Rev. Casey Orr

Rev. Casey Orr

Where do you currently preach?
First UMC Fort Worth. I'm an associate pastor and we have several worship opportunities each Sunday. So I preach at any of them whenever I can!

Can you share the links to a couple of your sermons?

What is one sermon you preach?
I preach covenant. I frequently find myself reiterating God's faithfulness to covenant through biblical narrative. But also to God's faithfulness to each of us, at all times, in all circumstances. Which sounds like a baptism sermon...

What is another sermon you preach?
Authentic Christian community. Church being church. Our call to be a sanctuary and a mission outpost - a body that can be broken together, be nourished together, and be sent out together. I think I preach communion a lot, too...

What is another sermon you preach?
Since I've run out of sacraments to preach: Hope! Resurrection! The bigness of God's love and power.

What is the oddest experience you have had while preaching?
I was once preaching to a room of about 60-75 youth. I was on a roll. I was swept up. I was excited about the gospel. And at the height of my roll, an 8th grader raised her hand. This thrilled me. Even though it would break my rhythm, I love when teenagers engage and make preaching a conversation. So I called on her. And she just shouted from the back, "HEY. WHY ARE YOU WEARING SPARKLES TODAY?" I never wore that sequined jacket again. And come to think of it, I'm not sure why I ever wore it at all.

Who are preachers that you listen to?
I revisit the sermon archives of the pastor at my home church a lot. Dr. Howard Olds preached every Sunday until 3 weeks before he passed away in 2008, but his preaching and ministry had a tremendous influence on my life. The sermon given by Dr. Olds that I listen to most is "What Matters in the Light of Eternity: Life Matters" 

Nadia Bolz-Weber: I am so energized by her voice and influence. 

And Kid President. He's a preacher as far as I'm concerned.


WHY I THINK YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO REV. Orr:

Rev. Orr has a pedigree that most preachers want for themselves but most of us are not smart enough to obtain. Her training at Princeton Theological Seminary, while lofty to someone like me, does not isolate her to an ivory tower. She is one who is able to pull the abstract into the concrete. Her desire to connect the people with a genuine connection with the living Christ leads her to preach about the things that matter the most. As a manuscript preacher, you know that she has taken the time required to craft each turn of phrase in order to communicate as concisely as possible the message the God has given to her. There is a natural uptick in her tempo and tone half way through many of her sermons which seems to be a residue from the Rev. Dr. Howard Olds, who seemed to master this poetic-like rhythm. Finally, if you are looking for a three point and a poem preacher, Rev. Casey Orr is not your preacher. She is too drawn to the narrative nature of the Gospel story to be limited to bullet points.