The Adventures of John the Intern

This summer, EECM has been fortunate enough to have an intern from Calvary Episcopal Church working with us. The congregation sponsors a "McNulty Intern" each year – the internship is named after the fourteenth rector of Calvary Church, the Rev. Arthur F. McNulty, Jr. and is designed to give a seminarian some hands-on community experience in an urban parish. This year’s intern is John Daniels, a graduate of Virginia Theological Seminary from Alexandria, Virginia.

Of the many activities John has engaged in during his time as intern, perhaps the most interesting was the night that he spent undercover in our Men’s Emergency Shelter, posing as a homeless man to get an inside look at what our clients experience at the shelter.

“I must acknowledge the trepidation that I experienced prior to my 6:30 pm arrival at the shelter. I do not take lightly the circumstances in which these men live, but I wanted to experience their reality rather than assume that our desires, abilities and capacities are in alliance… I appeared to be among the first arrivals and I tried to appear confident and yet unassuming. I immediately took a seat which offered adequate visual exposure to all the interactions between the shelter monitors and the incoming visitors. I was very impressed with the overall functioning of the homeless shelter. The monitors appeared to engage the guests in a hospitable manner. Prior to dinner the guard suggested that we give thanks for the blessings of the day. Several visitors shared community service information with the group such as the location of free bus passes, shoes, clothing, and job services and we concluded with prayer.

Shortly after 9:00 pm I received a bed assignment and was supplied with clean linen and a bath towel. I had forgotten my toothbrush, but one was provided to me. At this point, I entered the chapel sleeping area with a bit of trepidation, as I sought bunk number five. Many of the other visitors were fast asleep, watching television or engaged in a political, social and religious dialogue with one of the monitors. I preferred to observe these interactions rather than engaging in them and soon fell asleep. I received breakfast the following morning and then headed out.

I briefly considered staying an additional night…however I chose sleeping comfort and bathing privacy over the communal living of the shelter.”

John has also been visiting and interviewing our Meals on Wheels clients to get a sense of whether they would appreciate/desire pastoral calls and/or visits from members of local faith communities. He is hoping to increase the level of pastoral involvement of our member congregations in the work of EECM by providing them with ministry opportunities with our clients. Thus far, the response to his inquiries has been overwhelmingly positive and we look forward to expanding the pastoral component of our ministry.