Meet the New Interns!

This year Church of the Resurrection welcomes 11 new interns. They will be assisting the staff and clergy in many different aspects of our ministries. To help you get to know them better, each of the interns has written a short bio about themselves, their passions and their internship responsibilities. Be sure to say hi when you see these friendly faces around Church of the Resurrection!

Lane and Michelle Young:

Lane and Michelle Young moved to Wheaton in August of 2010 after serving as missionaries for 7 years at the Black Forest Academy (an international school primarily for Missionary Kids) as dorm parents and in administration. They have three kids: Jack, 21; Meghan, 19; and Emma, 17, a senior at Wheaton Academy. Prior to God's call to vocational ministry in 2001, Lane worked in the marketplace and the family lived in Evansville, IN (where, by the way, he met Stewart when he was 15!)

Currently Lane is finishing his Master's at Wheaton College in Christian Formation & Ministry, while serving as the US Director for TeachBeyond, Inc., an education-based mission organization. He is excited to serve church of the resurrection for his practicum by working with adult formation and serving our small group leaders. You can call him a Master Intern! Michelle works with the Disabilities Ministries of College Church and will be working alongside Lane in his practicum.

Brandon Michael Burdette:

Brandon Michael Burdette was born and raised in West Virginia before fleeing the nest to go to college in Missouri. After graduating with a degree in Math and Intercultural Studies, he studied Christian Formation and Ministry at Wheaton College Graduate school. Now, having a Masters degree and no job, Brandon Michael has decided to stick around because of Church of the Resurrection. He will be interning as the Children and Family Ministry Intern. Through the summer, you can find him teaching the Pre-school Bible Lessons or on a computer trying to help create a resource for families. Brandon Michael will also be helping with all Children's Ministry Events and brainstorming with the Children's Ministry Team about what the future looks like for the ministry!

Jonathan Kooiman:

Although he was born by the sea, grew up by the sea, and has been fishing more times than he can count, he has never caught a fish. One time a salmon literally threw itself out of the river in front of Jon. He was still not able to break the "curse" because his brother, Jason, got to the fish quicker. Yes, many have discovered this unfortunate truth and in their disbelief have invited him fishing with an ironclad guarantee that fish will be caught. Don't be one of those people because the fish seem to be in on it. His interests include catching a fish, going to medical school, having a family, and spreading the Gospel throughout all the world. Jon recently graduated from Wheaton College after studying biochemistry. He currently works as a contractor for GE Healthcare and interns at Church of the Resurrection, focusing on research and support to Fr. Kevin Miller on construction on the new building, nations ministry and evangelism. He is the second of five children. He enjoys running, reading, swing-dancing, cooking, and camping. Jon's dream is to serve as a medical missionary in places where no one else wants to go and to people whom no one else wants to serve. Jon hopes that being a fisher of men and women will work out better than his aquatic endeavors into fishing. 

Hattie Buell:

My internship is threefold, my story is brief. 

With youth, missions, and worship arts,

I will love Rez more and catch some larks.

… Oh my stars! I've already gotten myself so excited I can't finish the poem. I have big projects to conquer, relationships to establish and grow, and lots to gain from Rez staff, volunteers, and youth! I'm excited to spend time working alongside people that I admire and look up to, to understand how Rez worships as a body, to serve and learn from my church. What more could I possibly want? Not much. Well, maybe a tub of green tea ice cream.

Janelle Walker:

Janelle is serving this year as the intern for Resurrection’s Compassion Ministries. A recent grad from Bethel University, with degrees in Nursing and Reconciliation Studies, Janelle works part-time as a nurse for a wellness company in Aurora. In her free time you’ll find her hiking, reading, kickboxing, or at home enjoying time with her niece and nephew. For her, this internship has been an opportunity to respond to God’s calling in her life to walk in hope and invest in the church that has been so instrumental in her journey. She hopes to use her gifts to help people at Resurrection engage in the Church’s work among “The Least” and be encouraged by all that God is doing among s ociety’s forgotten.

Frederic Defoy:

My name is Frederic Defoy. I am married to Johanna. We have just celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary! We come from the Alps, France. Before coming to the US, I worked as an elementary school teacher for children from two and a half years old to twelve! This was a very interesting challenge! My wife and I were also very invested in the local church where we were introduced to the art of authentic team work—and for the sacred sake of fellowship, to the practice of the spiritual discipline of celebration through skiing, backpacking and sharing the local “fondue Savoyarde”! We also have the delight to be part of a new French mission that organizes short term mission trips overseas. I am currently studying at Wheaton College graduate school for a Masters Degree in Christian Formation and Ministry. I am very glad to serve as an intern at Church of the Resurrection during my stay in the US. I have the pleasure of joining two teams: the community care team and the healing prayer team. Under the supervision of Val McIntyre, I intend to learn everything I can and export it to France!

Lauren Peckman:

Lauren E. Peckman is an exegete, geospatial analyst, and teacher from St. Louis and the Carolinas. On weekends you can find her dancing across the country in a pair of emerald green shoes or down in the custodial closet at Glenbard West (one or the other, not both!) pondering the amazing nature of Altar Guild and how much you miss out on by not joining Altar Guild. Did I mention Altar Guild? Her favorite pastimes include swimming, traveling, goofy percussion, and learning languages that she may or may not remember tomorrow. On those spiritual gifts inventories, of which there are two thousand and three, Lauren consistently scores high on administration, creative communication, and "discernment of spirits." This combination makes her seem serious and hard-working, but with a mystical jive that gives her an excuse to daydream alone in a corner at those parties with tiny appetizer plates. Lauren is the intern of Adult Formation, Worship Arts, and Mission. Her passion is to serve as a jack-of-all-trades for the church in order to raise up a culture of free creative expression, domestic and international evangelism, and impassioned lifelong learning for Resurrection. She also needs a job and would like you to employ her immediately. Seriously. You should call.

Caleb Lindgren:

Caleb is excited to be serving as a Communications and Adult Formation intern with Rez this year. He is passionate about communicating theological truth in a clear and winsome way, and helping Christians live more faithfully. Caleb originally hails from a suburb of Seattle, Washington and misses the mountains and the ocean terribly. This past May Caleb completed a Master’s Degree in Systematic Theology at Wheaton College. He is an avid runner and a lover of good books. Caleb also enjoys anything and everything to do with music, whether that is listening to music or making music. You may have seen Caleb on the music team this past year, playing bass, or singing in the choir, both of which he enjoys thoroughly. If you've ever thought about joining choir, stop thinking about it and just do it, it's great!

Abbey Siebert:

Though born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, Abbey Siebert is a die hard University of Michigan fan. Raised in a large family, she spent her summers galavanting on the family farm in Michigan with dozens of cousins and siblings. She attended Indiana Wesleyan University and graduated with a degree in Sports Ministry and Biblical Literature. Her passion for anything adventurous, dangerous or out of doors led her to Wheaton where she is joyously enduring Master’s studies with a concentration in playing outside. She can be found riding through town on two wheels, at the local basketball court, or in a nearby coffee shop. Abbey will be interning as a (drumroll) Mission Intern. Throughout the year she will be working with the nations team, the festivals and celebrations, and retreat ministries. If you’re looking for an adventure, look her up on Sunday mornings in one of the hospitality ministries, she’d love to meet you.

Josh Blaney:

If you have only a passing glance of me you've probably at least at one time or another thought “That guy makes a great dog!” or, “That guy's rendition of a stranded seal was great!” And though those statements may be true, you may also find me on sundays serving communion, praying for people, or in the back co-ordinating services. There's also a good chance that your kids will recognize me as the guy with the camera and a pre-teen on my back at most times. When I'm not at church you can find me at Wheaton College helping to create their website or at Jellyfish Studios working on “What's in the Bible?” My internship will mostly be covering Youth work with a focus on helping you all know what we're up to and how to join in on the fun! So come up and say hi, and if you ask really nicely, I may do the seal again, but only if you ask politely.