Youth Internship
Each year the Elementary Children’s ministry and Young Children’s ministry each have an intern during the school year. Most of the time the interns are students at Broughton High School and are getting school credit for their time and effort as a WMPC intern. A few years ago the Young Children’s ministry partnered with Youth Ministry and offered a combo internship, which made way for a Youth Ministry intern. These folks get in touch with church staff and work out what their goals and interests are and work to find where their gifts can serve and benefit the work of the church. We’d like to thank and honor the three interns that served during the 2021-2022 school year: Maddie Wyatt who served as the Elementary Children’s Ministry Intern, Caroline Kennemeur who served as the Young Children’s Ministry Intern, and Garrison Miller who served as the Youth Ministry Intern.
Children’s Ministry Intern – Maddie Wyatt
What are your plans for Fall 2022?
Appalachian State University
What kinds of things did you do as the intern?
As the Children’s ministry intern, I assisted and lead Sunday School classes, created crafts for those classes and overall helped with keeping the Elementary Sunday School floor organized and up to date.
What was one of your favorite parts of being an intern this year?
My favorite part was leading Sunday School classes because I plan on going into elementary education. The experience I got from leading and assisting taught me a lot about my future career. I also learned how much time and thought goes into every little thing that we do here at WMPC.
How has being an intern impacted your faith journey?
I learned how to find God among the kids I taught. You can learn so much about faith in general and your own faith by listening to what [the children] have to say.
Lynn Springfield, WMPC’s Director of Elementary Ministry said, “It has been really fun to get to know Maddie throughout this internship. She has a real gift for leadership, is incredibly flexible and generous, and brings a caring nature to her interactions with children and adults. I absolutely love that she’s planning to be a teacher, and her future students are really fortunate!”
Young Children’s Ministry Intern – Caroline Kennemeur
What are your plans for Fall 2022?
I’m going to Wofford College
What kinds of things did you do as the intern?
As an intern I helped prepare Sunday School and Preschool activities. I also did odd jobs around campus.
What was one of your favorite parts of being an intern this year?
One of my favorite parts of being an intern was getting to be a part of the WMPC church family multiple days a week and getting to work with and communicate with people I otherwise wouldn’t have interacted with. I learned about how much work goes into preparing each activity and how everyone at WMPC works as a team. When something goes wrong, anyone would drop what they were doing to help you out.
How has being an intern impacted your faith journey?
Interning at White Memorial has shown me the power of God’s love and has driven me to be the best Christian I can be since the day I started.
Jen Eastman, WMPC’s Director of Young Children’s Ministry shared that, “Caroline was an absolute joy to partner with! She always engaged in Children’s Ministry projects with a smile on her face and an eagerness to get the work done correctly.”
Youth Ministry Intern – Garrison Miller
What are your plans for Fall 2022
I’ll be a senior at Broughton High School.
What kinds of things did you do as the intern?
I learned a lot about organization and how there are so many moving parts in the church to keep it running. I learned about preparations for youth group/ events. And what happens after these events are over. (Clean up, organizing everything again, etc.) This experience has strengthened my religion and relationship with God. I’ve grown more appreciative of the church staff and all they do for its members.
What was one of your favorite parts of being the intern this year?
My favorite part of my internship was setting up for youth group or retreats. I loved being able to try to make them as fun as possible! I also learned about preparations for youth group and events. A lot happens after these events are over-clean up, organizing everything again, etc.
How has your internship affected your faith journey?
My internship has strengthened my religion and relationship with God. I’ve grown much more appreciative of the church staff and all they do for our members.
I (Genevieve) had the pleasure of working with Garrison this past year and it was an absolute joy to have his help, his feedback and his creative ideas be a part of the youth ministry. Garrison is a talented young man and has a can-do attitude that made the mundane, but necessary, tasks of program ministry fun and thoughtful. We are so excited for Garrison’s senior year and the ways God will continue to use him at WMPC, even though his internship has finished.
We are so thankful for the work of ALL of the interns last school year and are thrilled for the new interns to begin their time this fall. Our church is so lucky to have such creative, hard-working and passionate young people who are willing to use their gifts to build God’s kingdom through WMPC!
– By Genevieve Brooks, Director of Youth Ministries.