Johnson Intern Program

Marsha Anderson, Johnson Intern

Midway through our year as Johnson Interns, we have been reflecting on our experiences thus far, through evaluations at our placements at local non-profit agencies, through the creation of presentations of learning with our partners at Public Allies of North Carolina, and through sharing our experiences with interns from all over the country at our mid-year retreat. Not only was the retreat an opportunity to share with other interns, but it also gave us the chance to spend some quality time together, to re-form bonds, and to have a generally fantastic time in Los Angeles. There was time for prayer, time for reflection, time for collaboration and networking, and time for the antics of the interns to come out in full force (You've got to ask Tim to tell you his whale joke!).

The other interns at the retreat are participating in Episcopal programs similar to the JIP in Philadelphia, Boston, Dallas, Omaha, and Los Angeles. It was awesome to be able to identify with so many other young adults who are going through parallel experiences...sharing crazy stories from work, discussing future plans, and learning about the variety that is present in our programs. The internships all have a slightly different focus, which allows interns with different interests to pursue what they deem most essential for them. For example, the Pathways to Ministry program in Dallas, Texas, is almost entirely parish-based, while the interns in L.A. work 40 hours per week at a social justice agency. There are many varieties in between these two models, including our own Johnson Intern Program.

In Los Angeles, we stayed with all of the interns at a hostel in Venice Beach, which provided constant opportunities for fellowship and getting to know one another. We also spent a day working for Habitat for Humanity, hanging dry wall and digging trenches for pipes. It felt great to work hard for a worthwhile cause in the warm L.A. weather! After a day of physical activity, we spent the next morning in a spiritual workshop, making Anglican rosaries and exploring many of the ways to use them as tools for prayer. We also participated in a 'story prayer', in which you imagine yourself as a character in a story from scripture. We experienced worship at Holy Faith Episcopal Church, the beautifully diverse parish in Inglewood that established the first Episcopal intern program in the nation.

We also managed to squeeze in visits to the La Brea Tar Pits (thanks to Sarah!), Grauman's Chinese Theater, the Walk of Fame, Third Street Promenade, the Hollywood sign, and the Getty Museum.

Our mid-year retreat was a perfect opportunity to work and play hard, to collaborate with interns from around the nation, to experience a taste of California, and most of all, to take a weekend out of the middle of the year to reflect on where we have been and where we are going. We are now all back to reality, dealing with our placements, studying for the classes we are auditing at UNC and Duke, participating in our leadership trainings with Public Allies, etc. Life is good, and it is better because we got away from it all for a while.