Reflections from the Church and Society Fellows

Hye-In Lee

When I was working as an intern in Korea and in Japan, I sometimes had difficult time at the workplace because I was not able to know what is going on today, or this week, or this month. The position of intern sometimes does not give us the chance to participate in the staff meetings or in every event so it was not easy to follow or to learn anything and/or everything.

A different way to intern

It’s been three weeks so far, however, what I have learned from working with General Board of Church and Society is that my past intern experience was only one. The atmosphere at the workplace is so nice and bright. The staff never stops smiling although they can sometimes have lots of work or stress. They know how to share their work because they are experts in their work areas and they cooperate with each other to complete projects. Also, they always try to give us opportunities to see many things and to experience whatever we can do during our Fellowship. This helps me to develop myself in my work now. There is more to share but I will have another written entry for this later.

I hope to be changed

I can’t wait to see myself at the end of my internship. I expect to be different from today. I am so happy to work in this area which I am so passionate about.

David Joyner

Two mentors that influenced me

Two campus ministers from my time as a student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill had a significant impact on my spiritual development: Julie Poston and Ryan Spurrier.

During my time at UNC, I studied Political Science and was involved with Student Government. It became a real challenge for me to balance what it meant to live out my faith while learning about and participating in secular, governmental institutions. This quest for balance culminated in my junior and senior years, when our community was shaken by the murders of Muslim students and also saw growing tensions between ideological groups that led to peaceful but frequent protests. During these times, I found peace within the campus ministry and was welcomed into challenging but faithful conversations about how a follower of Christ would react in these situations. Talking with Julie and Ryan about my desire for a reaction led by faith informed how I responded during these times and were some of my first interactions with the intersection of Christianity and social justice.

Dennis Muzahuzi

The opening of the African American Museum

This week has been a bit different from the previous week. I experienced to the grand opening of the African American museum. It was a mind-blowing event. I couldn’t believe America had so many black people. That was the first time for me to see such a multitude of black folks outside Africa continent. I saw celebrities like Stevie Wonder, Patty Labelle, and many others I did not know.

Figuring out how to navigate the district

This week I was also able to find a fresh food market, though the prices were so inflated. I think I will stick to the usual grocery stores like Walmart that have reasonable prices. I am still trying to figure out the bus routes and how to get around DC. Hopefully, it will not take long till I figure things out. For some reason, I seem to be getting lost from time to time.

A community I have missed

Over the weekend I was glad to congregate with the Ugandan community in DC. It was the best highlight of the week for me. We sang songs in my local language and worshiped in the way I understand best. I was so thrilled because I had never experienced such a community since I came to the US four years ago. On the same note, there is a bible passage that has been ringing in my mind. I also shared it with my fellow Church and Society interns on Wednesday during our group check-in. Philippians 4:4-8, is a constant remind to me that God is always with us especially in down moments.

A learning environment

I was able to attend a planning meeting with my supervisor Pauline, and I had an opportunity to engage the facilitator during the Q & A session. It was a learning environment for me.

I am looking forward to more learning opportunities during my time with the General Board of Church and Society. It’s a great environment, and I feel surrounded by hospitable folks who are always willing to help. I can see that I am enjoying every opportunity that comes with working here.

Church and Society Fellows work with the staff of Church and Society full-time on a project. Fellows are required to do weekly reading, check-ins and blogging to reflect on their experience of living faith. Another aspect of this program is living in community. The Church and Society Fellows program is designed to encourage spiritual and professional development.