The 2022 DPF Peace Intern Summer is right around the corner!
Peace Intern Training Week will begin in Indianapolis on May 21! After spending a week of intentional preparation featuring training sessions led by denominational leaders and peace/justice advocates, the Peace Interns will spend their summer serving on camp staff at in-person Church Camps throughout the country AND having weeklong remote work projects that they do alongside justice ministry partners. The Peace Intern experience will continue through the end of the first week in August.
Disciples Peace Fellowship is overjoyed to introduce Isaac Ackerman, Sophia Barnett, and Erin Gresham as our 2022 DPF Peace Interns. Keep following this space (disciplespeace.org/follow-the-interns) for updates from the Peace Interns detailing everything they are up to this summer.
In the meantime, here is a small introduction for each of them!
Erin Gresham
(she/her/they/them)
Erin Gresham is a student at Phillips Theological Seminary in the Master of Social Justice program (MASJ).
Erin was born and raised in Mackinaw, IL and is a lifelong member of the Disciples of Christ calling Mackinaw Christian Church as their home congregation. A former XPLOR Resident, Erin lived and served in the DFW Metroplex while a part of that program.
Erin has a great passion for social justice in many areas, but they are most passionate in Queer rights and ministry. Erin writes, "Jesus fought for justice so there can be peace for all. Peace is a promise, a promise that the storms in our life have an end, a promise that we grow, a promise that we are loved."
Sophia Barnett
(she/her)
Sophia Barnett is part of the ministry team at Full Gospel Christian Church in Detroit. Born and raised in Detroit, Sophia is an avid traveler and entrepreneur with a passion for economic justice.
In addition to her work at the church, Sophia is a Financial Counselor, Restaurateur, Author, Teacher, and Hair/Skin Care-Expert.
Sophia writes, "I am interested in the DPF Peace Intern Program because I understand you have to be the change you wish to seek." Her areas of interest are Socio-economic injustices and rebuilding generational wealth within the African-American community. Sophia currently lives out that mission through her non-profit the Making A Child Change Foundation, and through her financial counseling firm Wisdom Financial Management.
Isaac Ackerman
(he/him or they/them)
Isaac Ackerman is the Head Resident at Disciples Divinity House at Vanderbilt Divinity School. Isaac is studying in the a Master of Divinity program with a concentration in religion and economic justice.
Isaac's Hometown is Morton, IL -- the pumpkin capital of the world! A graduate of Eureka College, they spent the year after university teaching English in Korea before returning to the states to be part of the XPLOR program in North East Ohio!
In describing their hopes for the summer, Isaac writes, "I see camps and conferences as deeply prophetic spaces. I come alive when we set a time to dream and rest from our typical lives and let our imaginations begin to wonder what we could do differently in the world."