At a Congregational Meeting on April 24, 2022, we approved the recommendation of the PNC and voted for Kristie Meehan Miles as our new Pastor at Brick Presbyterian.
Kristie Meehan Miles was born in West Chester, PA and baptized at Westminster Presbyterian Church. She is the eldest of Gail and Andy Meehan’s four children. The family moved to Jamestown, NC when Kristie was 11 years old. They became members of Jamestown Presbyterian Church where Sunday School and worship, youth group, youth choir, clowning ministry, and hand bell choir were an integral part of life. Church was always a place of belonging, friendship, and safety. Kristie perceived a call to the ministry when she was 9 years old; that call has been unfolding in unpredictable and wonderful ways ever since.
Kristie attended St. Andrews Presbyterian College for two years and then transferred to UNC-Greensboro, where she majored in English Literature and Religious Studies. Kristie became a member of a small, vibrant congregation on the edge of campus, New Creation Community Presbyterian Church, under the prophetic leadership of Rev. Frank Dew. This small congregation has shaped Kristie’s understanding of what church can and should be: a place where all are welcome no matter one’s diverse identity, no matter the size of the congregation, and no matter where the “church” gathers.
During her time at UNC-G, she joined the “Presby House,” a Presbyterian Campus Ministry. It was with this wonderful group of students and intrepid leader Rev. Ann Jahnes that Kristie had the opportunity to travel to Iona, Scotland, Mexico, and Brazil. A one-week Pilgrimage to Iona turned into a three-month stint as a volunteer with the Iona Community in 1998. In 2000, Kristie returned to Scotland to live and work with the Iona Community for a year. That year on Iona was transformative and has deeply shaped Kristie’s understanding of church history, faith, liturgy, worship, and communal life.
After the year on the Isle of Iona, Kristie moved to Louisville, KY to earn a Master of Divinity degree from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. On the day that she moved onto the campus, she met her future husband, Brian Miles, who was finishing his studies and working as the Pediatric Oncology chaplain at the local children’s hospital. It was love at first sight! Their first two dates were double dates with Kristie’s parents who had come to Louisville to help their daughter settle in.
Kristie and Brian were married in June 2002. In November 2004, they welcomed their son Joseph. Brian and Joseph share a birthday! Joseph is currently a junior in high school but will be graduating this summer, ahead of schedule. He’s interested in math and science, especially health sciences. He loves playing on the Xbox and hanging out with friends. He’s got a great sense of humor and enjoys a good pun.
In April 2006, Brian went into end-stage kidney failure. Two months later, the family moved to North Carolina to be closer to family while Brian underwent dialysis and waited for a kidney transplant. In July 2008, Kristie was approved to be a kidney donor to Brian; Kristie has the right kidney and Brian has the left kidney. It’s a match made in heaven!
Once Brian and Kristie recovered from surgery, Brian took a job in New Bern, NC as a hospice chaplain. Kristie worked as a church secretary for West New Bern Presbyterian Church, later to become their Parish Associate. Kristie also worked as a hospice chaplain with 3HC (Home Health and Hospice Care Company). Both Brian and Kristie have found healthcare chaplaincy very rewarding.
In early 2014, Brian’s mother called, excited that there was a chaplain job opportunity in her hometown of Lynchburg, VA. It was a perfect fit for Kristie’s interests and skills at the time, and so she became the Director of Pastoral Services at Westminster Canterbury of Lynchburg Retirement Community. Kristie spent 6 terrific years there working with senior adults. During her time there, Kristie earned her certification in Thanatology (study of death, dying, and grief) and certification as a Montessori Dementia Care Provider.
Despite loving her work at the retirement community, Kristie still had a deep desire for congregational ministry and all of the things that entails: mission and evangelism, working with children, living alongside people of every life stage, and so much more. This passion brought Kristie to Westminster Presbyterian Church in Lynchburg since April 2020.
Kristie is very excited to bring her enthusiasm, creativity, and love for God to Brick Presbyterian Church and truly looks forward to getting to know everyone. Here is a scripture passage that gives Kristie confidence in the midst of transition, from 1 Kings 11:38 – “If you will listen to all that I command you, walk in my ways, and do what is right in my sight by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you.”