Spring has sprung, Caldwell. The trees are budding. Pollen is falling. Birds are chirping. And Caldwell’s Hope Committee is abuzz with preparation for the Gambrell Hope Social Justice Internship Program.
We host up to 5 college students each summer. Interns are placed with a partner organization involved with a social justice issue (like Habitat for Humanity, Roof Above, etc.); they work there 3 days a week and are with us for 2 days a week.
If you want to today’s title question – “Wanna get to know an intern?” – in the affirmative, there are several ways you can get involved:
*Join the Hope Committee – attend meetings; provide input on the programming and process; help select interns; assist with the Pals and Sunday night dinner programs.
*Serve as a Pal – each intern will connect to the congregation through an official Pal who together represent the diversity of Caldwell. Pals meet with interns on a regular basis and share their faith stories. [Note: Pals are not supervisors—the Caldwell advisory committee and the interns’ placement organization supervisor will mentor interns in the performance of their responsibilities.]
*Be a Sunday night dinner host – Hosts can invite the interns as a group to their homes or bring dinner to eat at Caldwell. Hosts should be teams of 2-3 Caldwell members/friends, and should represent the intersectionality of Caldwell as best as possible. Each member of the host team will be asked to share their faith journey and how it led them to Caldwell. This sharing should be brief and the host team should encourage questions/discussion with the interns.
*Help set up/take down welcome and good-bye receptions – On Sunday, June 4th, we’ll welcome the interns to Caldwell in worship and through a welcome reception after church 😊; on Sunday, July 30th we’ll say good-bye to our interns in worship and through a thank-you reception after church ☹😊. We’ll need help with setting up and clean-up before and after the reception and with other pre-planning (ordering gifts for the interns, etc.)
*Prayers – As always and in all things, we need prayer. Please pray for these students, the Hope Committee, and for this program.
We are grateful for the opportunity to share what God is doing in this wonderfully unique body of Christ, and we pray that these students take what they learn here and share it wherever God leads them.
Thank you for your prayerful consideration of these opportunities and for your continued work as the hands and feet of Christ.
For questions or interest, please contact Helen Hull at nchelen2012@gmail.com or 704-806-1410.
Between now and the arrival of our Hope Summer interns, we will welcome and host Ryan Atkinson, a student at Union Presbyterian Seminary here in Charlotte, for his Spring II term internship. Ryan will be with us from today until June 17th.
Ryan comes to us with extensive experience in church work and church leadership. Most recently he served at Quail Hollow Presbyterian Church as their interim minister during that church’s pastoral search process. Further, he has served alongside the Reverend Dr. Amantha Barbee as she has transitioned into her role as the new Senior Minister there at Quail Hollow. Ryan’s home church is Statesville Avenue Presbyterian Church, here in Charlotte.
Ryan’s focus during his internship is Christian formation and education. Ryan will join us in worship on Sunday morning and sometimes be involved with worship leadership. He is excited to dig in and get to know us, walk alongside us, learn from us, and teach us some of what he knows about ministry and service in the reign of God. We look forward to all that Ryan brings to Caldwell.
Caldwell, look for him in worship this coming Sunday and get ready to give him our usual open-armed, loving Caldwell welcome.
Wanna get to know an intern, Caldwell? Then roll up your sleeves and get ready not only to shake hands with these soon arriving interns, but also to join hands with them in the work that God has called us to do in this faith community, this Charlotte community, and beyond.