Internship – A Brief Description

INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Koinonia is an intentional Christian community founded in 1942, modeled after the the Early Church as described in the Acts of the Apostles. We welcome applications for our Internship Program from adults from all backgrounds, all faiths, struggling with faith, and no faith.

The internship is not a conventional internship. Of course, interns participate in a whole host of work assignments, but it is not strictly a “work” or a “farm” internship. Instead, it is more holistic. Interns experience an immersion into the rhythm of our shared life of prayer, work, study, service, and fellowship. Most people live in some form of community, even if with only one other person. We hope those who intern with us take what they learn and experience at Koinonia into whatever community they find themselves.

Currently, the internship terms are seasonal: February to May, June to August and September to January. During the seasonal internship, one may apply for an additional one-year term.

Sam with one of Koinonia’s lambs.

“As a Spring intern at Koinonia, I got to experience the transition from winter to spring in southwest Georgia, planting and harvesting organic produce such as carrots, onions, lettuce, swiss chard, and more. New life abounded during my time at the farm: four lambs were born, the pecan trees began putting out small green leaves, a mural was painted, and Koinonia celebrated its 80th year with the Friends of Koinonia Retreat. Growth was all around me and within me as I read, studied, prayed, and was challenged spiritually each day. I will always carry Koinonia and the special people there with me wherever I go.” – Sam, Spring 2022 Intern

I was Summer intern at Koinonia in 2022 through the Student.Go program. What a beautiful experience it was for me. … Through my internship, I took those first steps I needed to take to get in touch with myself and learn about life’s possibilities that I had never thought about before. I did so many activities that summer. Serving at Camp Koinonia, taught me resilience. I loved the study sessions and all the discussions we had. Most mornings I didn’t even mind getting up early to pick blueberries before the heat of the summer day took hold! I loved the people at Koinonia. -Aaniya, Summer 2022 Intern

Aaniya, Silas, Clara, and Joanna
Summer 2022 Interns

There are three main components to the program: Educational, Spiritual, and Service.

Educational: Interns meet regularly for study. The syllabus is built on five themes that underscore our five pillars: prayer/spirituality/Scripture [prayer], hospitality [work], sustainable farming [study], social justice [service], community [fellowship]. Study sessions follow a discussion format based on the readings, podcasts, or films assigned. See a sample of the curriculum here.

Spiritual: There is no proselytizing at Koinonia; the internship is an immersion into the way of life lived here, so interns live a rhythm of life alongside us. There is plenty of time for walks in nature and exploring the spiritual practices of different traditions. There is always a great deal of fellowship and breaking of bread, a spiritual practice that we are quite fond of here.

Service: Interns serve both on and off the farm in a wide variety of ways, depending on the season and the ministries with which Koinonia is involved. The main ministries, which keep us rooted on the farm are hospitality, the internship and sustainable farming. At present, off the farm, we are involved with immigration issues, prison and jail reform, serving at the local food pantry and more. We operate a professional bakery, have both an online and onsite store and are always responding to the needs and challenges of the time.

“I came to Koinonia right after graduating from Calvin College and just before going to seminary at Princeton. My time at Koinonia Farm played a pivotal role in helping me better understand myself and my faith. Through both the relationships and the rhythms of life that I developed on the farm, I was able to see what it truly means to work towards beloved community. Being an intern at Koinonia Farm was an experience that will continue to shape me for years to come!” – Ben, Summer 2021 Intern

Ben with the summer 2021 interns and Koinonia members enjoying the weekly intern meal together.

The internship begins with a week-long orientation, which includes learning about the history of Koinonia and understanding the daily rhythm of our life together. Koinonia provides:

Housing
A common meal at noon on weekdays (and other days as announced periodically).
Basic groceries for other meals
A small stipend for those who may need it.

For those applicants who are still in school, Koinonia will work with your educational institution so that you may receive credit and fulfill course requirements. We have several partnerships with institutions of higher learning and are happy to build more. See Internship Partners below.

Questions? Katie Miles is a former intern and now serves as Koinonia’s Communications Coordinator. She facilitates the application process for the internship. The first step is to fill out an interest form and she will be in touch with you shortly. You can also email her at internship@koinoniafarm.org.

To learn more about Koinonia, take a look at our brief history. You can also read the FAQs about the internship program for more details.

Sue working in the shipping room

“After a degree in forestry, working at a state park in Washington State, and raising three exceptional children, I set off for new adventures. I first came to Koinonia as a seasonal intern in the fall of 2020. Yes, during a worldwide pandemic! Koinonia took precautions, and the care given to my intern group was inspiring. I survived the pecan harvest that Fall and the crazy busy shipping season. Well, it was GREAT; I loved it all! I loved it so much that I was accepted to stay on for a year-long internship. That year was a terrific time for making new friends with new groups of seasonal interns as we worked together putting on a joyful and fun 24-hour pecan “sort-athon,” picking blueberries at 6:00 am in the hot summertime, and so much more. Koinonia’s community life and spiritual studies just speak to my soul! That’s why I applied for a second-year internship. I’m excited to see what this year will bring!” – Sue, 2023 year-long intern

Internship Partners

Those interning at Koinonia Farm come from all walks of life, but students attending the following institutions, if they so choose, receive academic credit and fulfill other requirements upon completing their internship at Koinonia.

Koinonia is interested in building partnerships with other academic institutions. Please contact Katie Miles for more information.

Yale Divinity School
Supervised Ministries

Boston University School of Theology
Office of Contextual Education and Community Partnerships

We also have partnerships with a variety of organizations who help us connect students and other people with our internship program.

Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s Student.Go Program

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