CHICAGO (February 5, 2016) 鈥� Amanda Detchman had a decision to make. Having just wrapped up her exchange program semester in Stockholm, Sweden, Detchman was preparing to return to the United States when she received an email asking if she was interested in staying in Sweden to fulfill an internship requirement.
Detchman, a student at , was torn. 鈥淚 was already in Sweden, immersed in the culture and eager to learn more,鈥� she says. 鈥淗owever, signing the contract meant being away from home for another year. There was a lot of prayer and discernment involved.鈥�
Detchman鈥檚 advisor, Professor of Ministry and Director of Field Education , had gotten word that Immanuel International Church in Stockholm was seeking an interim youth pastor. 鈥淚 forwarded that email to Amanda with a little note asking if she鈥檇 be interested,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he next thing I know, the match had been solidified. She had interviewed with them and impressed them, and it happened fairly quickly.鈥�
鈥淚t was evidently God鈥檚 work,鈥� Detchman says, 鈥渂ecause I happened to be attending Immanuel for the four months prior, and already felt at home there. With the Spirit鈥檚 peace and God鈥檚 courage, I agreed to work as their youth director.鈥�
Today, Detchman serves in an internship as youth director for Immanuel鈥檚 International Congregation. 鈥淚mmanuel is very unique, because it鈥檚 made up of three congregations,鈥� says Detchman, 鈥淪wedish, International, and Korean. The church staff work in the same building and have meetings and events together, but on Sunday, we hold three separate services at the same time.鈥� In her position, Detchman helps oversee a summer camp, a conference for international youth across Europe, overnight 鈥渓ock-ins,鈥� and partnerships with homeless and elderly ministries.
As has been the case throughout her time in Sweden, this ministry context gives Detchman a uniquely global learning experience. 鈥淭he joy I receive working with youth from around the world is challenging, eye-opening, and live-giving,鈥� she says.
‘A growing experience’
It鈥檚 the kind of experience that Johnson hopes Seminary students will have through their field education opportunities, whether international or domestic. 鈥淲e try to have every student have some experience in a cultural context that鈥檚 different from what they鈥檙e used to,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a key part of the experience at North Park.鈥�
Johnson had recommended the internship to Detchman, in part, because of her 鈥渆vident interest in pastoral care,鈥� he says. 鈥淥n campus, she would often offer to pray for students or faculty members. I had an aunt that died, and I mentioned it in a . She later asked if she could pray about that with me. It鈥檚 bold as a student to come up to a faculty member and ask to pray for them, but that鈥檚 kind of how she鈥檚 constituted.鈥�
Prior to her internship, Detchman came to Sweden through the Seminary鈥檚 exchange program partnership with the Stockholm School of Theology (THS). She applied for the program because 鈥渢he courses sounded insightful, and I have a heart for understanding cultures other than my own,鈥� she says. Once there, she found that 鈥淭HS was a growing experience. I learned so much about myself, my writing, and the world.鈥�
Among Detchman鈥檚 highlights of her time at THS were an Urban Theology course, which required hands-on work with a range of churches throughout Stockholm, and a Christians of the Middle East course, which included a trip to Jerusalem. 鈥淲e had amazing guides and professors,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e met with a variety of religious leaders, toured the Holy Land, and engaged in field studies of surrounding communities.鈥� In addition to Swedish students, Detchman enjoyed getting the opportunity to study alongside classmates from Burma and India.
Director of Seminary Recruitment and Admission believes that the exchange program is born out of North Park鈥檚 鈥減assion for the global church and justice issues,鈥� she says. 鈥淢any of the classes focus in this area and provide opportunity for our students to have an enriched learning experience鈥攍earning about issues of justice from a different part of the world and different cultural perspective.鈥�
Oxendale hopes that 鈥渟tudents would be able to return here with a different perspective, not just on theology and Scripture, but on who they are and who God is.鈥� For her part, Detchman seems well on her way to doing exactly that. 鈥淭he people I do ministry and work with here accept me and love me so well,鈥� Detchman says. 鈥淭hey have taught me what it means to love deeply and engage fully in life鈥檚 adventures.鈥�
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