Church and Society Interns Reflect on Summer Internships

July 29, 2025  |  General Board of Church and Society 

GBCS Ethnic Young Adult (EYA) Interns Jenna Hopgood, University of Michigan, Kudzaishe Faith Tariro Muchanyerey, Africa University, Tafadzwa Chikawa, Africa University, and Lucas Chung, Boston College, share their Church and Society internship experiences; what they learned; the impact it had; and what they plan to do going forward.

Jenna Hopgood's EYA Internship Reflection

Raised in the United Methodist Church by an adopted Korean father who served in the state legislature and an immigrant Korean mother who is an ordained elder, I believe love of God must lead to love of neighbor. I deepened this conviction during my time with the General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) at the United Methodist Building in Washington, DC.

Under the guidance of Rev. Camille Henderson-Edwards, I focused on Economic, Health, and Gender Justice, contributing to the Grace Over Greed campaign. By studying the federal budget process, including the intricacies of the reconciliation bill, I recognized national spending acts as moral documents. They should reflect grace-filled, justice-oriented values, especially for those most vulnerable. As I crafted a communications package on the budget, I found purpose in equipping people of faith to transform belief into action, ensuring compassion and equity inform the laws that govern our lives.

Budgets declare a nation’s priorities. As followers of Jesus, we are called to resist greed and reflect God’s abundant grace in how we care for one another. Faith becomes tangible in how we spend, legislate, and engage systems of power.

Every person bears the image of God; our laws must honor that truth. In conversations with Directors of Connectional Ministries across the country, I came to understand advocacy as something deeply rooted in local context and relationally nurtured— amplifying voices with both humility and hope.

I also saw the importance of building relationships to strengthen the ties between GBCS, annual conferences, and local churches, integrating technical policy with the life of the church.

Throughout the summer, I engaged with theological and justice-rooted texts, from Howard Thurman’s Jesus and the Disinherited and Cole Arthur Riley’s This Here Flesh, to Ada María Isasi-Díaz’s En la Lucha and Grace Ji-Sun Kim’s Invisible. I began to hear that genuine voice within myself more clearly. Isaiah 6:8 echoes within me: “Here I am, send me.” Trusting in the goodness of God compels me to protect the sacred worth of others. As a Korean American woman, I embody a theology of hope amid injustice and a responsibility to empower others from marginalized communities to be visible and vocal.

I am discerning a vocation that integrates healthcare with advocacy, rooted in justice, service, and communal well-being. As a Korean American entering healthcare, I am committed to providing culturally responsive care and confronting systemic inequities. My vision for justice is shaped by stories, melodies, the wisdom of the land, and the needs of the whole. In the rest and freedom of the gospel, I’ve found clarity, courage, and conviction to say yes to God’s call.

As I return to college and community, I carry with me policy insight, advocacy experience, and vocational clarity to serve where faith meets justice. I’ve grown in translating complex issues into values-driven action, supporting grassroots movements, and convening policymakers and faith leaders in moral conversations. I hope to continue bridging the space between the pew and the policy table, between quiet prayers and public witness. I’m deeply grateful to the GBCS staff for their mentorship, integrity, and vision.

Kudzaishe Faith Tariro Muchanyerey EYA Internship Reflection

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-11).

A time to be interned at The General Board of Church and Society and a time to bid farewell and go out in the world to practice the life of faith, justice and advocacy instilled deep within our hearts and souls.

My internship at GBCS has been a transformative experience. It offered me the opportunity to grow in faith while challenging and sharpening my intellectual abilities. Though the absence of in-person interaction posed unique challenges, it also fostered a new level of adaptability, self-discipline, and digital proficiency- skills I know will be invaluable in my future endeavors.

The virtual environment necessitated proactive communication and independent problem-solving. Without the immediate presence of colleagues, I learned to clearly articulate my questions and use digital collaboration tools effectively. Every book we read left me inspired, spiritually moved, and mentally engaged. My perspective on the world around me has shifted for the better.

Through this internship, I have learnt how God’s work isn’t only about preaching the word but also about living it. This experience profoundly deepened my understanding of social justice and my role in advocating for change. Engaging with the work of GBCS strengthened both my empathy and my commitment to stand with marginalized communities. The passion, faith, and expertise of the GBCS staff were truly inspiring, showing me how those elements can come together to create a real and lasting impact.

Looking back at our weekly discussions with the other interns, I can confidently say we’ve grown- spiritually, mentally, and as a team. We didn’t just evolve individually, but as a team.

My virtual summer internship with GBCS was an invaluable journey. It equipped me with practical skills in advocacy and research and broadened my understanding of social justice and the power of collective action. What once felt like a limitation- a virtual internship program- became a source of growth, fostering resilience that I will carry with me as I pursue a career committed to making a positive difference in the world.

I’m grateful to Aimee Hong - for her love and patience, and her guidance throughout the entirety of the program. I’m also grateful to my supervisor, Rev Kendall McBroom in the Civil and Human Rights area, for his steady support for my project. He ensured I understood the material and patiently explained concepts when I struggled. I’m truly grateful.

To the entire GBCS staff, thank you for seeing me and believing in my potential. This was the first time I’ve been in a workspace where my ideas were heard, my presence valued, and my contributions cherished. It made the experience truly wholesome. To the GBCS community, “I thank my God every time I remember you.” Philippians 1:3.

Tafadzwa Chikawa EYA Internship Reflection

My time at the General Board of Church and Society has been both transformative and deeply affirming of my calling to faith-based social justice work. Over the past weeks, I’ve had the privilege of engaging global issues through the lens of faith, advocacy, communications and justice. Whether through theological reflection, policy engagement, or community dialogue, I was continually challenged to think critically and compassionately about the role of the Church in the world.

One of the most meaningful aspects of this internship was participating in conversations that connected scripture—like John 1:1-5—with real-world injustices such as war, displacement, and economic inequality. I began to see “light” not just as a metaphor but as a mandate: to be a source of hope and clarity in the darkness of injustice. This lens helped me understand that advocacy is not separate from spirituality, but an extension of it.

It’s a bold and hopeful truth. But when we look at the realities of the world, it can also feel challenging to hold onto.

We live in a time where injustice is not rare it is everywhere. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, people are suffering due to war and exploitation. In Palestine, the cries for justice and dignity continue as lives are lost and communities are torn apart. At the U.S. border, refugees and immigrants face violence, rejection, and systems that rob them of their humanity. Communities of color around the world still face the deep, lingering harm of racism in healthcare, education, housing, and poverty. And climate change is displacing the very communities who contributed least to the problem, but suffer the most from its effects.

In light of all this, it’s easy to feel small. But through this internship, I’ve come to understand that small doesn’t mean powerless.

This summer, I’ve grown in ways that have deeply transformed me.

I came into this internship eager to learn but I didn’t expect to be changed from the inside out. I’ve grown intellectually, through the books we read and the critical discussions we’ve had. But more than that, I’ve grown spiritually and emotionally. I’ve learned how to hold space for pain without rushing to fix it. I’ve learned that justice work starts with deep listening and reflection.

I’ve been challenged to confront my own assumptions, to own my story more boldly, and to see my identity not as a limitation but as a source of strength and calling. And I’ve got to put into practice my own story telling and communications content on issues important to me. Thanks to all my fellow interns and the GBCS staff, who were so helpful, engaging and supportive.

I am also so thankful to my supervisor Jeffrey Corey in Communications, who was instrumental in my growth as a communications practitioner. I learned how to tell and write compelling stories that deliver facts and influence social action and change. The communications mentoring experience was eye-opening and extremely rewarding as I got to write stories on social justice issues within my country of Zimbabwe.

And I don’t want this to end when the internship ends.

Going forward, I intend to bring what I’ve learned back to my community and my church. I want to create more spaces where young people can talk openly about faith and justice, where we can wrestle with hard truths together and still choose hope. I want to help my church become a more welcoming and inclusive space, where people from all backgrounds and walks of life know they are seen, heard, and valued. I hope to start conversations around identity, justice, and healing especially in spaces where those conversations have been avoided or silenced.

This internship has reminded me that faith must move us to act. It has equipped me both practical tools and spiritual grounding to return to my own community—especially in Zimbabwe—with a renewed sense of purpose. I am more convinced than ever that the Church must be a voice for the voiceless, a shelter for the weary, and a catalyst for systems that reflect God’s justice.

Lucas Chung EYA Internship Reflection

As I took the Metro train back from the United Methodist Building for the last time, I didn’t expect to feel as wistful as I did. I thought I could treat this internship simply as a helpful experience, something to help me grow and learn for my future, without getting too attached to what I was doing. Yet as I watched the stations fly past, a realization began to dawn on me; this was more than just an internship to help me prepare myself for future job opportunities. It was something far greater.

This internship far exceeded what I had thought I was prepared for. Over this summer, I found myself continuously challenged, not only in the work that I was doing, but also spiritually and mentally.

The work itself was enriching, and I thoroughly enjoyed working with Colleen Moore in the Peace with Justice advocacy area, pushing myself to learn and understand the issues that the UMC was trying to address.

My passion for international diplomacy and rights was continually fueled as I explored the grassroots efforts of organizations that faced immense obstacles in their pursuit of peace and justice. The fight for social justice is arduous, often feeling increasingly difficult with each passing day’s news.

Monitoring international news was tough, as I was constantly confronted with stories of violence and negative developments. And yet, being surrounded by people so passionately committed to justice gave me the strength to keep going. It reassured me that there will always be people ready to fight for what is right, no matter the dire circumstances.

The spiritual aspect of this internship was a surprise to me. Although I was interning at GBCS, I hadn’t expected my faith to be deeply woven into my work, nor had I expected to be challenged spiritually. At the outset, I wasn’t sure my faith would even come up. I had always separated the ideas of work and faith, not believing the two needed to be intertwined with one another.

Yet through the weeks, I began to slowly encounter the intersections between my faith and work. The Social Principles became a valuable resource, helping me see how my Methodist values could inform the way I viewed and approached the work I encountered daily.

Reflection also became a key tool, helping me bridge my work and faith. I began to reflect consistently, asking myself how I had incorporated faith into the day’s work, and how I might grow further.

Overall, this experience has been truly one of a kind. I want to thank everyone, from my fellow interns to the staff at GBCS, for making this experience memorable and being so welcoming from the beginning to the end. The lessons and experiences I will take away from this internship go beyond a professional standpoint, but are ones that will fuel my spiritual and personal growth as I continue to journey forward.