Training Week Reflections from Marci

Training week in Indianapolis was absolutely amazing! I got to hang out with the other interns: Kaylie and Grace, and I really do feel like through our week together, I made two new best friends!

As a cohort, we interacted with 24 ministry leaders connected to the larger denomination and discussed how we can implement social justice advocacy into the church camps we visit this summer. Towards the end of the week, I even got some down time to grab some dinner with my previous lacrosse coach and catch up on the summer so far! The 2023 cohort also got some time out to experience Indianapolis, Indiana! We ate at local restaurants, shopped at small businesses, and went to Top Golf! 

Through bonding with Grace and Kaylie, it became easier to talk about difficult things and ask hard questions throughout various training sessions. Through the guidance and leadership of DPF Mission Director Rev. Brian Frederick-Gray and 2023 Peace Intern Chaplain Rev. Sarah Zuniga, I got to experience interactions that I would have never been able to otherwise. DPF has connections with the larger church to do amazing and life changing work! Through these connections, we learned about ministries with AllianceQ, Green Chalice, NAPAD, Obra Hispana, Disciples Home Missions, and so many more! (This is where I encourage you to come to General Assembly and meet our partners!) 

Something significant I learned during training week is how important delivery is when it comes to things we are passionate about. Learning about hard topics that carry charged language and personal experiences is difficult for anyone. How a topic is discussed, presented, and engaged with is so important, especially starting with its delivery. Through boundary trainings and a Peace Practices Resource called “Singing to the Lions,” we learned crucial ways to speak to youth about hard topics that may come up this summer. 

Having been through training week, what excited me most is the amazing networks and connections I will make this summer! Not only with the faith leaders we will get to interact with again at General Assembly, but also those at the various camps who share similar passions as me!

This summer is only just beginning and I cannot wait to share everything with you! 

Meet 2023 DPF Peace Intern Marci Mazza-Fredley!

Hey Y’all! My name is Marci Mazza- Fredley (she/her) and I am so excited to be one of the three 2023 DPF Peace Interns! I am a rising senior at Bethany College in West Virginia, majoring in Political Science, with a minor in religion and social justice. I am from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the city known for having the most bridges! 

When I am not studying for classes, it may be hard to find me because I keep busy on my off time! Two places I find myself quite often is on the lacrosse field, or at the Oglebay stables. I play defense for the Bethany’s women’s lacrosse team, and I am on the Hunt Seat Equestrian team!

I am also the Pennsylvania Region’s Youth Ministries Intern, so I take time to plan and organize all staff and events for the summer at Camp Laurelview in Rockwood, Pennyslvania. Sometimes I fill in as pulpit supply at various West Virginia and Pennsylvania Disciples of Christ churches on Sunday mornings. I love being able to write sermons and share the word of God through an academic and equitable lens. This is something that I focus strongly on in my minor at school! 

Something interesting about me is that I recently adopted two kitties from a rescue shelter in Pittsburgh! I named them Yallah (meaning “hurry, let’s go) and Jameela (meaning “beautiful”). These are the first two words I learned in Arabic while I was in Palestine last week! They joined our family with warm welcome from our two pups, Mike, and Mercury! 

Last week I took a trip with other third-year Higher Education and Leadership Ministries fellows to Palestine! Every third-year cohort takes an international trip together to learn about and experience other cultures, while exploring our own faith journeys. While in Palestine and Israel, I realized that sharing the stories and experiences of our Palestinian brothers and sisters is vital to the work of the larger church. Which is why I will be focusing on the apartheid happening in Palestine through my work this summer with DPF.

Something I am really excited for this summer is to not only share my experiences with campers and lead workshops, but to also learn from the campers too. I am a firm believer that we are always learning; even when we are in positions as teachers and leaders, there are always new things to learn and experience!! Which is one of the big reasons I wanted to be a DPF Peace Intern. I want to continue my faith journey in all spaces social justice related, but also learn from every environment around me.

I started my activist journey as a high school student, and all I ever wanted was to be included in the larger conversations centered around equality and justice. Now more than ever, youth are becoming more aware of the world around them, and rather than encouraging them away from these passions, we should be inviting them to the table for these vital conversations! 

Meet 2023 DPF Peace Intern Grace Dearhamer!

Hello everyone!  My name is Grace Dearhamer (she/her) and I am from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.  This upcoming year will be my senior year at Eureka College in Eureka, Illinois where I am double majoring in philosophy/religion and psychology/sociology with a minor in criminal justice.  

In my free time I like to go to the movie theater, try all kinds of caffeinated beverages, eat lots of chocolate chip cookies, and roller skate!  I am so excited to explore the larger Disciples of Christ denomination this summer while visiting unique camps all over the place!

While at school I get the amazing opportunity to serve as a youth ministry intern at Eureka Christian Church alongside my partner Hayden Skaggs!  Working with such wonderful kids is so fulfilling and quite possibly the best “job” ever.  Rev. Jennie Churchman has even entrusted me with the pulpit as a guest preacher! Being involved in youth group when I was a kid is what helped me discover the joys of summer camp.  I remember the first time that I got to meet a Peace Intern and I thought it was the coolest job in the world!  I am so excited to be the Peace Intern that gets the pleasure of inspiring incredible kids at camp throughout this summer.  

This summer I will be sharing the importance of intellectual hospitality and intercultural understanding with campers across six different camps.  Engaging with ideas and cultures that we may not understand helps us to flourish as individuals and better understand the world from many different perspectives.  These ideas were introduced to me in both my childhood and my adult life.  As a kid, my family moved from place to place quite a lot and we even lived in London, England for about four years.  Interacting with so many different cultures taught me the importance of understanding the lifestyles of others.  I am so grateful that I was exposed to such amazing experiences so early in my life.  As a college student I am pushed every day to not only welcome new ideas but to encourage them.  To better understand ourselves, we must understand others.  I am so excited to build relationships with campers and hopefully guide them on their faith journey along the way!

Training Week Reflections from Kaylie Allen

Training week was an exciting time to meet our fellow interns and those who will be guiding us along the way, most notably including our DPF Mission Director Brian Frederick-Gray and our Peace Intern Chaplain Sarah Zuniga.

Our intern cohort connected with 24 church leaders throughout the week, both via Zoom and in person, and learned more than I thought possible about our denomination and about ourselves as Disciples Peace Interns.

I was thrilled to spend the week in my own city of Indianapolis, where we were graciously hosted by Allisonville Christian Church in their newly renovated guest house. Not only did we enjoy great fellowship with great company, but we even did so at some of my favorite Indianapolis restaurants! Our cohort connected over home cooked meals, oat milk lattes, local pizza, late night ice cream, cooking tv shows, and even a round of Top Golf when we had the time to spare!

Most of all, we grew in our faith and challenged ourselves with difficult conversations and eye opening training sessions. One of my favorite afternoons was spent at former peace intern and current Disciples Overseas Ministries Vice President for Administration and Programs Krista Johnson Weicksel’s home in Franklin, Indiana, where we learned numerous “Singing to the Lions” workshops to share with our camps. Singing to the Lions offers a variety of interactive games, discussion topics, and engaging activities that can be introduced to any age group at any camp. Krista even encouraged us to practice leading workshops for one another in her beautiful backyard, where she shared many insightful tips for our summer as peace interns.

This was an especially special day for me, as my family hosted Krista in our home one summer when I was young, while she traveled in a similar capacity as I will travel in now.

This was just one of the many exciting days in an exhaustingly encouraging week of training. I look forward to seeing how each of our resources plays out in the many camps we will attend, and know that our days of training will be well worth it as our summers unfold. 

A Peace Intern in Palestine

Marci Mazza-Fredley at the Indianapolis International Airport, en route to Palestine

Disciples Peace Fellowship is so excited that 2023 DPF Peace Intern Marci Mazza-Fredley will begin her Peace Intern Summer with an international trip to Palestine!

Marci is a Higher Education and Leadership Ministry Scholar. Year three of the HELM Scholars program focuses on Global Awareness and includes an international trip for the students. This year’s cohort will spend five days in Palestine.

Traveling mercies, Marci! We can’t wait to hear about your trip your experiences.

Meet 2023 DPF Peace Intern Kaylie Allen!

My name is Kaylie Allen (she/her) and I live in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. I am a full time law student entering my third (and final, yay!) year at Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law.

I am originally from West Virginia and graduated from Bethany College in 2021 with a Psychology and Criminal Justice degree.

Outside of the classroom, I enjoy reading, visiting my parents, and searching for new favorite coffee shops. My two year old puppy, Ruby, often tags along and appreciates learning which places have the best dog treats or “pup cups”. Leaving Ruby will be the hardest part of my intern summer, but I am excited to embark on this journey, and she is excited to be spoiled by her grand-paw-ents while I am away!

I have never missed a single year of church camp and am thrilled that my favorite summer tradition will be continuing, only in a new capacity. My goal is to share my lifelong love of camp with each group I meet, not only through silly campfire songs and games, but also through peace and justice workshops. My focus will be on healthcare access and disparities awareness, which I hope will bring new knowledge and perspectives to all who engage.

I know that this summer will bring many joys and challenges, all of which will further my own faith journey and hopefully those of the people I meet along the way. I am eager to kick off my travels on June 4, and look forward to spreading words of peace and justice, sharing in new communities, and maybe even finding the world’s best s’more along the way!

Commissioning Prayer for the 2023 DPF Peace Interns

This morning the good folks at Allisonville Christian Church welcomed the 2023 Peace Intern to Sunday morning worship where they were blessed with a Commissioning Prayer.

DPF is so thankful for our partnership with Allisonville Christian Church. Once again this year the Peace Interns are staying at the Retreat House at Allisonville (right on the church’s grounds!) for their Training Week. Thank you, thank you, thank you Allisonville!

For folks who are curious about the Commissioning Prayer, here are the words that were offered for Marci, Grace, and Kaylie:

A Commissioning Prayer
for the 2023 DPF Peace Interns

The Disciples of Christ Peace Fellowship is a ministry of our denomination whose mission is to “live out the Gospel imperative for peace and justice.” The Peace Interns are young adults who provide educational and program support at church camps and other church-related assemblies and events about peace and justice issues. They will serve as counselors, teachers, and resource-people- modeling the life of peace-makers for youth and adults alike wherever they go. This year, there are three of them, Kaylie Allen, Grace Dearhamer, and Marci Mazza-Fredley.

This week is Training Week for the Peace Interns – an intentional time of preparation, relationship building, and resource development so that they will be ready for their Peace Intern summer experience.

An important part of that preparation is a prayerful commissioning! As they go forth on their journeys in peace and justice this summer, may we offer this prayer of blessing over these three young people as they carry out their mission and ministry.

Let us pray…

Holy One,

   you are the source of all blessings,

   the center of justice,

   the wellspring of hope. 

We give you thanks for the 2023 DPF Peace Interns:
    Kaylie Allen, Grace Dearhamer, and Marci Mazza-Fredley. 

We ask that your guiding hand might be upon them this summer as they go forth as Ambassadors for Peace and Justice. 

   Open their hearts.

   Inspire their witness.

   Safely guide their journeys. 

   Give them courage, strength, and resilience. 

   Bless them with compassion and grace, insight and understanding. 

We are grateful for the unique paths that each one of them has followed to this moment. We are thankful...

   for their passion,

   for their enthusiasm,

   for their prophetic voices,

   for their hope,

   for their dedication,

   for their faith,

   for their willingness to serve.

In a life-changing summer filled with any number of unknown twists and turns we know that you will be with them every step of the way. May they be surrounded by the love and support of their siblings in the faith who care for them and want only the best for them. 

When they feel alone, may they know the power of your presence, and the grace of extravagant welcome and unexpected kindness.

When they feel exhausted, may they find times of rest and renewal, knowing that in order to nurture the souls of others we must feed our own spirits.

When they feel discouraged, grant them glimpses of the fullness of your Kin-dom where justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

We humbly ask that their example might inspire others, that their work might bring about a deepening of faith, that their workshops and projects might ignite passions for social change, and that they might embody the Gospel imperative for Peace and Justice in everything they say and do.

We pray these things in the most holy name of your Son, our Savior, Jesus the Christ who is the Pioneer and Perfecter of our Faith, and the one we declare the Prince of Peace.

In Christ's name, Amen. 

2023 Peace Intern Training Week!

Every year the Peace Intern Summer begins with Training Week. From May 18-26 our 2023 Peace Interns Grace, Kaylie, and Marci will be home based out of the Guest House at Allisonville Christian Church where they will be meeting with denominational leaders, learning about Disciples Justice Ministry partners, and getting equipped for their summer as ambassadors for peace and justice.

Training Week is as much about building skills and resources as it is about building relationships. DPF is so thankful for all of the ministry partners and justice advocates who will help prepare the Peace Interns for their summer!

We thank General Minister and President Rev. Terri Hord Owens, DHM President Rev. Chris Dorsey, Obra Hispana National Pastor Rev. Lori Tapia, NAPAD Executive Pastor Rev. Chung Seung Kim, and National Convocation Administrative Secretary Rev. Dr. Delesslyn Kinnebrew. 

We also thank Anti-Racism, Pro-Reconciliation Trainers Rev. Margie Pride and Rev. Yvonne Gilmore, Healthy Boundaries Trainer Rev. Dr. Jim Higginbotham, Spiritual Disciplines and Self-Care Trainer Rev. Randy Kuss, Workshop Development Trainer Rev. Sarah Zuniga, Peace Practices Trainer Krista Johnson Weiksel, Small Group Facilitation Trainer Prof. Michael Dirksen and Justice Bible Study Leader Rev. Stephen Yarbrough.

Additionally we thank our justice ministry presenters: Rev. Melissa Guthrie from AllianceQ, Rev. Carol Devine and Rev. Scott Hardin-Nieri from Green Chalice, Rev. Dr. Todd Adams from the Pension Fund, Rev. Angelé Sanders Johnson from Disciples Women's Ministries, Rev. Gary Kidwell from the Christian Church Foundation, Rev. Cara Gilger the Director of Communications at the Office of General Minister and President, Rev. Alan Dicken from Week of Compassion,  Rev. Dr. Olivia Bryan Updegrove from Ministries Across Generations, and Rev. Dr. Laurie Pound Feille from Disciples Public Presence.

Plus, a HUGE thank you to Allisonville Christian Church who will once again open up the Guest House for the Peace Interns. Thank you to the Allisonville’s Senior Pastor Rev. Beau Underwood and Associate Pastor Rev. Josh Jackson for the prayerful support during Training Week and all of the logistical support leading up to Training Week!

Meet the 2023 DPF Peace Interns!

Disciples Peace Fellowship is overjoyed to announce our 2023 DPF Peace Interns: Grace Dearhamer, Marci Mazza-Fredley, and Kaylie Allen!

Grace, Marci, and Kaylie will spend the summer serving as Ambassadors for Peace and Justice at in-person Disciples Church Camps through the United States and Canada and by working on remote work week projects with Disciples Justice Ministries partners.

Learn more about Grace, Marci, and Kaylie on the “Meet the Interns” page of the DPF Website:

disciplespeace.org/meet-the-interns

Peace Intern Closing Retreat!

DPF Mission Director Brian Frederick-Gray with the 2022 Peace Interns (Sophia Barnett, Erin Gresham, and Isaac Ackerman) at their In-Person Closing Retreat in Granbury, Texas

The 2022 DPF Peace Interns summer experience wrapped up in August with a Closing Retreat held in Granbury, Texas.

Sophia Barnett, Erin Gresham, and Isaac Ackerman had a week together at my parent's house on the Brazos River to connect with each other, process their summer experiences, think through next steps in their faith journey, and spend intentional time in dialogue with specific conversation partners.

Oh, and I got to meet them in person for the very first time (I tested positive for COVID the day before in-person Training Week, so had to join that event remotely).

We had a wonderful time together at the Closing Retreat. It was filled with laughter (and the occasional tears), fellowship, discernment, and lots of delicious food.

So many wonderful people helped make the Closing Retreat possible. DPF would like to thank Cheryl and Glenn Frederick for providing the retreat space (the swing by the river was a particularly big hit with the Peace Interns).

Peace Interns enjoying sunset down by the Brazos River; our nightly routine during the Retreat.

We would also like to thank all of the "Daily Conversation Partners" who joined us throughout the week. That includes Disciples Immigration Legal Counsel Natalie Teague, Rev. Amy Piatt & Rev. Justin Jeter from FCC Granbury, former Peace Intern Will O'Brien of the United States Institute of Peace, the DPF Executive Committee, and former Peace Intern Jennifer Williams (who surprised everyone by joining us for dinner one night!).

DPF Executive Committee Member (and 2020 Peace Intern) Jennifer Williams stopped by for dinner one night.

A huge "Thank You!" to DPF Travel Agents extraordinaire Nelia Beth Scoville and Joel Heim for booking all of the summer travel for the Peace Interns including the flights to the Closing Retreat and everyone's flights back home.

Airport Selfie with the whole group!

You can read all about the Peace Interns' summer activities on the "Follow the Interns" Blog and you can check out their curated resources and workshops on the Peace & Justice Playlist page.

As always, DPF is thankful for all of our supporters and the myriad ways that you support the Peace Intern Program each and every summer. Thank you for your prayers, for your financial support, for your Peace Intern Pen Pal offerings, and everything that you do for the Peace Interns. Blessings!

Reflecting on CAMPDD at Craigs Springs

This past week I was in the beautiful state of Virginia at Craig Springs CAMPDD Camp, working with youth interested in art, drama, dance, music, and culinary, all of us sharing out gifts and interests to worship God and be in community with each other. During this week we broke boundaries, stereotypes, and labels that this world puts on us and connected closer with our Divine Creator. Connecting deeply and authentically to who has God made us to be and how do we fully live into our full, unique, beautiful, messy selves! We used our imagination to create a world where everyone is cared for, loved, and celebrated! We worshiped God, not just through songs, prayer, and scripture reading, but also with love and relationship building, with listening, empathy, and courageous conversations! 

Sharing just one word that could describe my past week would be, thankful. The feeling of thankfulness that you feel deep in your gut, deep in your soul. The thankfulness where you can’t stop saying to God, “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” The feeling of thankfulness that sprouts from the unending love that God promised us with his child Jesus Christ. The love that is so strong, it almost hurts because it is so powerful! It is weeks like this past week I have had at camp that make me understand the poetic and celebratory scripture of Psalm 100. *text has been edited to be gender-inclusive*

“Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the LORD is God. It is she who made us, and we are hers; we are her people, the sheep of her pasture.

Enter God’s gates with thanksgiving and their courts with praise; give thanks to them and praise their name.

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
— Psalm 100

This week had me shouting prayers of thanksgiving, quite literally, and it is weeks like I had at Craig Springs that reminds me that peace and justice work is not just about workshops and educating, but it is also about love, care, relationships, and thankfulness which keeps us powering through!