Who is That Girl I See…?

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She sure as heck is NOT the same one who left on this crazy summer adventure traveling around to 7 different church camps, three months ago! The spark that was in my heart to do and be better, and teach people about my passion for human rights has been fanned and is now a full on fire. In order to explain this journey a bit better, I have The Steps to Making A Great Fire:

1. Gather tinder and kindling.

• My kindling started in college. I was an International Relations major, with a focus on social and cultural issues and Latin America. Much of what I learned and studied in school was about peace and justice issues. I chose these focuses because I felt that this was an untapped area and one that was particularly interesting and necessary to go deeper in. I learned about justice mechanisms for gross human rights violations and the kinds of problems indigenous people suffer through. I learned about the oppressive governments, the wars, and the strife that this part of the world encountered. I learned about international organizations, and what bodies like the United Nations are doing to address human rights issues. I learned about the people who wanted to see their world changed, so they worked towards making that happen. These topics inspired me and influenced my choice to apply for the Disciples Peace Fellowship Intern Program.

2. Start small. Get it lit.

• These topics supported me through college and I always knew that this is where my heart was, I just didn’t know how to get that spark glowing more brightly and put my training into action. Enter Training Week in Indianapolis at the Disciples Center… Whoa. This week was amazing! We met with and talked to some inspirational Disciples who are doing work both nationally and internationally, with the mission of working towards “wholeness in a fragmented world”. The Peace Interns were given the tools to be able to talk about Peace and Justice issues that can be found around the world and relate them to how the General Church is helping to combat those issues. We learned how to be the change within our communities, our regions, and the world. Through the church, I am able to put my passions and interests into practice. I am able to go places and work with people, talk about and be the one who brings up issues of change for the topics I am most passionate about.

3. Let it breath, fan the flames.

• I learned to teach and to explain human rights issues and I learned to discuss with high school students what I really means to stand in solidarity of an issue and advocate for causes that are bigger than ourselves. This experience will be an invaluable resource for the rest of my life! Because of this internship, I now have the confidence to speak about my passions and to explain the importance of making the necessary changes to combat human rights issues. The only question is… What’s next? I have been exposed to so many amazing organizations, missions, groups, schools, and people that I have no idea what my future holds anymore. I used to have a plan for the next 5 years, but yeah, that’s been shattered and replaced with so many other opportunities to actually make a difference in our world! I have so many options and there is not one potential path that would set me back! Everything I have been exposed to this summer has helped me to form my idea of what the future will look like, not only for myself but what the world will look like because of people like me who have a passion for making change and actually doing it.

4. Congratulations, you’ve started a fire!

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• I cannot believe that my summer is over already. I would do the Peace Internship program again in a heartbeat, which is a testament to the success of the program and I would love for other driven candidates to have this experience!

Good Afternoon, Good Evening, and Good Night

After General Assembly ended, the interns all split back up to go to our final camp of the summer. I had the opportunity to go to Cane Ridge West outside of Lincoln, Montana and was excited to spend some more time in an environment I know! I love Montana and was so happy to spend my final week up in the beautiful mountains.

 This was my smallest camp yet with only 13 campers, but they were all very involved and enthusiastic people. We had two small groups of 6-7 campers and it was really cool to have discussion with such a small group and really be able to go deeper into the theme of the day. We followed the Power Up curriculum and it was really awesome! We learned about imitating Christ through our actions, building a stronger community (both local and global) and how to remain strong in our faith.

One night, we watched the movie The Truman Show. I hadn’t seen this movie before and it was really interesting and spurred some great discussion topics. If you haven’t seen this movie, DO IT NOW! I love the concept and can’t help but wonder what it would be like to be living life completely blind to the outside world and to have your entire life, in a sense, scripted, without even knowing it. (The title of my post this week comes from this movie.)It wasn’t all work though! We tubed down the river and caught snakes, played noodle field hockey, had awesome campfire experiences (like boiling water in a paper cup, burning underwear, and having way too many s’mores!), played sardines outside and the watched the sun set, and so much more! This was a very exhausting camp just because we did so much outside each day! When siesta time came around, I was out like a light! I had a great time in Montana and enjoyed the director, other counselor, cooks, and campers! This was a great last camp to go to and share what DPF was and my role as the Peace Intern. I loved hanging out in the mountains and loved all that the Big Sky country had to offer! Now I'm off to Portland, OR to have one final retreat and debrief this amazing summer!

I'm Soarin'

As Troy and Gabriella so eloquently explain in the High School Musical song “Breaking Free”:We’re soarin’, flyin’. There’s not a star in heaven that we can’t reachIf we’re trying, so we’re breaking freeOhhhh runnin’, Climbin’. To get to that place to be all that we can beNow’s the time so we’re breaking free

This song became the unofficial theme song for myself and many others, (mainly because I wouldn’t stop singing it and it got stuck in everyone’s head!), but it fits in so well with the theme for General Assembly this year, which was “Soar”. The theme was based on a scripture in Isaiah and is very similar to this song. Isaiah 40 says, “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

The whole premise is based on the fact that through Christ we can do all things, we can walk and not collapse from being tired, we can run for miles and miles and be good to go, and we can soar like the birds in the sky because our faith, mind, and body are renewed in God’s love for us. I know that is what General Assembly is for many people, and I know it was that way for me.The worship services were so meaningful and the messages were empowering. Different preachers from different denominations provided the evening sermon and it was very neat to see that each style was not at all unfamiliar. They talked about doing more and being more and how as the church, it is our responsibility to help our neighbors, support our friends, and bring the love of God to people in a welcoming and supportive way. Bible thumping does not bring in new blood to the church, but loving and gentle actions do.The best part about Assembly was seeing all of my old and new friends. I loved hanging out with the other two interns, Celia and Will and after a long summer, we all had stories to share! I also saw at least the directors or keynoters or counselors and/or campers from each camp, and it was awesome to have these people come up to me and chat. I feel that I have made some amazing connections this summer and could not have asked for better camps to go too! I look forward to the next General Assembly in Indianapolis and am excited to see how much I have changed because of my DPF Internship!

All Things New

So this week was one for the books! We started out on Sunday, expecting to welcome campers to CYF 1 but were surprised with two separate fires close to the camp that closed the roads and made it unsafe for travel. So the directors, staff, and counselors came together to make sure every camper had a place to sleep, since many were already close to camp anyways, and delayed starting camp until Monday afternoon.We sadly lost a day, but quickly made up for it by literally hitting the ground running! This week was a whirlwind of new things and experiences for me. We did counselor bonding by climbing a tree, no really! This was awesome!

We were harnessed to ropes and repelled up and down a tree named Mr. Majestic. We also did a whole group hike on Wednesday, eating a picnic lunch at the top and venturing to see a waterfall. There was a log roll in the pool, which was super hard! It’s a log in the water that you can stand on and run on to move it (kinda like a cartoon) and it was really tough! We went on an optional sunrise hike Friday morning to Sam’s Peak, and it was pretty strenuous! I was really scared of falling off the side of the mountain at some parts, but we all made it up and down in one piece, and the view at the top was so beautiful! Finally, we did a wall climb. This wall was 12 feet tall and we had to get all of the campers, some of the staff, and counselors over it! Good gracious it was hard!

This week was so physically taxing and I have so many new bumps and bruises, but I also have so many amazing memories!So why do all these crazy things you may ask? Well, the theme of the week was “All Things New”, so how perfect was it that almost everything about the activities and the schedule was new?! This was a learning experience for everyone and the two directors of the camp, Sloan and Matt did a great job at incorporating the theme and making sure everyone was taken care of. The keynoter, Rev. BJ Barlow also had some fantastic keynotes and brought up many new ideas that I know I am still mulling over! 

I led a workshop on what DPF is and then we discussed what Human Rights are. This was a great activity and the campers were really engaged and interested in the topics that were brought up. Many questions were answered, but some were left unanswered for the campers to continue to think about. We discussed why human rights are violated and what they, as young adults, can do in their school and communities to promote the things they find important or to address the injustices they see. Overall, the activity was received very well and I loved talking about these issues with the campers.

Loch Leven is a beautiful camp, filled with such a strong community, and I am so glad I was able to be a part of this family for a week! I made some new friends, learned a lot of new things about myself and where I feel pulled, and the new experiences I now have sure outnumber the mosquito bites, bruises and scrapes I have! Thanks Loch Leven for restoring my faith in my journey and for opening new doors to all the possibilities that lay before me.

God is LOVE.

Camp Christian is located under an hour outside of Columbus and is run and maintained by wonderful staff. My flight landed in OH a little after midnight on the 4th of July and three wonderful Ministry Associates volunteered to pick me up and help get me settled. The Camp director was also a wonderful resource throughout the week and always checked in to make sure I had everything I needed.There are probably 10 or more church camps held throughout the summer and I am amazed at how smoothly every thing ran! Our camp, CYF Week 2 (two-two-cachooo) had a little over 50 campers, relatively small for their standards, but my biggest camp yet this summer. The Director and Assistant Directors did a great job at making sure everything went well and were so welcoming to me! 

I was continually impressed with the level of involvement and interest the campers showed about our curriculum and in my Peace and Justice workshops. There were two classes, The Will of God and a Study of the Book of Job. I helped to lead a class on the Will of God and I was a little nervous about that because I am not a biblical scholar. I don’t know God’s will, so how was I supposed to teach it?! But, it went so well! I was able to learn right alongside the campers and it was very interesting to hear and learn about other perspectives in regards to why things happen and if God has a hand in those events.

I also had the pleasure to lead a workshop to the same group of campers each day about different peace and justice issues. We made a labyrinth and talked about finding inner peace, we discussed topics about finding peace in our immediate world and finally, more broad topics of peace and justice. We also made Peace Cranes (paper cranes) that I get to take to General Assembly for Disciples Women, who will be collecting these birds with prayer requests and concerns on them. 

Finally, I led a whole group workshop on Hunger and Poverty and had the help of the wonderful Chrissy Stonebraker-Martinez and Blaine Kuss to explain advocacy and solidarity. Their help and former peace intern experience was invaluable and I am so glad that I was able to work with them and learn about their experiences!This was a very moving week for me and it was amazing to be surrounded by so many interesting, involved, and motivated Disciples. All of the counselors and staff were terrific leaders and I had a very memorable week at Camp Christian!

A Breath of Fresh Air

After a great week in Arkansas, reaffirmed that I was on the correct path, I headed across the country to The Community of the Great Commission camp, outside of the little town of Foresthill, California. This little northern camp was quite literally, a breath of fresh air! I was instantly engulfed in the mountain life! The dry air, the gentle breeze, the smell of pines and campfire, and mosquitos… So. Many. Mosquitos.

The students that came to this camp were equally fresh; their forward thinks ideals, ability to adapt to uncomfortable situations, and the challenging questions they had to answer proved that they were open, accepting, and willing to try new things. Many activities that the Keynoter, Rev. Michael Hamm, presented to us was uncomfortable at first but challenged us in so many ways to be more open. One such activity consisted of everyone standing in two circles facing each other, and staring into the person’s across from us’ eyes. For 45 seconds! At first time seemed to drag on and it was weird to stare at people, but once we got used to the activity, we learned to see God in the people we were looking at.

We were challenged to label ourselves, then to strip those labels off so that we could start fresh and be open to learning more about ourselves. This activity required us to think deeply about ourselves. At the end of the week, we labeled ourselves again to see how we had changed. It was incredible to see how people saw themselves differently at the end of the week and it was equally exciting to see the people who were new to camp grow and open up to the group in just one short week. I did a presentation on the Disciples Peace Fellowship and what my purpose was at their camp, and I was welcomed in with open arms. The campers asked great questions and many told me that being a DPF Intern is something they would be interested in when they get older! This was highly encouraging and I received a lot of praise for what I was doing from the directors, staff, and the campers. I am humbled by these affirmations and once again feel confident that this is what I am supposed to be doing.

My workshops were received well and the campers that attended were involved, interested, and excited to learn about the issues that plague the world. During my second workshop, we discussed issues that the campers wanted too. This was much less formal and it gave us the opportunity to discuss our thoughts on many problems.

The Community of the Great Commission is a home to many, from all walks of life, and I was so blessed to be a part of such a great family. I met amazing people and couldn’t have asked for a more refreshing camp to visit. Thank you so very much to the wonderful directors Jesse and Rachelle for welcoming me with open arms and to the staff for being so supportive and kind to me. I never felt like an outsider and am excited to see where these campers go in life, and hopefully share the DPF bond with some in the future!

Finding My Place...

 How can I compare camps? All of them are amazing in their own ways and by only being there for a week, I get a very limited, yet unique view of these DOC church camps. But to ask me, which camp I like best? Well that is a nearly impossible question to answer.

This past week, I have had the opportunity to visit Camp Couchdale in Hot Springs, Arkansas. I needed this camp. I had a rough weekend of travel getting to Little Rock, AR, and doubted myself and was worried I wasn’t making the impact I had hoped. If anyone knows me, you know that I want to save the world. I want to be the advocate for the rights of humans everywhere and I want to find where I fit in in this world. I know that’s a very utopian idea, but it’s my passion. I like sharing my passion with High School students and I love the DPF Internship because I can do what I love to do and discuss the issues I want others to know about. This is an amazing opportunity and each camp brings me new experiences and closer to where I think God wants me to be.

But this week, I really felt that I was right on track. This was the most restorative and rejuvenating week of my summer. I felt closer to God than I think I have in the past 4-5 years and I saw Him in every person I met. These people; in a state I rarely think about, with weird bugs that I learned to despise, who sing and dance and praise God uninhibited, were the kindest and most inspirational group of Disciples. They all had their own stories of how they got to where they are today and even though many are still searching for their place, they inspired me to do, and be better.The theme of the week was “What Do You Think?” and everything focused on developing our own opinions and thoughts about our beliefs and faith. This theme coupled with my topic of the week went together flawlessly as I challenged the campers to think critically about Hunger and Poverty.

I led a workshop on Hunger and Poverty to the whole group and many of the facts I shared surprised a few of the campers. As we discussed all of the obstacles people face around the world and in our own country, these smart young adults came up with solutions that could easily be implemented in their homes. I was so proud of the group for taking these issues seriously and for their interest in making a change, even a small one in their own communities.

By understanding the challenges that plague the world, we are able to make real changes. Everything starts small but by speaking with so many youth about these social justice issues, I am confident that this generation will be the drivers of change and acceptance in our communities.

Thank you Arkansas for helping me to find a place where I could be me, and for challenging me to look at my faith and figure out what I think. 

100 Hugs

This past week, I was at Camp Caroline in the lovely state of North Carolina. Even though I didn’t get to see much of the state, I couldn’t have asked to be in a better location because the camp is located on the beautiful and legendary Dawson’s Creek (Yes, the one from that angsty teenage drama show). Being right on the sound provided many new opportunities and sights for me! Jellyfish and porpoises are common visitors in the water, but unfortunately I was never in the right place at the right time to catch one! Oh well…Camp Caroline is run by some of the regions finest individuals and the staff, counselors, and directors were phenomenal. The directors, Diane and Mallory were great! They had prepared so much material for us to use in small group and with their diligence, camp went off without a hitch! The staff were so welcoming and available to help anyone with anything.

The camp manager, Casey, was a special and recent addition to camp. The camp honored him this week by ordaining him “Minister of Camp Caroline” (with a tie-dye stoll) for his dedication to the success of the camp and for his love of being with so many disciples who come to camp to be revived in their faith and beliefs. It was incredible to be a part of this very special ceremony! We also had a baptism for one of the staff members who had made the decision to affirm her faith and become a Disciple of Christ. These were once in a lifetime opportunities and I couldn’t have been more honored to share in these experiences with everyone who attended Camp Caroline.

The keynotes were about different faiths and how they relate to Christianity. Rev. Chris Furr and a guest keynoter, Rev. Randy Holste provided an inside look into religions like Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Fundamentalism and Atheism. I think it was extremely valuable to learn about all of the different traditions and beliefs of these other religions. It was surprising to discover that these religions are not all that different and that the core beliefs are all similar, even if the traditions and methods of worship are different and unique to each group.

All in all, I learned a lot and will be able to use much of the information provided in my future camps! I had a good turnout at my workshops and I’m happy to say that on one of the days, we made nearly 50 paper cranes for Disciples Women Ministries, that I will be depositing at General Assembly! These “birds of PRAY(er)” were super fun to make and I hope to have much more to bring to General Assembly!Thanks to everyone who made my week at Camp Caroline awesome and I look forward to continuing my journey in Arkansas!(Note: About the title, the camper’s closing ceremony is a giant hug circle were everyone gives and receives a hug, that’s 2 per person, and with 50 kids = 100 hugs! Warm fuzzies for everyone!)

Synonyms with the word “humid”: Georgia

This past week, I had the pleasure to be at Camp Christian right outside of Gordon, GA. Yes, this place was humid beyond belief for someone who is used to a very dry climate. But, I made the best of it (I think)! I know I complained about being hot ALL the time and then too cold when the air conditioning kicked on, but that’s really beside the point.

Camp Christian has a wonderful reputation within the Disciples community and everyone told me that it would be a great camp. It was. I met some amazing individuals who were so enthusiastic about camp and about the community. The campers were so intelligent and kind and were very involved in the workshops I provided. I had some tough topics to discuss and with each new workshop, I was surprised at the level of interest and involvement from the campers. They really helped to make me feel comfortable and welcome at camp. They even posed their own questions and even though I didn’t have all the answers, it spurred some great discussions.

I never felt like an outsider because the counselors were so good at keeping me involved. They always made sure I had everything I needed and taught me about the finer point of Georgian culture. Such as that the Cracker Barrel is the bee’s knees and Pimento cheese is good on anything, literally anything. I learned that I don’t really like grits and I am kind of bored with sandwiches for lunch. I also got praise from the campers. They said I was like Cheers wine (a soda pop from North Carolina) with the reason being that even though I wasn’t from Georgia, everyone loved me anyways. This affirmation helped to round out an overall wonderful week!The Directors put on a wonderful camp this year and incorporated the theme “Power Up” seamlessly! The Rev. Dr. Richard Voelz provided the keynotes, and I looked forward to his message each day. He discussed what happens when we actually start to listen to the Spirit and what happens when we are encouraged to seek out change and make a difference. He discussed the effects of poverty and hunger and how we need the fruits of the Spirit to lead fulfilling and meaningful lives, and finally how the wounded can become healers. The keynotes tied into all of my workshops and it was such a blessing to be able to discuss both my topic of the day and the keynoted in order to make the topics seem much more connected and relatable.

My week in Georgia was a great way to start off the summer! I enjoyed meeting so many people with so many different life goals. Each camper was unique and motivated in his or her own way, and I hope that I at least scratched the surface for them to start thinking critically about the problems our broken world faces today. I hope that they will also be involved in a part of the Disciples Ministry and continue to be advocates for peace in their own communities. Thank you Camp Christian for an experience I will never forget and for some new friends who helped me throughout the week and helped me see that the humidity is really not as bad as I made it out to be.

From sea to shining sea...

Hello Disciples World! My name is Briana Black and I am from Casper, Wyoming. I am a 2015 Disciples Peace Fellowship (DPF) Intern for the Summer at 2015! (I'm the goofy looking one in the center of the picture!)

 I have had the opportunity to be in Indianapolis, IN with two other Peace Interns, Celia Thomason and Will O’Brien,  to learn more about all of the wonderful things our denomination is doing and how I can be a resource for students all over the country. We have met with the General Minister and President, Sharon Watkins; have talked with Global Ministries; Disciples Home Ministries (DHM); the Center for Interfaith Cooperation (CIC); the Gay, Lesbian, and Affirming Disciples (GLAD); National Convocation; Green Chalice; Disciples Women; and so many more!

Our denomination has a very long arm, and are involved in so many wonderful organizations and events! I have met some amazing people this past week in Indianapolis and have learned about what Disciples are doing in the field and how they contribute to peace and justice across the world.

After training week, we three interns are headed off to all different camps to explain and promote peace and justice to our nation’s youth. We will hold workshops and activities all related to peace and justice issues of our choice and hopefully will plant some seeds of change! I am so excited to have the opportunity to discuss Human Rights issues that affect our own country and abroad. 

I look forward to visiting all the camps, meeting new and wonderful people, and sharing all of my experience! This is such an amazing experience and I am so thankful DOC has allowed me to be a part of such a cool group of people!

I will be headed to 7 camps from sea to shining sea! I am going to:

• Camp Christian- Gordon, GA
• Camp Caroline- Arapahoe, NC
• Camp Couchdale- Hot Springs, AR
• Community of the Great Commission- Foresthill, CA
• Camp Christian- Marysville, OH
• Loch Leven- Mentone, CA
• Cane Ridge West- Lincoln, MT