Summer Internships: Start Planning Now
by Mike Seawright
During the summer I was twenty-one, I interned in the Kids Ministry at La Jolla Presbyterian Church. I had hoped for a chance to serve in youth ministry, but I applied to the summer intern program late. Those spots were already full, so I committed to ten weeks working with elementary schoolers at the church.
It was the first time I had ever worked in a church. At that point, I had begun to sense a call to full-time vocational ministry, but I wasn’t sure, and I certainly had no idea what it might look like. I did know that I would much rather spend my summer with committed Christians trying to figure out how to reach and disciple the next generation than working at the bagel shop down the road.
That summer I grew tremendously. We started new ministries (that mostly failed). I taught Sunday school lessons, and participated in staff meetings and Bible studies. I (finally) learned how to surf, and I was profoundly impacted by the Kids Ministry Director, who ate lunch with the other intern and myself every day. Not only that, but God began to help me imagine what a lifetime serving in the church (paid professional or not) might look like.
Intern programs do require some work – after all, discipleship takes some intentionality – but the positives far outweigh the challenges. Interns bring fresh perspective to our churches, while allowing us to grow or continue ministries through the summer months. They bring energy to our ministries and staff teams, and allow us to “put our money where our mouth is” when it comes to developing future leaders. Interns give us the chance to grow and develop our “mentorship muscles,” while growing valuable leadership, team building, communication, and project management skills in young people as we walk beside them in response to Jesus.
The next few months are when college students begin thinking about summer jobs. Likewise, we are beginning to think about another summer intern cohort at the diocesan level. We have resources available on the Diocese website to help you get started, and you can learn more about last summer’s intern cohort here. Lastly, the Great Commission Committee has grant money available to churches for summer intern programs.
I am so grateful for that first opportunity at La Jolla Presbyterian – for the risk they took on me, and the way they invested in me. I hope many of our churches commit similarly to investing in the next generation of young people, for our own good and for God’s glory.
The Rev. Mike Seawright is the Director of Parish Life at Truro Anglican Church in Fairfax, VA.