07.10.09
Duke Students At Solid Rock
In the Bible, when Jesus sent out his disciples, he sent them out two by two.
Every year the Field Education Office at Duke Divinity School in Durham sends seminary students to various churches and ministry sites to serve and to learn. Duke Divinity School has sent two student interns this year to Solid Rock and they are Emily Kroeger and Regine Jean-Baptiste.
Kroeger
Emily Kroeger is a senior who is specializing in serving rural churches under the Thriving Rural Communities Initiative. When she graduates she will be appointed to serve a church in a rural community. Solid Rock is one of only seven churches in North Carolina that is a part of this initiative. This rural Harnett County church is a perfect setting for Ms. Kroeger to gain insight into the ministries of a rural church.
As part of her learning/serving covenant, Ms. Kroeger shared these thoughts: “I want to confirm my calling to ordained ministry and to be made ready to serve my own church next year when I have a congregation of my own.” Ms. Kroeger also stated that Solid Rock is a church that truly offers an invitation to “come as you are.” She said that what is really special to her is that it is a place where everyone can come and worship God and be supported by others.
Ms. Kroeger also stated that she experienced the Holy Spirit’s guidance in leading her as an agent of God’s work in ways that she had never experienced before.
Jean-Baptiste
Ms. Jean-Baptiste is a rising middler, which is the equivalent of being a junior in other institutions. She has split her time between Solid Rock United Methodist Church in Spout Springs and Harry Hoosier United Methodist Church in Fayetteville this summer. She is a component part of an effort by the two churches to build ministry and break down walls.
As part of her learning/serving covenant, Ms. Jean-Baptiste desires to gain more experience in hands-on ministry work. She stated, “I have held every position in the church except pastor, I have been Methodist all my life, and I want to see what the pastor does.” She also stated that one of her main goals is to discern whether her call is to ordained ministry or to mission work. She feels that seeing pastors lead worship and seeing how people are transformed through counseling has helped confirm her call to ordained ministry.
“Both churches are great places to worship,” said Ms. Jean-Baptiste. For those who are looking for a place to worship God and to see church happen every day, Ms. Jean-Baptiste said Solid Rock and Harry Hoosier are embodying the ideals of the church by not just talking about it, they are being about the work of the Body of Christ.