Meet Abby & Sam!

Here at FAC, we love opportunities to invest in others as they develop their skill sets and leadership abilities. Meet Abby and Sam, two recent interns at FAC: 

Hi, my name is Abby!

“I graduated from SAIT with a major in Print and Online Journalism in the spring of 2023. Later that year, I took an 8-week program at Bow Valley College called Youth Skills Connection that helps new graduates find work, which is how I ended up working as an intern at FAC!

Although FAC is not my home church, I encountered the work environment here during my last year at SAIT, where I had to write a story on churches. Luckily enough, I interviewed Cory Harasym, FAC’s Online Campus Pastor! When I started my contract with Bow Valley College, I always thought of contacting FAC for a potential short-term work experience. 

Fast forward to today, I’ve been working on the Environments team as the Communications Intern. It’s so fulfilling to know that I’m working on and creating a lot of designs and content, all for the glory of God. 

Growing up, I’ve always admired art culture, especially music and media. That’s why I feel called to pursue my career aspiration in the music/entertainment marketing industry, where I hope I can utilize my talents in graphic design and content creation. I am hopeful that my experience at FAC will open up opportunities for me in the field and help me grow as a daughter of the Most High.

A few fun facts about me: as I have mentioned above, I’ve always fantasized about music culture ever since. My last song syndrome lately has been Back to the City by Kep1er. I love going to concerts – my favourites so far are Moira Dela Torre and Eric Nam, where I was able to meet and greet them up close. 

To me, being present means being fully aware of the struggles I face in life, and at the same time, learning how to appreciate life’s (big or small) blessings. Being present also means allowing myself to process and feel all my emotions—both happy and sad ones.“

Hey, I’m Sam Murray!

“I’m studying TV Production and Broadcasting at SAIT. I’ve attended Alliance churches for most of my life: first, the tiny town of Wimborne, Alberta and then more recently, Foothills Alliance and FAC for my practicum. While I am a bit of a “cradle Christian” these last couple of years, mostly living on my own, I’ve tried to turn my faith into a more personal adventure.

I’m grateful to have the ability to serve the church with all the technical skills I’ve acquired in school! When I first came to Calgary in the fall of 2022, I attended Foothills Alliance Church. I began to volunteer with their tech team in the fall of last year. I loved the opportunity to use my skillset and passion for live video to serve the church!

When I was struggling to choose an organization to reach out to for my practicum, one of my instructors recommended First Alliance Church. During my time here at FAC, I worked and learned from people on the Technical Arts and Communications teams. It’s been a lot of fun filming, editing, and running cameras for the weekend services at the Deerfoot Campus. Once I graduate, I hope to jump into the multicamera world.

The rush from participating in a fast-paced worship, news or sports broadcast is like nothing else I’ve ever done. I might find a permanent job at a church supporting them in the AV side of things, but I think there’s something to be said about being a Christian in a work environment outside the church. I’m excited by the idea of leading people to Christ, especially those who might have never had the chance to speak with a Christian who was willing to answer their questions about faith.

To me, being present means being aware of the people and things that are physically around me. I think of it as literally being present or in the moment. I think of it as the ability to be focused on the here and now. I think it’s incredibly important to focus on the reality of my situation to keep my imagination in check. I have a lot of dreams and aspirations, but I’ll never get to them if I can’t learn to fully invest in the present and take the small, often mundane steps to reach them.”

Thank you, Abby and Sam, for sharing about yourselves and your time with us! What does being present mean to you? Join us March 9/10 as we explore this topic together at all campuses as part of our At the Table teaching series.