Virginia Conference Welcomes June Miller

Virginia Mennonite Conference is delighted to announce our new Office Manager and Marketing staff person, June Miller. While June’s academic portfolio demonstrates a penchant for an acting career in a theatre, she has utilized her gifts and skills in various roles in a congregation, mission agency, and a conference. June worked for Mennonite Church Canada Alberta as Communications Coordinator. Her expertise in website, social media, developing brochures, video production, and event management made her invaluable to Tim Wiebe-Neufeld, Executive Minister.

June came into the Harrisonburg area with her husband Chad Miller, who is the new pastor at Ridgeway Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, Va. June and Chad have two children, Mackenzie and Hudson, and a dog named Max. They live in Harrisonburg, Va., and are beginning to learn to know our community. June describes herself as a tech geek. She enjoys puzzles and hiking. Her favorite food is chocolate and she dislikes liver.

Before the Millers arrived in Harrisonburg, I received a letter from June seeking employment opportunities. She recognized the challenge of finding employment during the pandemic. As the Executive Conference Minister, I was in the process of redesigning the staff position to be Interim Office Manager. Not knowing the financial capacity of the Conference, a quarter-time position was offered to June as the Interim Office Manager. As June became acquainted with our Conference office practices, she offered keen insight into ways that communication could become more effective with our constituency.

As of December 1, June was hired half-time as the Office Manager and Marketing staff person for Virginia Mennonite Conference. As we seek to communicate with various groups of constituents, discover ways to utilizes the tools of communication, and learn how our various audiences respond to various communication tools, we hope to find ways to increase our contact within our Conference and community. Please help welcome June into our Conference as you have opportunity to meet her and learn to know her as a staff person.

It is always exciting to read an individual’s resume. You learn about their educational attainment, their vocational track record, and the duration of service. June’s resume included teaching theater, managing a theatre ensemble, and a period of time in a service assignment in Denver, Colo., and in Tuapse, Russia, with Youth With A Mission. I always look for a staff person that has an endearing sense of humor, because it is essential these days in order to navigate difficult conversations, challenging leaders, and a perplexed constituency. I found the right person in June because she has a Certificate in Clowning from the Ohio Clown School. Do not be surprised if you see some rather delightful things coming out of the Conference office in the near future.