Internship Spotlight: Kathleen Spangler

Bridging Church and World: Q&A with Perkins Student Kathleen Spangler

The Perkins Intern Program is widely recognized for preparing women and men for faithful leadership in Christian ministry. Internships allow students to integrate classroom learning with the real-life demands of serving congregations or agencies in urban, suburban and rural settings. Interns are encouraged to follow three guiding practices: “Be aware, think theologically and lead faithfully.” Interns receive guidance from trained mentors and feedback from on-site committees. They are also supported from their cohort, intern program faculty and consultants through the Internship Seminars. They gain hands-on experience, reflect theologically and explore how God is calling them to serve. In the first of this ongoing series spotlighting interns, we introduce you to Kathleen Spangler, an M.Div. student interning at a nonprofit agency, Hope Center Houston.

After nearly three decades as a commercial litigation attorney, Spangler felt a pull toward something more. That eventually led her to Perkins School of Theology, where she will graduate in May. Spangler, a certified candidate for ordination as a deacon in the Texas Conference of The United Methodist Church, is serving her Perkins internship at Hope Center Houston, a faith-based day center for individuals experiencing homelessness. She shares reflections from her internship here.

Q: Tell us about your call story and how that led you to Hope Center Houston as your internship site.

A: Before retiring from my law practice in 2021, I went back to school to earn a Master of Public Health from the University of North Texas Health Science Center. What really interested me were what we call the social determinants of health. Only a little bit of our health and wellness is medical intervention; most depends on things like housing, food, safety, social and community support. I believe God wants humans to flourish, but the conditions for human flourishing are not equally distributed. I believe the church has a role in working against health inequity.

I felt the call to ministry but sort of swatted it away for years, until I attended an ordination service in 2023, where they talked about deacons as a bridge between the church and the world. Deacons interpret the hurts and concerns of the world to the church. They help turn the church’s face toward the world in ministries of compassion and justice. And I thought, “That’s it. That’s what I want to do.”

That realization led me to want to work in nonprofits, and eventually to Hope Center Houston. Here I’ve been able to learn alongside Executive Director Br. Allen White, OSF, about serving people experiencing homelessness. No two days are alike! We serve breakfast and lunch, and offer social services, like helping people obtain their IDs or apply for Social Security or housing, as well as spiritual programs: Bible study, chapel services, addiction recovery meetings.

Q: How has your mentor supported you during this internship?

A: In addition to Br. Allen, I’m working with the Rev. Jennifer Gros (M.Div. ’22), a former member of the Hope Center board and senior pastor at Spring Community Church. Our ultimate goal is to help get her congregation plugged in as volunteers at Hope Center. I’ve even preached at her church while she was away, so I’ve been able to learn a bit of the church side of things as part of this internship.

Q: What has been most meaningful about your time at Hope Center?

A: Working one-on-one with the guests at Hope Center and getting to know them as people has been a real joy.  I’ve gotten to know a few women who also volunteer at the center.  We helped them earn food handler certifications so they could apply for jobs in the food industry, and I was able to celebrate with them when they received their certificates. You get to know guests as complex people with lives, skills, histories and dreams.

Q: How are you connecting what you’re learning in class with your work at Hope Center?

A: This semester I’m taking Pastoral Care, which directly applies. When I do intake with new guests, I ask questions about why they are homeless, about their experiences with addiction or their legal history. The class helps me do that in a grace-filled, nonjudgmental way, making it comfortable for them to feel open to share. I’ve also preached in Hope Center’s Friday chapel. So my theological education applies every day, in knowing how to treat people and to show the love of Christ.

Q: What have you learned about collaboration in ministry?

A: When you’re opening the doors to 60 or 70 people a day, and you never know what’s going to happen, you collaborate naturally.  There’s an esprit de corps where we all say, “Let’s rely on God. Let’s roll up our sleeves, support each other and take things as they come. And have a sense of humor about it.”

We huddle for about 15 minutes before we open the doors, to talk about spiritual things and pray together. That puts it all in perspective.  We're here to serve the guests and be there for them.

Q: You must see a lot of suffering. How do you sustain yourself?

A: Yes, it can be heavy. There are days when I worry about someone all weekend.  But I draw energy from knowing I’m doing something positive, even if I can’t solve every problem. Brother Allen models this well. The needs are big, but everyone believes in the mission. You get it done. You deal with it, with humor, creativity and prayer. A lot of prayer.

Learn more about Perkins internships here.