Kyle Miller, a volunteer firefighter for the Burket Fire Department, was recently selected to be the chaplain for both his fire department and the Kosciusko County Fire Association. He feels this is God’s ministry for him after keeping the faith after his son’s death in 2

BURKET — Kyle Miller has found a new ministry.
Miller, a volunteer firefighter with Burket Fire Department, was asked to serve as department chaplain after the volunteer who was decided to step down. Then Burket Fire Chief Kevin McSherry asked if there could be a moment of prayer after the pledge at the Kosciusko County Fire Association meetings.

Miller was nominated and elected as chaplain of the fire association shortly thereafter. “I was tickled. I was more than happy there is prayer in our fire association. Prayer is so important,” Miller said.

He believes others saw how he leaned on his faith after the death of his son when seeking a chaplain. Miller is the father of Kurt Miller who died April 17, 2015, after he was pulled under his lawn and garden tractor and crushed. Miller was the one who found Kurt.

“I never blamed God. I think people saw his faith walk, like I said, Kurt was God’s before he was ours … It was all part of God’s plan.” Kurt was a junior firefighter and had attended the association’s monthly meeting the evening before he died.

Since Kurt’s accident, Miller has only missed one or two association meetings, “because he (Kurt) wanted to be there,” Miller said.

Miller was selected as chaplain only a few months ago. “I’m nobody special. I’m a sinner, the Lord has put some trials before me and I carried on,” he said. “Through it all, the faith is what got us through.”

As the new fire association chaplain, Miller would like to see each fire department in the county have a chaplain or members of faith who would be willing to get together once a month to pray for the county. Another thing he would like is “to see other department chaplains pray when they host the county meetings. That way it keeps the meeting within the hosting department.”

Miller admitted he was excited and nervous after being elected chaplain of the fire association. “I have no formal training per se as a chaplain. I read my Bible and go to church … but I know several other chaplains so I have connections if I get in a situation as well as my own pastor,” he said.

Miller is married to Melinda, who has her own ministry reaching out to other parents who have lost children. The couple have a son and daughter-in-law Kaleb and Kim who live in Iowa.