Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Touching Base! Part 83

Internship Summary
(This article can also we found on our website at
http://www.bethelkingston.com under the tab called “Blog”)

This Touching Base is a useful tool for small group discussion, personal reflection or in a one-on-one conversation. We believe that if the Sunday teaching is discussed outside of the morning services, it will be an opportunity to go deeper and build healthy community because God’s Word needs to be discussed in community.

This week’s Touching Base was written by Joanna Moon, Bethel’s Intern.

Dear Bethel:

Thank you for letting me be your intern this year! I have been immeasurably blessed, challenged and stretched by this experience. It has been such a joy to be able to pursue the values of compassion and justice, grapple with what they really mean, and engage with the church and the Kingston community in making them a reality.

Since many of you still may have no idea who I am or how I have spent the last 8 months, I've done a little recap. If you're intrigued by anything on these lists and want to know more about them or how to get involved, PLEASE let me know and I'd be happy to elaborate!

Things I've been able to help with/initiate at Bethel:
  • Compassion and Justice small group
  • Offshore Youth Group events (Soloist movie night, Poverty Encounter walk-about, etc)
  • UpStreet Operation Compassion initiative
  • Advent Conspiracy Initiative
  • March Break Operation Compassion Day Camp
  • Food Voucher program in the fall
  • "Food for Thought" Film Festival
  • I compiled a list of ways to LEARN and serve in the Kingston community (see back table!)
  • meeting with individuals and helping them get involved in the Kingston community

Community initiatives in which I've been privileged to participate:
  • Interviews with people on the street, or with people who work with people in poverty (for my own information)
  • Social Issues Networking Group (SING)
  • Weekly Silent Vigil outside City Hall
  • Running and Reading program at First Avenue Public School
  • Martha's Table - volunteer and member of the community
  • St. Andrew's Sunday night supper program (occasionally)
  • Food Bank float in the Santa Claus Parade (SO much fun!)
  • Planning committee for a Social Audit of the Kingston area (part of an Ontario-wide initiative)
  • Planning committee and facilitator for the Poverty Challenge Youth Conference (through the Kingston Roundtable for Poverty Reduction)
  • Working part time at CoffeeCo, where I've been able to have some great chats with people about God, compassion and justice, etc.

Opportunities to share what I've learned:
  • Health 101 talk (a first year class at Queen's)
  • Athletes-in-Action talk
  • Queen's Project for International Development Youth Conference talk (about poverty in Kingston)
  • Thursdays at 7 talk
  • Navigators Poverty encounter walk-about and poverty simulation game
  • A few Sunday mornings at Bethel

I've also had some great mentors (Meredith MacKenzie and Pastor Mark), and read some very thought-provoking books (I highly recommend The Twenty Piece Shuffle by Greg Paul, Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers by Shane Claiborne, Dispatches from the Poverty Line by Pat Capponi, The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey, and Good News about Injustice by Gary Haugen).

So thank you again for walking with me along The Way this year. I've learned a lot about advocacy, solidarity, politics, networking, leadership, humility, the value of relationships over programs, and (most importantly) the perfect strength of Christ in my weakness. I've discovered more questions than answers, and am aware that I have SO much more to learn. I'm really excited to continue this journey, and would greatly appreciate your prayers as I travel the next leg - a Masters of Theological Studies in Development at Wycliffe College. However, I'm around all summer, so please pop by CoffeeCo for an iced mocha, or e-mail and/or track me down at church if you want to talk!

Grace and peace,

Joanna Moon
You can email her at: joannacatherinemoon@gmail.com

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