My Week at Camp Laurelview

From Kentucky to Pennsylvania, my DPF journey took me on long, winding roads back to my home region’s Junior/Chi Rho Camp.

Although it was West Virginia’s youth, we had the exciting experience of utilizing the Pennsylvania Region’s campground at Camp Laurelview!

Staying on a new (to us), beautiful campsite was great, but seeing the familiar faces of my home region was even better!

This week was packed full of adventures, including a hiking trip to Cucumber Falls at Ohiopyle State Park!

Many of the days brought heavy rainfall, but that didn’t slow us down. We found peaceful moments indoors together, featuring a movie night, dancing, family games, and countless crafts!

When we finally got some sun, the kids delighted in a major fishing tournament and water balloon extravaganza.

In our more quiet moments, I had the opportunities to lead labyrinth walks, Vespers services, and Fruit of the Spirit games.

In our not-so-quiet moments, I gladly led the campfire songs that I grew up singing amongst my West Virginia camp friends.

I never grow tired of passing along the traditions of my own camp summers, and feel beyond blessed that my DPF summer provided time for me to connect back with my home camping programs.

Next week I will continue my West Virginia travels to Bethany College for West Virginia’s CYF Conference.

I suppose all I can say now is, “Country Roads…” well, y’all know the rest.

Peace!

My Week at Kamp Kaleo

“Hello World, it’s morning at Kaleo.
The Sun is shining bright!
The spirit’s moving this morning in Kaleo.
And I think I’m doing alright!
”

First week of my DPF summer camp experience started out great!

Kamp Kaleo is a beautiful campground in Burwell, Nebraska where I got to spend the week trying new tye-dye techniques, tubing, tanking, doing a scavenger hunt, and sharing my workshops with campers and staff! Growing up, I was not a camp kid. But after just one week at church camp, I now understand why it was so hard for my little sister to come home after a great camp week! I could float down the river in a tube at Kaleo forever!! It was so peaceful to feel the warm sun, and the cool water. All while letting the river take you to your final destination, and being able to look at the small waterfalls and laugh with fellow councilors along the way! 

I was so excited to share my time with the youth at Kaleo! I was asked to lead multiple meditation sessions where I helped campers and counselors practice meditation in ways that they may have never tried before. I got to lead two workshop groups doing an activity that really engaged staff and youth to think about how the Israeli occupation in Palestine separates and labels Palestinians in the Holy Land. I also got the chance to collect signatures to support the Korean Peace Appeal and lead a vespers service on peace!! 

During Peace Intern Training Week, we all discussed things we wanted to mention in each of our blog posts- where we had the best s’mores, where we had a memorable camp meal, an activity we got to experience for the first time. Well, I want to keep you all updated on the really tasty camp snacks I got to try at each camp! I also LOVE popcorn; especially the outrageous and creative flavors that are out there! So, I also make it a priority at the airports I travel through or the local shops near camp I visit, that I get some new tasty popcorn flavors to try! So keep an eye out for all the tasty things I get to eat this summer! 

  • Camp snack at Kamp Kaleo:
    Peanut butter Nasties!! These are cheerio bars mixed with peanut butter and a little corn syrup. YUM! 

  • Popcorn I tried in Indianapolis (during training week):
    Dill Pickle popcorn 

  • Popcorn I got at the Chicago Midway airport on the way to Nebraska:
    Caramel popcorn with cashews 

During the week, I learned and engaged with new camp traditions that Kaleo does. Before every meal, they sing a different grace (each written and created by campers and staff) and each grace is sung to a popular tune. We sang graces to the tune of Taylor Swift’s Shake it Off, to the tune of Johnny Appleseed, and even the Flintstones. One of the nights before vespers, Kamp Kaleo does skits that the campers come up with together, called “bag skits.” Every summer there is a mission that the camp focuses on and collects offerings for. The mission this summer was collecting offerings to help churches create natural disaster relief kits and send them to families in need of basic necessities. It was so much fun watching the campers create a skit with so many different props, while also raising money for a great cause they learned about. 

At the end of the camp week, family group leaders had the campers write letters to their future selves, so I also wrote one. It was very calming to write a postcard to myself about the new things I got to experience at Kaleo! I can’t wait to get my letter back next year and see all of the little jokes and memories I wanted “future Marci” to remember! 

Thank you to everyone who helped me get to Kamp Kaleo, and let me stay in your homes! Thank you to the staff at Kaleo for inviting a Peace Intern onto your holy ground for the week! It was truly an experience I will never forget. 

My Week at KBY

Camp Week #1 took me to a 40-acre campground, featuring hiking trails, hammock pavilions, and countless water sports along the beach of Kentucky Lake. This camp has an activity for everyone, whether it's outdoor table tennis, gaga ball, tetherball, four square, fishing, canoeing, sailing, basketball, or a craft in the most organized recreational space I've ever seen...if you guessed that I was talking about Camp Kum-Ba-Ya, you would be correct! 

My week at KBY was nothing short of special, where I was welcomed into a tight-knit group of Chi Rho campers and their stellar staff. We kicked off on Sunday night with counselor training and worship, where we left our apprehensions for the week behind and turned our focus to the camp's theme: Faithful Fruit, emphasizing nine fruits of the spirit that would guide our curriculum each day. 

On the topic of fruit, I would be remiss not to leave a special thanks here for KBY's kitchen extraordinaire, Ellie, who went above and beyond feeding us home cooked meals every day. She even went out of her way to make me my own individual entrees on days where my dietary restrictions would have limited my choices. I can't say enough "thank you’s” for how Ellie made me feel so welcomed and overly accommodated. P.S.: Ellie, if you ever release your secret turkey roast recipe...please call me first!!!

Anyways...

KBY was a week that balanced comforting camp traditions with exciting new experiences. I enjoyed learning new campfire songs and singing the ones I grew up hearing, playing familiar games as well as navigating the rules of "blob tag" (a game that truly builds teamwork), and even found time to sit on the beach reading a book, followed by a sailboat ride! Truthfully, there is no time for boredom when you're at Camp Kum-Ba-Ya! 

The last full day at camp was one for the books, with a number of KBY traditions on the schedule to end the week with a bang. Campers and counselors alike spent much of their spare moments writing "Warm Fuzzies" for one another, which are kind notes to those who impacted our week. Each camper and staff member designed a bag with their name on it, hung it up, and patiently waited as the bags filled up with letters of gratitude and appreciation. Opening my Warm Fuzzy bag was the perfect close to a week spent building new friendships. We wrapped up the day with a major beach party, where canoes were filled to the brim with ice, desserts, and sodas that the campers were thrilled to see, hot dogs were roasted on the campfire, glow sticks illuminated the lake for night swimming, and all of the favorite songs were sung as loud as can be. If I could guess, I would say everyone went to bed that final night exhausted and filled with joy. I sure did. 

Thank you KBY for the perfect start to my summer! I am grateful for the connections I made, the things I learned, and of course, for their newly installed air conditioning! 

Peace!

Training Week Reflections from Marci

Training week in Indianapolis was absolutely amazing! I got to hang out with the other interns: Kaylie and Grace, and I really do feel like through our week together, I made two new best friends!

As a cohort, we interacted with 24 ministry leaders connected to the larger denomination and discussed how we can implement social justice advocacy into the church camps we visit this summer. Towards the end of the week, I even got some down time to grab some dinner with my previous lacrosse coach and catch up on the summer so far! The 2023 cohort also got some time out to experience Indianapolis, Indiana! We ate at local restaurants, shopped at small businesses, and went to Top Golf! 

Through bonding with Grace and Kaylie, it became easier to talk about difficult things and ask hard questions throughout various training sessions. Through the guidance and leadership of DPF Mission Director Rev. Brian Frederick-Gray and 2023 Peace Intern Chaplain Rev. Sarah Zuniga, I got to experience interactions that I would have never been able to otherwise. DPF has connections with the larger church to do amazing and life changing work! Through these connections, we learned about ministries with AllianceQ, Green Chalice, NAPAD, Obra Hispana, Disciples Home Missions, and so many more! (This is where I encourage you to come to General Assembly and meet our partners!) 

Something significant I learned during training week is how important delivery is when it comes to things we are passionate about. Learning about hard topics that carry charged language and personal experiences is difficult for anyone. How a topic is discussed, presented, and engaged with is so important, especially starting with its delivery. Through boundary trainings and a Peace Practices Resource called “Singing to the Lions,” we learned crucial ways to speak to youth about hard topics that may come up this summer. 

Having been through training week, what excited me most is the amazing networks and connections I will make this summer! Not only with the faith leaders we will get to interact with again at General Assembly, but also those at the various camps who share similar passions as me!

This summer is only just beginning and I cannot wait to share everything with you! 

Meet 2023 DPF Peace Intern Marci Mazza-Fredley!

Hey Y’all! My name is Marci Mazza- Fredley (she/her) and I am so excited to be one of the three 2023 DPF Peace Interns! I am a rising senior at Bethany College in West Virginia, majoring in Political Science, with a minor in religion and social justice. I am from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the city known for having the most bridges! 

When I am not studying for classes, it may be hard to find me because I keep busy on my off time! Two places I find myself quite often is on the lacrosse field, or at the Oglebay stables. I play defense for the Bethany’s women’s lacrosse team, and I am on the Hunt Seat Equestrian team!

I am also the Pennsylvania Region’s Youth Ministries Intern, so I take time to plan and organize all staff and events for the summer at Camp Laurelview in Rockwood, Pennyslvania. Sometimes I fill in as pulpit supply at various West Virginia and Pennsylvania Disciples of Christ churches on Sunday mornings. I love being able to write sermons and share the word of God through an academic and equitable lens. This is something that I focus strongly on in my minor at school! 

Something interesting about me is that I recently adopted two kitties from a rescue shelter in Pittsburgh! I named them Yallah (meaning “hurry, let’s go) and Jameela (meaning “beautiful”). These are the first two words I learned in Arabic while I was in Palestine last week! They joined our family with warm welcome from our two pups, Mike, and Mercury! 

Last week I took a trip with other third-year Higher Education and Leadership Ministries fellows to Palestine! Every third-year cohort takes an international trip together to learn about and experience other cultures, while exploring our own faith journeys. While in Palestine and Israel, I realized that sharing the stories and experiences of our Palestinian brothers and sisters is vital to the work of the larger church. Which is why I will be focusing on the apartheid happening in Palestine through my work this summer with DPF.

Something I am really excited for this summer is to not only share my experiences with campers and lead workshops, but to also learn from the campers too. I am a firm believer that we are always learning; even when we are in positions as teachers and leaders, there are always new things to learn and experience!! Which is one of the big reasons I wanted to be a DPF Peace Intern. I want to continue my faith journey in all spaces social justice related, but also learn from every environment around me.

I started my activist journey as a high school student, and all I ever wanted was to be included in the larger conversations centered around equality and justice. Now more than ever, youth are becoming more aware of the world around them, and rather than encouraging them away from these passions, we should be inviting them to the table for these vital conversations! 

Meet 2023 DPF Peace Intern Grace Dearhamer!

Hello everyone!  My name is Grace Dearhamer (she/her) and I am from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.  This upcoming year will be my senior year at Eureka College in Eureka, Illinois where I am double majoring in philosophy/religion and psychology/sociology with a minor in criminal justice.  

In my free time I like to go to the movie theater, try all kinds of caffeinated beverages, eat lots of chocolate chip cookies, and roller skate!  I am so excited to explore the larger Disciples of Christ denomination this summer while visiting unique camps all over the place!

While at school I get the amazing opportunity to serve as a youth ministry intern at Eureka Christian Church alongside my partner Hayden Skaggs!  Working with such wonderful kids is so fulfilling and quite possibly the best “job” ever.  Rev. Jennie Churchman has even entrusted me with the pulpit as a guest preacher! Being involved in youth group when I was a kid is what helped me discover the joys of summer camp.  I remember the first time that I got to meet a Peace Intern and I thought it was the coolest job in the world!  I am so excited to be the Peace Intern that gets the pleasure of inspiring incredible kids at camp throughout this summer.  

This summer I will be sharing the importance of intellectual hospitality and intercultural understanding with campers across six different camps.  Engaging with ideas and cultures that we may not understand helps us to flourish as individuals and better understand the world from many different perspectives.  These ideas were introduced to me in both my childhood and my adult life.  As a kid, my family moved from place to place quite a lot and we even lived in London, England for about four years.  Interacting with so many different cultures taught me the importance of understanding the lifestyles of others.  I am so grateful that I was exposed to such amazing experiences so early in my life.  As a college student I am pushed every day to not only welcome new ideas but to encourage them.  To better understand ourselves, we must understand others.  I am so excited to build relationships with campers and hopefully guide them on their faith journey along the way!

Training Week Reflections from Kaylie Allen

Training week was an exciting time to meet our fellow interns and those who will be guiding us along the way, most notably including our DPF Mission Director Brian Frederick-Gray and our Peace Intern Chaplain Sarah Zuniga.

Our intern cohort connected with 24 church leaders throughout the week, both via Zoom and in person, and learned more than I thought possible about our denomination and about ourselves as Disciples Peace Interns.

I was thrilled to spend the week in my own city of Indianapolis, where we were graciously hosted by Allisonville Christian Church in their newly renovated guest house. Not only did we enjoy great fellowship with great company, but we even did so at some of my favorite Indianapolis restaurants! Our cohort connected over home cooked meals, oat milk lattes, local pizza, late night ice cream, cooking tv shows, and even a round of Top Golf when we had the time to spare!

Most of all, we grew in our faith and challenged ourselves with difficult conversations and eye opening training sessions. One of my favorite afternoons was spent at former peace intern and current Disciples Overseas Ministries Vice President for Administration and Programs Krista Johnson Weicksel’s home in Franklin, Indiana, where we learned numerous “Singing to the Lions” workshops to share with our camps. Singing to the Lions offers a variety of interactive games, discussion topics, and engaging activities that can be introduced to any age group at any camp. Krista even encouraged us to practice leading workshops for one another in her beautiful backyard, where she shared many insightful tips for our summer as peace interns.

This was an especially special day for me, as my family hosted Krista in our home one summer when I was young, while she traveled in a similar capacity as I will travel in now.

This was just one of the many exciting days in an exhaustingly encouraging week of training. I look forward to seeing how each of our resources plays out in the many camps we will attend, and know that our days of training will be well worth it as our summers unfold. 

A Peace Intern in Palestine

Marci Mazza-Fredley at the Indianapolis International Airport, en route to Palestine

Disciples Peace Fellowship is so excited that 2023 DPF Peace Intern Marci Mazza-Fredley will begin her Peace Intern Summer with an international trip to Palestine!

Marci is a Higher Education and Leadership Ministry Scholar. Year three of the HELM Scholars program focuses on Global Awareness and includes an international trip for the students. This year’s cohort will spend five days in Palestine.

Traveling mercies, Marci! We can’t wait to hear about your trip your experiences.

Meet 2023 DPF Peace Intern Kaylie Allen!

My name is Kaylie Allen (she/her) and I live in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. I am a full time law student entering my third (and final, yay!) year at Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law.

I am originally from West Virginia and graduated from Bethany College in 2021 with a Psychology and Criminal Justice degree.

Outside of the classroom, I enjoy reading, visiting my parents, and searching for new favorite coffee shops. My two year old puppy, Ruby, often tags along and appreciates learning which places have the best dog treats or “pup cups”. Leaving Ruby will be the hardest part of my intern summer, but I am excited to embark on this journey, and she is excited to be spoiled by her grand-paw-ents while I am away!

I have never missed a single year of church camp and am thrilled that my favorite summer tradition will be continuing, only in a new capacity. My goal is to share my lifelong love of camp with each group I meet, not only through silly campfire songs and games, but also through peace and justice workshops. My focus will be on healthcare access and disparities awareness, which I hope will bring new knowledge and perspectives to all who engage.

I know that this summer will bring many joys and challenges, all of which will further my own faith journey and hopefully those of the people I meet along the way. I am eager to kick off my travels on June 4, and look forward to spreading words of peace and justice, sharing in new communities, and maybe even finding the world’s best s’more along the way!

Commissioning Prayer for the 2023 DPF Peace Interns

This morning the good folks at Allisonville Christian Church welcomed the 2023 Peace Intern to Sunday morning worship where they were blessed with a Commissioning Prayer.

DPF is so thankful for our partnership with Allisonville Christian Church. Once again this year the Peace Interns are staying at the Retreat House at Allisonville (right on the church’s grounds!) for their Training Week. Thank you, thank you, thank you Allisonville!

For folks who are curious about the Commissioning Prayer, here are the words that were offered for Marci, Grace, and Kaylie:

A Commissioning Prayer
for the 2023 DPF Peace Interns

The Disciples of Christ Peace Fellowship is a ministry of our denomination whose mission is to “live out the Gospel imperative for peace and justice.” The Peace Interns are young adults who provide educational and program support at church camps and other church-related assemblies and events about peace and justice issues. They will serve as counselors, teachers, and resource-people- modeling the life of peace-makers for youth and adults alike wherever they go. This year, there are three of them, Kaylie Allen, Grace Dearhamer, and Marci Mazza-Fredley.

This week is Training Week for the Peace Interns – an intentional time of preparation, relationship building, and resource development so that they will be ready for their Peace Intern summer experience.

An important part of that preparation is a prayerful commissioning! As they go forth on their journeys in peace and justice this summer, may we offer this prayer of blessing over these three young people as they carry out their mission and ministry.

Let us pray…

Holy One,

   you are the source of all blessings,

   the center of justice,

   the wellspring of hope. 

We give you thanks for the 2023 DPF Peace Interns:
    Kaylie Allen, Grace Dearhamer, and Marci Mazza-Fredley. 

We ask that your guiding hand might be upon them this summer as they go forth as Ambassadors for Peace and Justice. 

   Open their hearts.

   Inspire their witness.

   Safely guide their journeys. 

   Give them courage, strength, and resilience. 

   Bless them with compassion and grace, insight and understanding. 

We are grateful for the unique paths that each one of them has followed to this moment. We are thankful...

   for their passion,

   for their enthusiasm,

   for their prophetic voices,

   for their hope,

   for their dedication,

   for their faith,

   for their willingness to serve.

In a life-changing summer filled with any number of unknown twists and turns we know that you will be with them every step of the way. May they be surrounded by the love and support of their siblings in the faith who care for them and want only the best for them. 

When they feel alone, may they know the power of your presence, and the grace of extravagant welcome and unexpected kindness.

When they feel exhausted, may they find times of rest and renewal, knowing that in order to nurture the souls of others we must feed our own spirits.

When they feel discouraged, grant them glimpses of the fullness of your Kin-dom where justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

We humbly ask that their example might inspire others, that their work might bring about a deepening of faith, that their workshops and projects might ignite passions for social change, and that they might embody the Gospel imperative for Peace and Justice in everything they say and do.

We pray these things in the most holy name of your Son, our Savior, Jesus the Christ who is the Pioneer and Perfecter of our Faith, and the one we declare the Prince of Peace.

In Christ's name, Amen. 

2023 Peace Intern Training Week!

Every year the Peace Intern Summer begins with Training Week. From May 18-26 our 2023 Peace Interns Grace, Kaylie, and Marci will be home based out of the Guest House at Allisonville Christian Church where they will be meeting with denominational leaders, learning about Disciples Justice Ministry partners, and getting equipped for their summer as ambassadors for peace and justice.

Training Week is as much about building skills and resources as it is about building relationships. DPF is so thankful for all of the ministry partners and justice advocates who will help prepare the Peace Interns for their summer!

We thank General Minister and President Rev. Terri Hord Owens, DHM President Rev. Chris Dorsey, Obra Hispana National Pastor Rev. Lori Tapia, NAPAD Executive Pastor Rev. Chung Seung Kim, and National Convocation Administrative Secretary Rev. Dr. Delesslyn Kinnebrew. 

We also thank Anti-Racism, Pro-Reconciliation Trainers Rev. Margie Pride and Rev. Yvonne Gilmore, Healthy Boundaries Trainer Rev. Dr. Jim Higginbotham, Spiritual Disciplines and Self-Care Trainer Rev. Randy Kuss, Workshop Development Trainer Rev. Sarah Zuniga, Peace Practices Trainer Krista Johnson Weiksel, Small Group Facilitation Trainer Prof. Michael Dirksen and Justice Bible Study Leader Rev. Stephen Yarbrough.

Additionally we thank our justice ministry presenters: Rev. Melissa Guthrie from AllianceQ, Rev. Carol Devine and Rev. Scott Hardin-Nieri from Green Chalice, Rev. Dr. Todd Adams from the Pension Fund, Rev. Angelé Sanders Johnson from Disciples Women's Ministries, Rev. Gary Kidwell from the Christian Church Foundation, Rev. Cara Gilger the Director of Communications at the Office of General Minister and President, Rev. Alan Dicken from Week of Compassion,  Rev. Dr. Olivia Bryan Updegrove from Ministries Across Generations, and Rev. Dr. Laurie Pound Feille from Disciples Public Presence.

Plus, a HUGE thank you to Allisonville Christian Church who will once again open up the Guest House for the Peace Interns. Thank you to the Allisonville’s Senior Pastor Rev. Beau Underwood and Associate Pastor Rev. Josh Jackson for the prayerful support during Training Week and all of the logistical support leading up to Training Week!

Meet the 2023 DPF Peace Interns!

Disciples Peace Fellowship is overjoyed to announce our 2023 DPF Peace Interns: Grace Dearhamer, Marci Mazza-Fredley, and Kaylie Allen!

Grace, Marci, and Kaylie will spend the summer serving as Ambassadors for Peace and Justice at in-person Disciples Church Camps through the United States and Canada and by working on remote work week projects with Disciples Justice Ministries partners.

Learn more about Grace, Marci, and Kaylie on the “Meet the Interns” page of the DPF Website:

disciplespeace.org/meet-the-interns