Internship

The internship program is coordinated by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Contextual Leadership Initiative of the Western Mission Cluster.

Normally, all candidates for ordained ministry in the ELCA will complete a one year full-time internship in a congregation/agency of the church as part of their theological education. The intern is usually supervised by an ordained pastor of the congregation/agency in which the intern is placed with the assistance of a specially appointed/elected committee of lay persons chosen to provide complementary guidance and support.

Application

Sites: Interns are placed in congregations or agencies (sites) of the church which have received approval through an application process. Completed Site Applications need to be submitted electronically to the Contextual Leadership Initiative Office by February 1 of the year in which an intern is desired.

Students: The Internship Application and Placement Form must be completed online in October of the year prior to the year in which the internship begins. The deadline for Luther Seminary students is October 6. The deadline for PLTS students is October 30.

Participation in Ministry

Internship sites are chosen on the basis of the quality of the educational experience that will be available to the candidate for ministry. Important is the opportunity for the intern to be involved in all aspects of congregational/agency life under the direction of an experienced, sensitive and mature pastor who can serve as supervisor and mentor.

An intern is expected to participate in the various dimensions of ministry as one who is learning what it means to be and to function as a pastor. Attention is to be given to the development of a pastoral identity as well as to the acquisition or refinement of pastoral skills. Regular participation in the life of the congregation/agency in the roles of preacher, worship leader, teacher and pastoral visitor should be possible. Experience in the areas of counseling, administration, and outreach ministry should be facilitated. As a student, the intern should have opportunity for study and reflection as well, both alone and with the supervisor.

Costs to the Congregation

For the 2007-2008 internship year, total costs for an internship are likely to be about $25,000. The recommended minimum stipend (cash allowance) is $1000 a month. Housing and utilities are to be provided or a housing allowance sufficient to rent adequate housing in the neighborhood of the church. Car expenses related to the internship are to be reimbursed. In addition, there is an internship fee of $1,000, and a travel pool fee of $500 designed to equalize the costs associated with the movement of interns to the sites at the beginning of internship.

Internships do not have tax exempt status. Thus, interns are considered employees of the church with respect to tax liability with the result that congregations/agencies are liable for the employer's half of the intern's social security (FICA) payments. A congregation is encouraged to assist the intern in the payment of the employee's half as well.

Finally, contributing toward the premium costs for basic health insurance is encouraged but not required. We anticipate the annual student premium, if insured through the seminary, to be roughly $3,000.

Time Frame

Most internships begin between August 1 and September 1, although some begin as early as June 1 depending upon the preferences of the congregation/agency and the intern. A Learning Service Agreement is to be submitted after the second month of internship and more detailed reports after six months and at the end of the year.

In a few instances a half-time internship extended over a twenty-one month period is possible. The expectations of both congregation and student are virtually the same as in a full-time one year internship except for the fact that they are to be met in a twenty-one month period of time rather than in one year.

For more information about the congregation's commitment, click here.