helping us be able to mobilize in a way where we understand that it was time.”
Patterson described Bishop Miller as a person of integrity, humility and genuine care for others. She emphasized that Miller will work consistently, effectively, and transformatively—not for personal recognition, but to uplift God’s people and bring about positive change in the lives of those in local churches.
“She believes in the sacredness of the church,” she added, “and the holiness of the body of Christ. Those things are essential.”
Patterson concluded that Bishop Miller’s election prompts the AME Zion Church to explore new areas and perspectives, recognizing the greatness within Zion not only in men but also in women, many of whom are equally qualified.
Bishop Miller has been appointed to oversee the Western Episcopal District, encompassing Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Alaska and Colorado. She will continue serving as pastor of St. Paul AME Zion Church in Ewing, N.J., until the end of September while a new appointment is finalized. She and her husband will reside in Chicago until their Episcopal residence on the West Coast is arranged. Rev. Miller serves as a supernumerary at St. Paul AME Zion and is the first male missionary supervisor in the AME Zion Church.
Bishop Miller encourages women aspiring to leadership roles to have courage—courage to lead with confidence, trusting that God is with you, that He called you, and that you’re doing His work. She advises building a strong support network and supporting other women. Miller also emphasizes the importance of standing up to challenges or systems and navigating through them. Most importantly, she highlights the courage to deny yourself, pick up your cross, and follow Jesus.
According to the St. Paul AME Zion website, Bishop Miller is now retired from the U.S. Navy, where she served as a chaplain. She is a prolific preacher, speaker and teacher of the Bible, having ministered across the U.S. and internationally, including in Angola, Japan, Europe and the Caribbean. She earned a doctorate in higher education from Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Va., and a doctor of ministry degree in biblical interpretation and proclamation from Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, Ga.
She also holds a Master of Divinity degree from Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University and a bachelor’s from Old Dominion University.
Miller began her pastoral career in 2005 at Sycamore Hill AME Zion in Gatesville, N.C. She was appointed pastor of Martin Temple AME Zion in Compton, Calif., in 2010, and Varick Memorial AME Zion Church in Hackensack, N.J., in 2013, where she served until her appointment to St. Paul AME Zion Church in Ewing, N.J. in January 2022.
A native of Paterson, N.J., Miller and her husband have three sons—Jimmie Jr., Jerome and Jason—one daughter, Jetaime, and a nephew, Lamar. They are grandparents to 11, including seven granddaughters and four grandsons.
Bishop Miller’s victory highlights the growing role of women in leadership within the AME Zion Church.
First published August 18, 2024
