by Morgan Reed & Grace Brooks

From Morgan+

From the outset of planting Corpus Christi Anglican Church (Springfield, VA), one of our core values has been to develop young leaders and send them out for God’s kingdom work. We were blessed to welcome Grace Brooks as our first summer intern. She was immediately immersed in all areas of church planting in a 10-week intensive internship filled with prayer walks, theological discussion, administration, discipleship, liturgical leadership, and preaching. While this internship was impactful for her, she has equally left a lasting mark on the life of this growing congregation. We are grateful for her and her ministry and we will miss having her here; in the article below, Grace reflects on her last ten weeks as an intern at Corpus Christi Anglican Church.

~Fr. Morgan Reed

From Grace

My earliest memory is of Anglican liturgy. As a five-year-old, I was captivated by the way people closed their eyes with their hands lifted as they prayed “Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts,” how they raised their voices in agreement with lectionary readings, how their heads bowed in confession, and how they knelt humbly during the Lord’s Prayer. I remember clearly the ‘yes’ that resounded in my heart and mind at age eight as I watched a priest break bread. I want to be part of that, I remember thinking. Therefore, let us keep the feast.

INTERNING AT AN ANGLICAN CHURCH PLANT

The older I’ve become, the deeper I’ve come to love Christ and his Church. The same little girl who was fascinated by the Eucharist and the Scriptures has grown into a 21-year-old, about to begin her fourth year at Wheaton College as a Biblical & Theological Studies major, looking ahead to seminary and exploring her gifts of teaching and shepherding. This summer, I was invited to be part of the beginnings of Corpus Christi Anglican Church as their intern, serving the areas of Franconia, Springfield, and Kingstowne, Virginia and becoming immersed in the life of the Church in beautiful and rich ways.

The summer at Corpus Christi gave me an imagination for the future that is grounded in lived experience. As I helped with administrative tasks, participated in Sunday services and church events, and even got to preach, I found that many of the things that I had dreamt of doing were not only real parts of ministry, but also things that I enjoyed doing. God used even the smallest tasks like writing the weekly newsletter and preparing a sermon outline to confirm and direct me to continue following the path that I was already walking. I am continuing this journey with a new confidence in how God has been calling me through the tangible realities of ministry that I saw this summer.

SOME LESSONS LEARNED

As I got to serve this church, I found that I not only enjoyed it, but I was given the opportunity to contribute to and bless the church. Even as a young woman, I was entrusted with the lives of the congregation. People invited me into their homes and their hearts, asking me to grieve and rejoice with them in their celebrations and in their sorrows. I got to preach God’s Word to them from the pulpit; something I didn’t expect to do for at least another five years. The staff that I was joining allowed me to use my gifting in such a way that negated my expectations, reminding me that as an image-bearer as a Christian who has the gift of the Holy Spirit, I have contributions to make to the Church that are important and glorifying to God. This has allowed me to value how God has made me in the present and as I move forward in ministry, to raise up those who are young. I learned this summer how God can use anyone to bless his Church, regardless of knowledge or age. He has given us his Holy Spirit - thanks be to God - that we may serve him and serve our neighbors, and we are called to do that at any stage of life.

I think my eight-year-old self would be excited and amazed about what this summer has been. I am grateful for the ways in which I got to be part of this tender young church that God is faithfully growing and to serve them each day. He is raising up this place to become a common people in common prayer who seek his uncommon transformation, and I am looking forward to seeing how he furthers the people of Corpus Christi to work alongside him to build his kingdom. I am taking these next steps with deep delight and gratitude for all that these ten weeks have held, looking to what is next with joy.

~Grace Brooks

The Rev. Morgan Reed has been called to plant Corpus Christi Anglican Church (formerly "The Franconia-Springfield Mission), which serves the Franconia, Springfield, and Kingstowne areas of Northern Virginia. Their vision is to become a common people in common prayer for uncommon transformation.