Semester College Internship Program
Internship Description
The Semester College Internship Program is a part time paid church internship designed to help young men and women explore and experience ministry in the church and the world. This internship is designed for those Texas Conference churches with access to qualified college students and with a desire to more fully develop mentoring relationships with students who may be interested in exploring vocational ministry through the church. The conference, through the office of Clergy Leadership, will assist the local church in setting up a structure for the internship and will contribute up to $3,000 per intern per semester, based on total hours worked and paid by the church. The internship is funded through the Emerging Leaders Endowment of the Texas Annual Conference.
The local church is responsible for recruiting college students and for developing a plan for the internship, with assistance provided by the Clergy Leadership office.
Interns will have the opportunity to see the rhythms of a church and to build a solid foundation of faith in Christ. The entire process- from observation to praxis- will allow participants to engage in ministry opportunities and refine one’s calling in the world. Internship areas of focus include pastoral ministry, age level ministry, music ministry and may vary based on the particular local church.
Qualifications for Intern
- 18 to 24 years old
- Must be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program from an accredited college
or university and have completed at least one year with a minimum GPA of 2.5 - Active in a United Methodist Church or campus ministry at the time of their application
- Commit to working the agreed upon part time hours throughout the semester
- Open-minded, flexible, and a desire to listen and learn
- Must be motivated, organized, and possess good communication skills
- Interested in exploring ministry in the United Methodist Church as a vocation
Qualifications for Local Church
- Open to local churches in the Texas Conference who have a structure in place to develop college interns and support them in their ministry discernment process
- Local church is responsible for recruiting interested students; ensuring the student(s) meet the criteria for inclusion as CPIP intern; and designing the intern experience with input from Associate Director of Clergy Leadership.
- Senior pastor must be supportive and take a lead role in mentoring the intern, although the intern may have duties in general pastoral, age level, music or other ministries of the church.
- Work with the intern to set up a learning covenant for the semester
- Involve the laity through the formation either of a lay encouragement committee or a strong lay mentor to work with the intern throughout the semester
- Responsible for completing application for partnering with the conference, ensuring all local church obligations are met throughout the internship (submitting payroll reports, etc.)
- In cooperation with the Center for Leadership Formation staff, set intern orientation, regular check-ins, and a final review and evaluation
Texas Conference
- Provides oversight and support through the office of Clergy Leadership in the Center for Leadership Formation
- Provides reimbursement up to $3,000 per intern per semester, based on actual hours worked and paid by the local church
- Provides access to the Center for Leadership Formation and other staff as needed