REV. Katie Meek

Where do you currently preach?
At Round Rock UMC 

Can you share the links to a couple of your sermons?
 January 11, 2015 and November 16, 2015

What is one sermon you preach?
I often paraphrase Leonard Sweet whom I once heard say something like, “God is already in the future, already knows what it looks like, already at work in it.  It is a redeemed future. And from that redeemed future the Spirit is calling us to step out in faith.”  This is a season when we are being challenged by a changing world to follow the Spirit of God into unknown ways of being and doing church.  It often causes the church fear and conflict.  But for me, it is freeing to consider that God’s vision of that future is already set.  We only have to listen to voice of God and take the next step in God’s direction.  It’s still risky.  It’s still challenging.  But it is also covered by the grace of God. 

What is another sermon you preach?
Shane Claiborne and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove say it beautifully:  “That’s the beautiful mystery.  We have a God who chooses to need us.  We have a God who doesn't want to change the world without us”  (Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers: Prayer for Ordinary Radicals).  Really two of my sermons are present in this quote (2 and 3).  The first is that God calls us to be builders of the Kingdom.  And so we respond to that calling with action on behalf of our neighbor and the world—acts of love, charity, and justice. preach the awesome and wonder of God's creation, and how we should take care of it.

What is another sermon you preach?
Walk with God (day by day, hour by hour) and follow Christ. 

What is the oddest experience you have had while preaching?
Two come to mind.  The first was in the small church where I started my preaching ministry.  One Sunday a wasp started to fly from the rafters.  After a moment I saw the congregation’s eyes begin to follow the wasp rather than the pulpit.  Like a good preacher I decided to ignore the distraction.  But about five minutes later, when I was sure that I had completely lost the attention of a good half of the congregation, I stopped and asked somebody to just go ahead and take care of the wasp already.  The second experience isn’t so much while preaching.  Once a dog came with it’s owner to the communion table.  Although I do believe in the redemption of all creation, I did not serve the dog. 

Who are preachers that you listen to?
I started listening to Adam Hamilton weekly about five years ago.  His mentorship has vastly improved my preaching.

WHY I THINK YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO REV. Meek:

It is immediately clear when you listen to Katie Meek that she has been given a joy that bubbles up through her voice. It has been shown that humans can hear a smile over the phone, and you can hear Katie's smile. Before you begin to think Katie's joy/smile is a sign that Katie is given some sort of sugary-sweet version of Christ's message of hope and justice, you may be surprised. In the several sermons that I have heard from Katie, there is a turning point where Katie's smile shifts and a prophetic edge or pastoral comfort is heard. Katie is one of the better preachers you will encounter who can convict and comfort in the same sermon. I am honored to share her voice with you this month.