The Council is delighted to welcome two Duke Divinity School interns who will be working on a variety of projects over the course of the school year.
“It is always exciting for us to have Duke Div interns helping with the work of the Council,” said Executive Director George Reed. “Their energy and enthusiasm enhance all that we do.”
Brett McCarty is a 2008 graduate of Furman University, where he double majored in Mathematics-Economics and Religion. While at Furman, he was the Programming Committee Chair for Mere Christianity Forum, a campus ministry dedicated to developing thoughtful, ecumenical Christian faith.
McCarty spent a formational summer in 2007 interning at Union Mission, Inc., a homeless shelter that includes educational training, health services, and housing. Upon graduating summa cum laude from Furman, he began studies at Duke Divinity School, where he is now a third-year Master’s of Divinity student.
Since arriving at Duke, he spent his first summer at Palmer’s Grove United Methodist Church, a rural church in Hillsborough and his second summer as a chaplaincy intern with Duke Hospital’s CPE program. McCarty has developed a strong interest in medical and economic ethics and hopes to pursue doctoral work in theological ethics upon graduation.
Rennie Salata graduated from Maryville College in 2005 with an undergraduate degree in music. Since coming to Duke Divinity School in 2008, Salata has served two field education placements in local church settings. Through these experiences, he has developed a growing interest in ministry that has an impact on the local congregation, both for its mission and its nurture.
Projects that promote peace initiatives and conversations between otherwise opposed groups rank among his other interests. This has led to an increasing desire to see more ecumenical activities and events in the life of the church. Issues surrounding poverty, specifically in the area of food, are also of interest to him. Any projects that make pastors, parishioners, and the general public better educated and promote cooperation through worship, missions, or special events represent Salata’s greatest commitment as it relates directly to the life of the church.
