An Intern Reflection
My name is Justin Gonzalez, and I am entering my senior year at Moody Bible Institute. This summer, I had the opportunity and joy to intern at Corpus Christi Anglican Church in Springfield, Virginia. My time at Corpus Christi was a phenomenal time of learning, growing, and experiencing all the great things God had in store for me this summer. Coming into the summer, I was unsure of what my time would look like; my whole life, I have lived in the Midwest, in the same hometown just an hour and a half away from Chicago. Even going to college, I didn’t stray too far from home. It was a big step for me to leave the home I had known, even just for a short ten weeks. It was scary, intimidating, and nerve-wracking, but also, at the same time, it was new, exciting, and an adventure. One Sunday before I left for my internship, my Rector at my home parish preached on Genesis 12:1-9, describing Moses responding to the call of God to jump into the unknown and trust Him fully. That sermon and idea of falling into the arms of the Lord despite some fear, trusting in the Lord while I might be intimidated, characterized the summer and my time in Virginia.
Arriving in Virginia, I was met with the warmest welcome from the whole congregation at Corpus Christi. I remember specifically my nervousness melting away after the first Sunday. I was able to stay at the houses of parishioners and was invited into their daily lives; they accepted me as their own and had a genuine desire and interest in getting to know me. It was the best possible welcome I could have received. I began working and dove head-first into whatever I could get my hands on. I never worked in a church plant before, and I was able to see the inner workings and the behind-the-scenes that most people either may not typically think about or get to see by just going week to week. I was able to work closely with the Vicar Fr. Morgan Reed+ and help carry some of the weight from some of the other staff, and in my excitement, I hit the ground running. I helped plan services and served in the worship services in whatever capacity I could. During my time, I was given four books to read, The Christian Priest Today by Michael Ramsay, Celebrating the Eucharist by Patrick Malloy, Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Warren (of which I also led a book discussion for the congregation), and Spiritual Theology by Simon Chan. These books have blessed me so much in learning more about Anglicanism and understanding more about what it means to be a Priest and all the responsibilities that come with the office.
One significant aspect of my internship that I have been grateful for is the personal and spiritual growth I encountered during my time at Corpus Christi. For Moody, I had to write a pre and post-internship paper detailing what I expected for the internship and what my experience was like afterward. While writing my post-internship paper, I wrote how I had grown so much in the daily devotion of prayer and the Daily Office. I looked back on the pre-internship paper to compare, and I found that without remembering, I wrote that I desired my prayer life to grow and increase along with my dependence and trust in God and what He had in store for me. Without thinking about it while it was happening, only to look back on it at the end, I saw how my prayers and hopes were answered, and I did not even realize it during the process. Every day was a new day to wake up, thanking the Lord for the life and breath He has given me and trusting in His will in my everyday interactions and agendas. It was a sweet time of being able to grow in my relationship with Him and feel His presence more, especially when I was alone. That initially was undoubtedly a challenging aspect; I came to a new area without knowing anyone besides Fr. Morgan+ briefly over a few Zoom sessions and phone calls. However, along with my fears and doubts, the community embraced me; I was invited to lunches and dinners, met with the congregants, and got to know them better and hear their stories. From Men’s breakfasts and hikes to small groups and book discussions, I can honestly and genuinely say they were all very sweet and supportive.
Overall, my time at Corpus Christi Anglican Church, though having some ups and downs, was a wonderful time where I got to experience God’s grace and goodness further and got to experience firsthand a loving, welcoming community that rushed to know me as soon as I got there. Thank you to Morgan+, Ryan+, Andrew, Ashley, and all the wonderful people at Corpus Christi; it was a great summer. You all have a special place in my heart, and I am looking forward to the day when I see you all again!