Director of Church Ministries students are spending their summer serving churches, camps and communities across the country while putting classroom learning into practice.
This summer, Director of Church Ministries students are serving in churches, camps and youth ministries from Indiana to Arkansas to Colorado. Through their internships, they are gaining firsthand ministry experience while supporting congregations and communities.
“First and foremost, these internships help prepare our students for church work,” said Rev. Dr. Kurt Taylor, professor of theology and director of Church Ministries. “A blessed byproduct is that the wider church has an opportunity to see the quality of our Concordia students and the gifts they bring to ministry.”
For Kelsie Gerhardt, Adam Homann and Ally Moreno, that preparation is taking shape in ministry settings across the country.
Equipping the next generation
Junior Kelsie Gerhardt is serving at Cornerstone Lutheran Church, a multisite LCMS congregation in Indiana. As a member of the church’s Faith Formation team, she works primarily at the Carmel site, helping lead ministry for students in grades 5-12.
This summer, Gerhardt is leading youth groups, writing Bible studies and supporting mission experiences for students. One trip brought youth to St. Louis, where they partnered with St. Trinity Lutheran Church to lead a Vacation Bible School for neighborhood children. Later this summer, students will travel to Detroit to participate in service projects throughout the city.
Gerhardt said serving at a multisite congregation has given her the opportunity to work alongside ministry staff across five cities. She also appreciates the congregation’s culture of prayer and collaboration, from gathering weekly to pray for church members to serving together on mission trips throughout the summer.
“I’m learning what larger church ministry is like, and it’s so different from anything I’ve ever done before,” she said.
Leading a summer of faith and adventure
At Camp Trinity on Petit Jean Mountain in Arkansas, senior Adam Homann is serving as summer program director. Located near Petit Jean State Park, the camp welcomes 20 to 40 campers each week for five-night stays filled with outdoor activities, Christian fellowship and faith formation.
Campers spend their days participating in activities such as archery, canoeing, hiking, horseback riding and camp games. Behind the scenes, Homann helps ensure each week runs smoothly. He oversees summer counselors and staff, develops Bible study curriculum, writes nightly chapel devotions and leads staff training before each camp session.
The internship aligns closely with Homann’s goal of serving in full-time camp ministry after graduation.
“Camp ministry is so important to our well-being as Christians,” said Homann, known at camp as “Switch.” “It allows us to take a step back from the busyness of life and dedicate our time to studying God’s Word and fellowshipping with other Christians in God’s beautiful creation.”
After camp is over, Homann said campers and staff alike return to the “real world” refreshed and renewed in their faith. “I am blessed to play a part in this wonderful ministry this summer,” he said.
Building community through ministry
Senior Ally Moreno is spending her summer in Colorado Springs, Colo., as the student ministry intern at Family of Christ Lutheran Church.
Throughout her 12-week internship, Moreno works with children, youth and college students, helping them grow in their faith through service, fellowship and Bible study.
Among the summer’s highlights was Junior High Service Week, which sent students throughout the Colorado Springs and Denver metropolitan areas to serve local organizations and communities.
Moreno helped lead Vacation Bible School, which served more than 200 children this summer. She also supports weekly fellowship events and Bible studies for middle and high school students while helping lead the church’s growing college ministry. Earlier this summer, the ministry welcomed about a dozen students to its kickoff event, the largest college ministry gathering in the congregation’s history.
Moreno said the internship has given her an opportunity to apply what she has learned in the DCM program while serving students and families at Family of Christ. “It has been meaningful to see how the Lord uses what I have learned to serve this incredible community at Family of Christ,” she said.
Beyond the classroom
Taylor said internships help students connect classroom learning with real-world ministry experiences.
“These summer internships display the zeal and excitement our DCM students have for church work,” he said. “It won’t be long before these students take what they’ve learned and develop into church leaders.”
From leading Bible studies and mentoring young people to directing camp programs and serving communities through mission work, DCM students are spending their summer living out their faith. In the process, they are building the knowledge, confidence and experience to serve the Church for years to come.
Read more
- Do you want to become a Director of Church Ministries?
- The Coffee Hour: About Concordia’s Director of Church Ministries program
- FAQ: Director of Church Ministries
- Called alongside to be a Director of Church Ministries
Want in?
Concordia University Wisconsin is a Lutheran higher education community committed to helping students develop in mind, body and spirit for service to Christ in the Church and the world. Rooted in the belief that every member of the Body of Christ has a unique role to play, Concordia’s Director of Church Ministries (DCM) program prepares students to serve as faithful ministry leaders who support the work of the Church in a variety of settings.