Katie Wingfield: How Do You #summitserve?
Music permeates Katie Wingfield’s life. You might recognize her from her vibrant demeanor, the dark, soulful timbre of her voice, or her consistent presence with two of the Summit worship bands: The Quints and Papal States. She and her husband Beau can typically be found at the Herndon campus, but serving with Summit worship sometimes sends her to the Waterford and Lake Mary campuses. Katie loves music and worship, and her voice is incredibly beautiful and captivating. She’s been a worship volunteer since 2010 and loves the opportunity it gives her to blend two things that bring her joy: serving and worshiping. She’s worked with Moniker Music Group, a music management company here in Orlando, for more than four years. Katie was born and raised in Winter Park and returned after graduating from the University of Florida. Most of her immediate and extended family lives here, and her family had been attending Summit while she was living in Gainesville. She decided to tag along one Sunday to see what the hype was about, knowing she’d be looking for a church once she moved home. After attending one service, Katie was hooked. “Between the message, worship, the church’s clear vision and values, and the warm congregation,” Katie recalls, “I knew this place would quickly become like home.”
When asked why she makes time to serve, Katie explains:
“Participating on the worship team can be a pretty big commitment—three-hour practices on Wednesdays, bright and early call times, and multiple services on Sunday—but I absolutely love every minute of it. It's an honor... It's an honor to be able to help create a space for people to meet with their Creator in their own way, whether that's by opening up an environment for people to sing at the top of their lungs in praise or to simply sit quietly and reflect on the lyrics and scripture because they're in a season where it's difficult for the words to come off their lips. From time to time, I'll have people come talk with me after service and share how the Lord moved them through a specific song. Sometimes it leads to bigger conversations where they open up and allow me to hear parts of their story. That's something special to be a part of. It's humbling.
“I love music and I love singing dearly—to think that Jesus gifted me with things that I enjoy so deeply as things that also glorify Him is wild. I'm baffled that God takes something as simple as music and transforms it into worship and us into worshipers through the process. Music is only one small example of this.”
Another part of serving that Katie enjoys is the opportunity it has given her to make great friends. She believes that volunteering is one of the best ways to build relationships, because there are opportunities to get to know someone when you’re working toward something together, and a life of service cultivates that.
If you’re interested in learning more about the service opportunities at your campus, check out the Serve at Summit page.
Guest blogger Sarah Joseph is a contributor to the Summit blog, SUMMIT MAGAZINE, and our Sermon Study Guides.