FEATURE

Seminary isn't always enough to turn a layman into a minister. That's where summer and yearlong internships at local churches come in. To give seminarians hands-on experience in preaching and teaching the Word, running a session meeting or visiting the sick, the Subcommittee on Ministerial Training offers an intern program.

Twelve-week summer and twelve-month yearlong internships are available to test a man's gifts and confirm his calling to the pastoral ministry. Summer interns are seminarians who are under the care of a presbytery, while yearlong interns are seminary graduates who are working toward being licensed to preach by a presbytery.

Sessions and trustees are urged to consider budgeting for an intern in 2007. Congregations don't bear the sole financial burden for having an intern. The SMT offers financial assistance of up to $1,000 a month to help the church pay for a summer intern and up to $1,250 a month for a yearlong intern. The church, in turn, must finance at least a matching amount of the intern's salary.

Churches that would like to have an intern and prospective student interns must apply by February 28, 2007, to the Rev. Danny Olinger, intern director. E-mail applications to Danny Olinger or mail them to: Committee on Christian Education, Box P, Willow Grove, PA 19090.

If a congregation has a special man in their midst whom they would like to see as their intern, both the church and the potential intern must apply separately.

Applications for churches and interns are available on the internship program page or by calling CCE secretary Pat Clawson at 215-830-0900 or by e-mailing her.

Click here to read more on internships from Ordained Servant.

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