Disciples Peace Fellowship Interns

For more than 30 years, Disciples Peace Fellowship has sent Peace and Justice Interns to summer church camps across the United States and, more recently, to Nova Scotia. In 2006, four new interns will add their passion for peace and justice to camps and church events.

Disciples Peace Fellowship Interns for the summer of 2006 are:

Rebekah Cypert is a Texan attending school at Bethany College. She is majoring in Art with an emphasis in Education. Rebekah is most focused on hate crimes committed against the homeless, living wage, and sweat shops and she wishes to discuss ways these issues can be addressed with youth in camps. Rebekah is a HELM Leadership Fellow, an active part of Amnesty International, and director and founder of a weekend high school youth conference at Bethany.

Johanna (Jody) Heil is also a student at Bethany College where she is a senior majoring in Religious Studies. Jody currently serves First Christian Church in Wheeling, W. Va., their Phoebe, and is a member at First Christian Church in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. Jody has worked closely with the Gay-Straight Alliance of Bethany College raising important justice issues and has recently been studying liberation theology.

Elizabeth King is a student at Vanderbilt Divinity School. Elizabeth spent a year in Washington D.C. working through National City Christian Church‘s Gethsemane Mission, volunteering full-time in the addiction recovery program at N Street Village. Elizabeth has been on staff at Bethany Hills Camp in Tennessee and has participated in Habitat for Humanity builds and worked in Appalachia. She spends time advocating for a living wage and works with the Mayor's Homeless Commission in Nashville.

Steve Mason is a Nebraska native living in the Big Apple. He is an active part of Riverside Church and is currently working as a server at Ruby Foo‘s in New York City's Times Square. Steve brings the gift of music and a passion for justice issues such as the necessity of a living wage, landmine cessation and clearing, and responding to global systemic poverty and the AIDS pandemic. Steve has traveled across most of the United States and much of Europe as well as to Canada and Mexico.

As they journey this summer, please keep Steve, Elizabeth, Jody, and Rebekah in your prayers, as well as the youth and adults they will meet along the way.

Sarah Riester coordinates the DPF Intern program and served as an intern in the summer of 1996. Photos courtesy of Disciples Peace Fellowship. Visit the DPF web site at www.dpfweb.org/.

Disciples chaplains and reservists receive gifts of Disciples World subscriptions

Reverend Lon Oliver, Coordinator of Kentucky Appalachian Ministries (KAM), has reported to DHM and the Military Endorser‘s Office that KAM will provide complimentary subscriptions of Disciples World to each of the 67 serving military chaplains.

"I truly hope this reminds our military chaplains how thankful we are for their service," said Oliver.

This gift began with the April issue and represents a tangible way to keep Disciples ministers in uniform connected with and informed of news of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Chaplains are ordained, seminary-educated Disciples of Christ Ministers, most of whom have served local churches prior to entering the military, and many are reservists serving our military people on active duty during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Christmount to host chaplain and counselor retreat

A retreat is being planned for Disciple chaplains and counselors in response to requests for more fellowship, discussion and worship time together. The retreat is to take place at Christmount Christian Assembly in Black Mountain, N.C., August 13 to 15, 2006. It is open to all. The retreat will be designed to allow for worship, spiritual growth, fellowship, and time to play! Families are encouraged to come and enjoy the retreat setting and all the activities that the area offers. The entire Guest House has been reserved for our use, but there is also the option of an RV park for those who would like to use this facility. The deadline to register for the retreat is July 26. Chaplains will soon receive a mailing detailing registration procedures. Questions about the event and registration may be addressed to Steve Doan and Susan Galasso.

This retreat is the first of what we hope will become a biennial event. Next year chaplains and counselors will have the opportunity to gather at the General Assembly in Fort Worth. At that time we will discuss and plan a 2008 retreat. The group will explore places and speakers of interest to chaplains and counselors.

Meanwhile, DHM chaplain staff are working on developing a listserve to facilitate communication among chaplains and counselors. As this new tool becomes available, everyone who has a current e-mail address will be notified. This will allow staff to disseminate information quickly to those participating in the listserve. We are open to ideas and information to be included in this new endeavor.

Another request staff heard at General Assembly in Portland, Ore., was to revive the Disciple Chaplain‘s Association. This idea has met with positive responses from a number of chaplains. The revival of the Association is one item that will be on the agenda for discussion during the retreat. If you have ideas or would like to be involved in re-establishing this organization please contact the Rev. Stephen Doan at sddoan@alwayson-line.net or Rev. Susan Galasso revgalasso@cs.com. You can also reach them at (317) 713-2666 or (888) 346-2631.