2025-2026 Interns

At the beginning of the month, I wrapped up my small group guides for Kids Camp. I received great feedback, which really encouraged me and made me feel proud of the effort I had put in. We also had Coordinator Night, where coordinators from each ministry came together to learn, reflect, and assess how we are doing. During that time, we discussed Leading Others by Mac Lake and talked a lot about discipline and what it truly means to lead others well. It was a really meaningful experience, and I loved getting to hear more about other people’s faith journeys and perspectives.

I also started school again this month. At first, it felt overwhelming with so much new information and trying to balance multiple focuses in my life at once. The first couple of weeks were rough, but I am finally starting to settle into a routine and feel more organized. Around the same time, it was my last week going into Bigelow to spend time with students during lunch and recess, since I would soon be starting tutoring at a different school. It was bittersweet to leave, but I was excited for the next opportunity.

The following week, all of the interns went on an overnight retreat to Maumee Bay led by Cindy Casey. It was a 24-hour fast, and we were not allowed to talk to anyone during that time. We were given a task list that included reading the book of James and answering reflective questions about ourselves and our lives. At first, I honestly thought I was going to go crazy without eating or talking, but it ended up going much better than I expected. I spent a lot of time listening to my favorite podcast, praying, and intentionally focusing on growing closer to God and learning how to listen for His voice. It was refreshing to step away from everyday distractions and spend intentional time in prayer and self-reflection. At the end of the retreat, we exchanged letters of encouragement, shared about our experiences, and took communion together to remember the importance of Jesus. It was a very grounding and impactful experience for me.

The next week, I began my tutoring placement at Dorr Elementary in Springfield. I am working with second graders and will be teaching math in a small group for half of the semester. I am very excited to be in a classroom setting, learning from other teachers, and building relationships with students. It already feels like a welcoming community, and my mentor teacher is a great role model to learn from. I am looking forward to everything this experience will teach me.

This month, I was also asked to take on additional roles with Kids Camp, including creating more guides for social time, snacks, crafts, and games. I am incredibly grateful for these opportunities and excited to continue growing through them. I am looking forward to seeing what I learn and how I can carry these experiences with me moving forward.

Hi everyone! At the beginning of December, we kicked off the month with our DreamTeam Night at The Crest in Findlay, and it was amazing. The event was Grinch-themed, so everything was decorated like Whoville. We enjoyed food, played games, shared golden microphone stories of others, and worshiped together. It was such a fun and meaningful way to start the month.

A few days later, I met with Sarah and Michaela to talk about Kids Camp, and I have some exciting news: I am working on kids’ programming for Kids Camp! This includes reviewing content, deciding what activities we will do, and working on the guides for the leaders to use when teaching the kids. It has been an incredible learning experience, especially alongside people who have so much knowledge and experience.

Shortly after that, we had our intern Christmas party, where mentors and supervisors were invited. It was really special to see everyone together and to have my mentor and supervisor finally meet, since I work closely with both of them. We participated in a gift exchange where everyone brought something that had impacted their lives. I gave a Journaling with Jesus journal because it truly helped me this year by giving me a space to reflect, process my thoughts, and spend time with God. We also made candles with another mentor who has her own business in candle making. Lauren even surprised us with aprons to wear and enjoyed plenty of delicious desserts. She also gave us all a gift, which was incredibly thoughtful.

The following week, the Findlay Kids DreamTeam had an ornament exchange. Everyone brought dips and desserts, and we were able to relax and spend time together outside of church, which we don’t often get to do.

The next week, we watched a run-through of the Christmas service. It was interesting to see how Perrysburg’s service differed from Findlay’s and to experience the behind-the-scenes process. Also this week, I had the opportunity to visit our partner school, Bigelow, to help pass out shoeboxes. Seeing the kids’ joy was unforgettable. They were so excited and grateful, even without fully knowing why they were receiving gifts. It was a truly eye-opening experience.

The following week marked the start of Christmas services. Findlay hosted eight services in total, and this was my first time attending all eight. It was definitely a lot, but also incredibly rewarding. I taught all the elementary large groups in Findlay and had the chance to step into preschool and twos while at Perrysburg on Monday. Working with the younger kids was a refreshing change. I also led kids back on Christmas Eve in Findlay, which was great practice and growth for me.

On Christmas Day, I spent time with my family, and my parents hosted everyone at my house. We played Kahoot with fun family questions and old photos, made snowmen out of clay, and played a few other games. It was really nice to slow down and be fully present with my family.

During the last week of December, I traveled to Atlanta with my boyfriend’s family. Although it was a long drive, it was such a meaningful trip spent with people I care about. On our first day, we explored the city and saw the Tiny Doors along with beautiful murals. The next day, we celebrated the Feast of the Seven Fishes and continued exploring Atlanta. As someone who doesn’t like fish, that part was a bit challenging. On our final day, we visited the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and the World of Coca-Cola. Both were great experiences, especially getting to try drinks from around the world. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to take this trip and spend quality time with family.

Hi everyone! November has been such a great month. We kicked things off with a coordinator night, which was because I have been stepping into the elementary coordinator position for our Findlay campus currently. It’s been an awesome opportunity to learn new skills like scheduling for my elementary team, staying on top of project updates for the weekend, and caring for that part of our kids' team. I’ve loved seeing how well that group has adapted to the new communication flow. 

I also had my 90-day review meeting with Lauren and Jaime. It was encouraging to hear so much positive feedback about how things have been going these first three months. We also went over some exciting next steps, and even though I still have a lot to learn, I’m really grateful and excited for everything ahead in this internship. Currently on Sundays, I’m still teaching large group and getting quality time with kids I’ve taught for years, but I’ve also had chances to try new things like guest services training, which has helped me connect more with parents and entire families. 

We had two really fun masterclasses this month as well. The first was a watercolor session with Julie Lewandowski. I’ll be honest, it was a little frustrating for me at first. My painting wasn’t turning out the way I hoped, and the water made it tricky. But it turned into a great lesson on creativity and giving myself grace. I realized that perfection isn’t the goal, and that creativity shows up in so many everyday things I do without even thinking about it. Julie was such a great teacher and made the experience easier. Our second masterclass was CrossFit with Libbe Brossia, which I had absolutely no idea what to expect from since I don’t usually work out. It ended up being great. The lack of breaks made it tough, but I surprised myself with how well I did. It was a strong reminder that motivation and hard work go hand-in-hand and that pushing through challenges really does make you better. Libbe did a great job of explaining her life and how CrossFit has changed her life. 

November had some fun activities planned outside of our campus. The Snyder family invited all the interns over for a game night, and it was such a blast. We played tons of games, ate snacks, and honestly just enjoyed getting to know each other better. At the Findlay campus, our kids team also had our family night, where we invited the whole team to hang out for a fun event. This month, we did Wicked Night and went to the weekend premiere. It was such a fun night and a great chance to build relationships with our team outside of church. Overall, November was full of learning, connection, and growth, and I’m excited for everything still ahead.

October was such a fun and busy month! I kicked it off with DreamTeam Night, where the staff got to serve coffee to our amazing DreamTeam while they heard about the church’s vision. That night, I had the opportunity to lead a breakout group for elementary, which was such a great time to gather feedback and talk through ways we can make our ministry even better.

For our intern class, we went on a day retreat to the 5-7-7 Foundation, where we discussed the six spiritual disciplines and how to incorporate them into our daily lives. These practices are so important for staying close to God. The two disciplines I’ve decided to focus on are journaling and scripture memorization. My goal is to learn a new verse a week and write in my journal a sentence a day. We also recently had our Masterclass with Jason Jones this month. He gave us a behind-the-scenes look at his role as a booking agent for Live Nation, and he shared how CedarCreek has influenced his work. It was really inspiring to see another side of his world.

During our Chicago trip last month, all of us interns decided to take a day trip to visit Cedar Point together. It was such a great experience to bond outside of work. We rode tons of fun rides, screamed a few times, and made some unforgettable memories!

In our intern class, we also spent time writing and sharing our testimonies. I had never really taken the time to reflect on where my journey with God began, so it was meaningful to look back and see how He’s been at work in my life. I’m grateful for the chance to share my story and how God continues to shape my life for others. We also had a Guest Services Training, which was super beneficial since it was something new for me. We learned how the guest software works and practiced real-life scenarios, like adding new families into the system.

Halloweekend was an absolute blast! We had a pumpkin patch, photo booth, trunk-or-treat, and hayrides for families. The kids loved every bit of it. Inside, we celebrated by dressing up in costumes, and the kids had so much fun seeing their group leaders dressed up too. I even had the opportunity to lead a huddle and run my first service by myself, which included opening and closing doors, meeting needs, teaching a large group, and opening rooms back up. It was an amazing experience that stretched and grew me as a leader. I know I still have a lot to learn, but I’m so grateful for the opportunities that are helping me grow. Overall, this month has been full of growth, learning, and fun. I’m so excited to see what’s next in this internship journey!

Hi Everyone!

I can’t believe September is already over! It feels like the month flew by! Here’s a little recap of what I’ve been up to:

This month, I attended my very first coordinator night at the church. We enjoyed Chipotle together and had some great conversations about what it means to serve as a coordinator and the important role coordinators play. I also joined one of our family meetings with the 11:30 service DreamTeam. Since I didn’t know many people on that team yet, it was such a good opportunity to connect and get to know them better.

Another highlight has been starting Lunch Buddies at Bigelow Hill in Findlay. I get to spend time with 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders during lunch, sitting at their tables and simply building relationships. You can tell how much it means to them to see a familiar face each week. After lunch, we join them for recess, which has been so much fun. I’m really looking forward to going back and continuing to grow those connections with the kids.

All the interns also got to take a trip to Chicago, which was such an incredible experience! I went to my very first Major League Baseball game, visited “the Bean” (which was even cooler to see in person than I expected), and tried Chicago deep-dish pizza for the first time (so good)!

The next day, we visited Willow Creek Church. I knew it was big, but I was still blown away when I saw it in person. I had the chance to observe their kids’ ministry, and it was amazing. The space had so many different areas for kids to engage such as technology, crafts, sensory corner, toys, and games. I spent time with the 2nd and 3rd grade group, and the kids were so open and welcoming, even though I was new. It was also really interesting to see both the similarities and differences between Willow Creek and what we do at Cedar Creek. Afterward, we toured the church and attended a service, which was powerful and meaningful to experience.

Later that day, we gathered to learn about our Working Genius. We dug into how each of us is wired, our strengths and weaknesses, and how we can collaborate more effectively as a team. We also heard an incredible life-change story of how God worked in a couple’s life. It was so inspiring to see the Holy Spirit moving and to be reminded that no matter the obstacle, God is always present.

Overall, it was such a great month filled with learning, connection, and growth. I’m excited to see all that God has in store for the months ahead!