CHICAGO (ELCA) -- More than 35 students at seminaries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will spend their third year of seminary education on internships in rural, urban and multicultural settings with the help of the Horizon Internship program, said the Rev. Gregory J. Villalon, director for ethnic leadership development, ELCA Division for Ministry.
All candidates for master of divinity degrees at the eight ELCA seminaries must complete an internship in a congregation. Each intern earns a stipend and may require a housing allowance.
The Horizon Internship program provides funds to help congregations which cannot afford the full cost of supporting an intern. Smaller congregations are often prime candidates for the Horizon program.
"Although they are excellent model sites, small congregations cannot afford to pay an intern," Villalon said.
The Horizon Internship program is a "partnership" between the ELCA churchwide offices, synods and congregations, he said. Each pays=20 one-third of the funding for an intern to spend one year in a congregation,Villalon said.
This year mission congregations have been added as learning sites, Villalon said.
Congregations and seminarians must apply for the Horizon Internship program. Applications are screened to match the gifts of individuals with the needs of congregations.
Congregations must reapply to be a Horizon Internship site every other year.
The Horizon Internship program extends overseas for seminarians who desire an international internship. Overseas programs are completely funded by the ELCA Division for Global Mission, said Tanya Rosland, the division's coordinator for deployment and orientation of international personnel. Division staff interview seminarians and match them with international churches requesting interns.
Six seminarians will serve international parishes this fall, said Rosland. Internship sites this year include churches in Germany (2 interns), Argentina, Slovakia, China (Hong Kong) and Chile, she said.
[*Lisa Smith is a senior at Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa. This
summer, she is an intern with ELCA News and Information.]
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
