From Generation to Generation!

Beloved DPF community, 

We are celebrating 50 years of the Peace Intern program!!!!!

It was the summer of 1975, when the first Disciples Peace Fellowship Intern, Rev. Bruce Ervin, ventured into Regional church camps sharing workshops and messages of God’s shalom. For 50 years, DPF has honored this commitment to “raise up new generations of peacemakers” through this ministry of inviting, training and sending out Peace Interns into the life of the church. 

Former General Minister and President Sharon Watkins described the DPF Peace Intern Program “as one of the most important leadership development initiatives in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).” At the end of the 2025 summer, DPF will have worked with 181 peace interns in the 50 years of the program. We have seen these young adults over the decades and into the present offer leadership as new generations of peacemakers in the life of the Disciples of Christ community and beyond. 

In the 2000’s, the Executive Committee of the Disciples Peace Fellowship established the Kirby Page Endowment at the Christian Church Foundation (CCF) as a way to honor a Disciples peacemaker and support the Peace Intern Program into the future. At present, the Kirby Page endowment (which has a little over $100,000 invested) gives annual earnings that only provide enough resources to pay the summer stipend for one Peace Intern.  Generally speaking, we have three Peace Interns each Summer, so the DPF 50th Anniversary Planning Committee decided to challenge ourselves and the DPF community to grow the Kirby Page Endowment Fund by an additional $200,000. That way the endowment will provide resources to cover all  three peace intern stipends each summer moving forward!

The Generation to Generation Team of the 50th Anniversary Planning Committee had a goal of raising $50,000 in Leadership Gifts from mid-December to March 31. We are overjoyed to report that a group of 32 committed peacemakers became lead donors for this venture. WE CELEBRATE receiving pledges and gifts totaling $75,050! That is $25,050 MORE THAN WE ANTICIPATED! 

Imagine with us: 100 additional committed peacemakers making 3-year pledges of $1500 ($500 a year or $42 a month) or a one-time contribution of the same amount. Such gifts would mean that we not only reach the goal of $200,000, we exceed it!

Will you join Bruce and Helen Hempfling Ervin, Dick and Mindy Hamm, Nita Floe Hempfling, Minta Colburn, Dan Bryant, Linda McCrae and Bev Knight, Sophia Barnett, Lindsey Jacobs, Ben Bohren, Leanne and Don Stump, Kaye Edwards, Ron and Linda McKiernan-Allen, Mary and Bill Jacobs, Carolyn and Jim Higginbotham, Diane and Rick Spleth, Brian and Susan Frederick-Gray, Timothy and Candace Murphy, Donna and Jerry Martin, Phoebe Spier and Melba and Jon Lacey by making a contribution either through a one-time donation or through pledging over a three year period (General Assembly 2025 to General Assembly 2028)? 

At such a time as this, the Gospel imperative of living out peace and justice needs to be boldly embodied. Past and present peace interns are doing just that.  Your commitment will make the difference in raising up new generations of peacemakers. 

For more information on how to pledge/donate, please contact one of the following members of the Generation to Generation Team:

Blessings and Peace!
The Generation to Generation Team