Reflections on a Summer Internship
by Jayme Lowe
In the summer of 2018, I was chosen as one of seven interns at Concordia Publishing House (CPH), the publishing arm of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS). It turned out to be one of the most educational and engaging experiences of my life.
CPH produces a multitude of products for the LCMS and Christians in general, ranging from study Bibles to children’s books to Sunday school curriculums. I had the opportunity to serve in the editorial department, specifically in the area of Vacation Bible School (VBS). As a preservice secondary English teacher and a life-long VBS attendee and leader, I was beyond excited to help in the creation of VBS 2019.
Going into this internship, I had no idea what to expect. I had applied in January, interviewed in February, and been accepted in March. Other than a brief description that said I would be working with Word, PowerPoint and other computer programs, I knew nothing about what a VBS Editorial intern did. Turns out, I did quite a lot.
Over the course of the summer, I got to see Vacation Bible School 2019, “Miraculous Mission: Jesus Saves the World” develop into something wonderful. I was a part of promotional shoots with the children of CPH employees and professional child models; the Song Action Video rehearsals and video shoots; designing the set for the opening/closing videos; formatting director materials; and creating the song lyric PowerPoints and videos. All these activities, and more, kept me busy every day. I was never a “typical” intern–no fetching coffee or making endless copies. CPH made me a true part of the team.
That’s the key to life at CPH–it’s a family. The seven interns ate lunch together every day, watching “Jeopardy!” and shouting out answers over each other. We had morning devotions in the editorial department, and every Wednesday, all of CPH was invited to a chapel service (having several pastors on staff is helpful!). Our co-workers asked about our lives, and since all of the interns were tied to one of the Concordia Universities, we were surrounded by many fellow Bulldogs, Cardinals, Cougars and Falcons. Most importantly, we were surrounded by other believers in Christ.
The Christ-centered atmosphere of CPH is what makes it unique from other companies. As an intern, I was a valued sister in Christ, helping to spread the Gospel. I loved all the friendships I made–Adele, the VBS marketing intern from Michigan, and I became such fast friends that the Song Action Video kids just assumed that we were life-long best pals! However, the truly priceless part of my internship was the fact that I knew I made an impact through my work. “Miraculous Mission” has a little bit of me in it, and I cannot wait to share it with kids next summer, spreading Christ’s love through music, crafts, games and, most importantly, the Word. As 1 Peter 1:25, CPH’s theme verse, says: “The Word of the Lord endures forever.”
If you’re interested in learning more about the internship opportunities at CPH, check out the careers page on their website, https://about.cph.org/careers.html. They typically open internship applications in November.
