June 7 to August 8, 2026

The purpose of Summer Service with Good Works is to enable this ministry to extend its work in the community while also providing a channel through which the church can serve those people who are close to God’s heart. The people who participate in the Summer Internship supervise Summer Service. They provide key leadership, developing the volunteers for service. In addition, Good Works is seeking to create a context for leadership development for the intern. Although a small compensation is provided with the internship (plus housing and food), it should be viewed as more than a summer job: this is an opportunity for you to develop leadership skills for ministry and get actual hands-on experience with developing people for service. Living with the Good Works Hannah House community is an experience that will require an investment of your life into the lives of others.

The people you will be developing relationships with will include:

• Residents in the Timothy House
• Residents in the Hannah House
• Our neighbors seeking help from Neighbors Helping Neighbors
• Youth from the greater Athens community
• Transformation Station Volunteers
• Work Retreat leaders and members
• Good Works staff
• Other interns
• The Friday Night Life community
• Good Works volunteers
• Guests to the ministry

This experience is intended to be an immersion into ministry to the widow, the fatherless and the stranger, calling for you to confront issues within yourself that keep you from doing this.

This will require an adjustment of your social life for the period of June 9th to August 10th. Here are the dates that you will need to be aware of to participate in the Summer Service Internship with Good Works:

*Note: All interns who are accepted for the Summer Service Internship are expected to be present for the entire internship starting June 7th (with move in) until August 8th. It is not possible to have a second job or to take classes during the Summer Internship. While this internship can be used for academic credit, there should be very limited class work involved that would add to the responsibilities of the summer. 

Intern responsibilities will include:

Orientation
All interns are required to participate in the Orientation Week, June 8-12. This week of training will include:

• What is involved in living within the Hannah House community
• Supervision of groups called Work Retreats
• Scheduling for the summer
• Preparing for your responsibilities
• Safety Training

Hannah House

• To live in and nurture the community of the house
• Be the host of the house for the evening
• Share a room with another intern or resident

Work Retreats (we also call them Worship Teams)

• Lead groups in arrival orientation
• Be the catalyst for the spiritual development of the group
• Supervise groups in the various tasks they are assigned to
• Develop and lead devotionals for the groups; interns will divide up the leading responsibilities

Intern Personal Growth/Group Meetings

Good Works Summer Service is about developing people for the Kingdom of God. These efforts will be focused on the interns in the following ways:

• Wednesday Afternoons – This two-hour session will include worship, evaluation of the previous week, preparation for the upcoming week and the study of a book for our growth. All interns will participate in these Wednesday sessions.
• Daily Morning Meeting – Plan for the day, assigning group volunteers to various tasks.
• Hannah House Meeting – Discuss issues related to living together in the house and community.
• Friday Staff Educational Meeting – Participate in the regular staff development session.

Interns will be assigned to the following ministry areas:

Work Projects on Good Works properties

• Work closely with the leadership of the groups to maximize the efforts of the group members
• Make sure that all group members are conducting themselves in a safe manner
• Oversee the execution of projects being worked on

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

• Throughout the summer, we will come alongside many individuals in the community who live in their own homes but are no longer able to care for their property
• The intern will supervise volunteers on these projects ranging from mowing lawns and yard work to various construction projects
• Facilitate the developing relationship between the person being served at their home in the community and the group members from the visiting work retreat

Summer Kids’ Discovery Club

• Develop and supervise interactive activities with children in the community
• Connect with visiting community presenters
• Supervise volunteers in these contexts

Timothy House

• Supervise group volunteers coming over in the evening. One night a week the interns will participate in the evening activities at the Timothy House, bringing over two members of the Work Retreat group to interact with those living in the house
• Assist with activities in the house
• Debrief with intern and group volunteers at the end of the shift

Summer Lunch

• Plan and prepare lunch for children and adults, Monday through Thursday
• Supervise volunteers working in the Summer Lunch

Former Summer Intern Reflections

Sophie Mather

Sophie was first an Appalachian Immersion intern and then decided to participate in the Summer Internship in 2019. She was one of the leaders for Summer Kids Discovery Club Click here to read the devotional she led this summer with the Work Retreat groups who were with us.

Kelsey Kitchel

Kelsey Kitchel had come for several Work Retreat experiences with her church Germantown United Methodist Church. This led her to participate in the Summer Internship as the next step in her journey. She was a leader in the Summer Kids Discovery Club. You can read about her experience here.

Zea Miller

Zea served as a Summer Intern in 2019, providing leadership to Neighbors Helping Neighbors. Her reflection on a relational experience she had at the Timothy House will help to provide insight into the kind of experiences our Summer Interns have. Click here to read this.

Jimmy Blackwell

Jimmy Blackwell came from Asbury Seminary to do the Summer Internship with Good Works in 2016. He was a leader in our Teen Agriculture Internship. He went on to become the Hannah House manager. Here is a reflection from his summer experience.

Lyndsey Smith

Lyndsey helped to lead Summer Kids Discovery Club during her internship in 2016. Click here to read her reflection of a relationship she nurtured during her internship.

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2011 video: