Chapel of the Cross, Chapel Hill, NC

The Johnson Intern Program was developed by a task force of the vestry in 2000 to provide a 10-month, AmeriCorps opportunity for young adult college graduates for vocational discernment, leadership training, and spiritual formation. Over a four-year period, 18 young adults participated in the program, providing staff support to a number of non-profit agencies involved in social justice issues in the Chapel Hill and surrounding community. The interns, although from several Christian denominations, worshipped with our congregation and actively participated in and contributed to a number of the activities in our parish.

Interns were not selected for the 10-month period beginning September 2004, because by the time of the recruitment deadline in 2004 sufficient funds had not been raised to support the program. Although too late for recruitment of interns for 2004-05, several generous contributions and grants from individuals and foundations were received that made it possible to continue administrative operations while the program was reorganized as a non-profit corporation with 501(c)(3) tax exemption. Under this arrangement the Johnson Intern Program is financially independent of the Chapel of the Cross, although still closely affiliated. For example, the bylaws provide that the Board of Directors is appointed by the Rector of The Chapel of the Cross. Consequently the program now functions under a newly appointed Board of Directors; five of the seven Board members are Chapel of the Cross parishioners. David Frazelle will serve as chaplain for the program.

The first responsibility and a significant challenge of the new Board of Directors is to raise the funds to enable recruitment and support of Johnson Interns who will begin their service in September of this year and to develop a strategic long-term plan for financial support in the years to come. This task is being carried forth with professional fund-raising advice.

Another and equally important task for the Board of Directors is the recruitment of a new director for the program. Mary Agnes Rawlings, who has been the director for the past three years submitted her resignation effective June 1, 2005. She has very effectively and faithfully led the program in critical years of its development and was responsible for the important collaboration with the Public Allies (an AmeriCorps program in Durham) that provided the interns with vital leadership training. Also, she has been instrumental in the effort to bring to our parish and our community the Servant Leadership Program and to make it available to the Johnson Interns as another dimension of their spiritual discernment.

It is remarkable that the Johnson Intern Program is the only program of its kind in our diocese for young adults and one of eight such programs in the Episcopal Church. We trust the Johnson Intern Program will continue to enjoy enthusiastic support from members of our congregation.

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