Hearing, responding and exploring God’s sense of call: Summer interns serve across conference congregations and ministries

Steve Kriss, Philadelphia Praise Centerskriss@franconiaconference.orgMy colleague Noah Kolb said that when Kaleem Kheshgi stood up to preach at Plains Mennonite Church on his last Sunday of the Ministry Inquiry Program that the church was quickly wooed and warmed by a youthful and irresistible smile. Kaleem, a native of Chicago, was one of over a dozen interns serving this summer with Franconia Conference congregations and partners. He’s part of a legacy of interns who have served with the Plains congregation over the past years. This summer Kaleem worked chiefly with the congregation’s park outreach, particularly with skateboarding junior high kids.At Oxford Circle Mennonite Church in Philadelphia, Emily Derstine, from the Plains congregation, served as one of two interns this summer. On the same Sunday that Kaleem was preaching at her home congregation 20 miles north in Hatfield, Emily was preaching in the city and leading an intergenerational interactive creative endeavor as part of the worship experience. During the week Emily worked with Eastern University student Celmali Jaime originally from the Bronx in the summer educational outreach programs.On the same day, Danilo Sanchez (Boyertown congregation) and Eveyln Kurniadi were helping with worship at Good Shepherd Community Church and Philadelphia Praise Center, respectively. Meanwhile Tyler Yoder from Goshen, Ind. and Emily Graber were also preaching, respectively, at Ambler Mennonite and Methacton. Eastern Mennonite University student Greg Blosser had preached his farewell sermon at Deep Run East the week before. And Brian Waidelich enjoyed his experience with New Hope Fellowship in Alexandria, Va., so much that he decided to stay on for the school year. During the weeks, Goshen College students Sheldon Good and Andrea Kraybill were serving alongside persons from the Nueva Vida Norristown New Life congregation at Assets Montco and Crossroad Gift & Thrift.These are just a few of the summer activities in what seems an overactive summer of service, leading and exploration. While serving alongside experienced leaders in congregations, ministries and the Conference itself, summer interns get a glimpse of congregational life while providing space for congregations to explore the questions and gifts of emerging leaders. Franconia Conference congregations are popular for service among college students in Mennonite colleges and universities because of proximity to Northeast corridor cities, openness to the pastoral leadership gifts of women and racial/ethnic diversity in Conference congregations.This summer our interns came from diverse backgrounds—speaking Spanish, Italian and Indonesian; ethnically Indian, Chinese and Pennsylvania Dutch. Both genders are well-represented. Some interns are studying toward pastoral and congregational ministry. Many of them are not. Some are new to Anabaptism. Others are steeped in the tradition through biological roots.Their service this summer was as diverse as they are. They served for a week in Pittsburgh’s North Side and worked diligently for the whole summer with immigrants in South Philly. They learned in Israel, Oaxaca and Morocco. They traveled by foot on historic trails, by plane, bike and Olds-mobile. They used SEPTA, the DC Metro, the Mexico City subways and Chinatown buses. They visited with mature members and wondered how to attract new members through evangelistic outreaches. They went to committee meetings and planned neighborhood block parties. They led Sunday school discussions and planned youth outreach events with Pentecostals.When I consider the fullness of experiences that I’ve seen this summer, the fullness of gifts, the fullness of question, the willingness to both contribute and to learn, I can only smile. I am wooed wondrously not only by the youthful activity and the preaching of this array of young leaders, but by the hopeful willingness of these emerging leaders to delve into communities (whether familiar or new) and to find themselves transformed anew by questions and affirmations, sensing the surprising love that waits in the midst of hearing, responding to and exploring God’s sense of call.