Beth Hult spent the summer at Brookings First UMC as an Elisha intern. Beth wanted to explore if she would be fit for her for dream job, Christian Education Director. She applied for the 12-week Elisha internship and was granted the opportunity to work with Gretchen Knutson, Christian education director at Brookings First UMC.

Photo: Beth Hult, Elisha intern at Brookings First UMC, shares here thoughts on her summer experience. Photo by Dave Stucke, Dakotas Conference.

“I have always admired or wondered if I could do Gretchen’s job,” said Beth Hult. “One day I went up to Gretchen and told her, I want your job, what do I have to do?”

Hult spent the summer planning Vacation Bible School, mapping out Sunday School for the 2016-17 year and planning a day at Lake Poinsett Camp for youth in the Brookings Community.

“I was surprised at how much planning and communication goes into the job,” said Hult. “The number of contacts you have to make to get volunteers and communicate what needs to happen is just amazing.”

The day camp at Lake Poinsett was organized entirely by Hult.  She had to gather the volunteers, plan the curriculum for the day, arrange for transportation, registration and permission slips. 

“It was a huge task but I loved it. I was shocked but how much goes into one day,” said Hult.

Gretchen Knutson, Hult’s mentor, spent time each day with Holt discussing, organizing and planning.  The summer is the time for coordination and planning for the entire Christian Education program. 

“I was so excited to mentor someone in this ministry,” said Knutson. “The children are the church. This ministry is so critical to the lives of the families and children you touch. It is really neat to think that someone is thinking of doing this ministry. Ministry is not always preaching in the pulpit.”

Photo: Beth Hult, Elisha intern and her mentor Gretchen Knutson, Christian education director at Brookings First UMC, spend time together planning. Photo by Dave Stucke, Dakotas Conference.

Hult did spend a couple of weeks working with Rev. Wade and Theta Miller in various roles at Brookings UMC.  “I learned that preaching in the pulpit is not for me,“ Hult said. “I am more of a behind the scenes person.  I just love working with the children.”

Hult is a sophomore at South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD. She is majoring in Early Childhood Education with a minor in Family Studies. This summer affirmed her desire to be a Christian Education Director.

“I just love teaching and leading children to Jesus. There are so many ways to get kids involved in the church and lead them to the Bible and live out the stories of the Bible,” said Hult.

Both Hult and Knutson see the internship experience as a valuable process for learning.

“I think the Elisha Internship is a fantastic way for young people to learn if the ministry is right for them,” said Knutson.

The Elisha Project is a college internship program designed to assist these young people as they sense God’s call upon their life in a specific way and to help them to discern more fully what God is calling them to do. College students seeking to further discern God’s calling upon their life, and churches supervise these interns will work together to define the parameters of individual internships.

Click here to learn more about the Elisha internship