PPC09002
June 8, 2009

PPC selects Anna Kendig as Robert W. Bohl Racial Ethnic Seminary Intern

Contact:
Vince Patton, (502) 569-8043

The Presbyterian Publishing Corporation (PPC) today announced that Anna Kendig has been selected as the Robert W. Bohl Racial Ethnic Intern. Ms. Kendig was selected from a pool of candidates that emerged from a search process that began in early March. Ms. Kendig graduated from McCormick Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree in May and will work with PPC in the coming weeks learning various aspects of religious publishing.

Marc Lewis, PPC President and Publisher, says, “We are proud of the Robert W. Bohl Racial Ethnic Internship and believe the internship provides racial ethnic seminary students and recent graduates with an opportunity to serve the church in a unique manner. We were impressed with the individuals who showed interest in the internship and believe that service to the church through work at PPC can be an excellent expression of an individual’s ministry. We are excited about Anna’s interest in publishing, her keen insights about worship and cultural communities, and her demonstrated commitment to the life and mission of the PC(USA).”

The ten-week internship was established in 1999 in honor of the Reverend Robert W. Bohl, Moderator of the 206th General Assembly in 1994 and former chair of the PPC Board of Directors. Bohl is a retired pastor who served several churches during his ministry, including Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, Kansas. He served the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) through his leadership on the boards of numerous organizations affiliated with the denomination.

Upon hearing news that PPC had selected an intern for 2009, Bohl commented, “One of the things that I am most proud of is my time serving on the Board of Directors of the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation. It is my belief that the best way we attract bright people to consider religious publishing is to introduce them to hands-on experience in the world of publishing. The internship program does exactly that, and it pleases me that PPC has selected Anna Kendig as the intern for this summer.”

Ms. Kendig will spend much of her time working in the marketing and editorial departments of PPC. The denominational publisher will publish eighty titles by the end of the year and has recently launched The Presbyterian Leader, a new online resource center for all leaders of PC(USA) congregations.

Ms. Kendig says, “I am extremely pleased to be interning with PPC this summer. As a multiracial seminary graduate, I hope to be able to supply a unique perspective while at PPC; as someone new to the publishing world, I hope to learn much. Having benefited greatly from the publications of Westminster John Knox Press and The Thoughtful Christian, I am looking forward to using my training in theology, ministry and global society to contribute to the further blessing of the church through PPC’s important work.”

A Magna Cum Laude graduate from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, Ms. Kendig earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Spanish. While studying at St. Olaf College, she received the Spohn Memorial Award for Excellence from the English Department and became a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. Ms. Kendig served as the pastoral intern at Second Presbyterian Church in Chicago, Illinois, where she preached, lead worship, and assisted in adult education. In addition, she was the worship assistant for special worship at McCormick Theological Seminary, planning and assembling worship teams. Prior to attending McCormick Theological Seminary, Ms. Kendig was a summer intern with Hispanic and Youth Ministries at First Presbyterian Church in Claremont, Minnesota, and a youth ministry coordinator at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis.

The Presbyterian Publishing Corporation is the official denominational publisher of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). It is a completely self-sustaining agency of the General Assembly. With a publishing heritage that dates back more than 170 years, PPC publishes under four imprints: Westminster John Knox Press, Geneva Press, The Thoughtful Christian, and The Presbyterian Leader. It publishes approximately 80 books each year, produces four issues each of These Days and Theology Today, and maintains a backlist of more than 1,700 titles that are sold throughout the world. These works seek to glorify God by contributing to the spiritual and intellectual vitality of Christ’s church. To that end, PPC publishes resources that advance religious scholarship, stimulate conversation about moral values and inspire faithful living.