C.I.T.Y. INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
CITY stands for “Collegiate Internship in Theology and YouthMinistry”. This is an initiative from the South Alabama Wesley Foundation that equips college students to lead youth ministries in local churches.
Over the past several years, the USA Wesley Foundation has received numerous calls from pastors and lay people looking for a college student to serve as a youth minister in their church. These churches want to provide a great experience for them. Some churches have full-time youth ministers, but someone full-time isn’t necessary at many of our UM churches. Many college students would love a chance to invest in to the spiritual lives of local youth, but often don’t feel equipped enough to be “the youth director”. This program seeks to give students ministry experience while also helping to meet a great need in our local churches.
The South Alabama Wesley Foundation wants to connect local churches who need a youth minister with students looking to explore youth ministry. We would:
1) Work with local churches to identify their youth ministry needs
2) Identify college students with passion and potential for ministry
3) Provide college students with training before they begin their internship
4) Work with professional youth ministers for training, advice, and support
5) Meet with interns weekly to:
a) Provide help with lessons to be used to teach youth (lessons will be theologically sound)
b) Troubleshoot together about ministry challenges
c) Celebrate “wins” and come up with plans to conquer challenges
d) Check on and invest in the spiritual health and growth of the interns
Churches would get a reasonably priced, well-equipped, and energetic youth leader. Students would get a chance to explore their gifts and possible calling for ministry. Wesley gets a chance to pour into the lives of the interns on a deeper level as well as a chance to thank the local churches that help keep us going. It is a win-win-win!
We hope to have our first batch of interns in place in August 2014. Since this is a new program we would like to start small with 3-5 Internships for the 2014-2015 school year (August-May). The college students will receive either a stipend or a scholarship for their work. We know that some churches can pay more than others, but we would like the amount paid to be consistent among all the interns. The payment amount has yet to be determined.
If your church is interested, then please let us know by filling out this church questionnaire.
Over the past several years, the USA Wesley Foundation has received numerous calls from pastors and lay people looking for a college student to serve as a youth minister in their church. These churches want to provide a great experience for them. Some churches have full-time youth ministers, but someone full-time isn’t necessary at many of our UM churches. Many college students would love a chance to invest in to the spiritual lives of local youth, but often don’t feel equipped enough to be “the youth director”. This program seeks to give students ministry experience while also helping to meet a great need in our local churches.
The South Alabama Wesley Foundation wants to connect local churches who need a youth minister with students looking to explore youth ministry. We would:
1) Work with local churches to identify their youth ministry needs
2) Identify college students with passion and potential for ministry
3) Provide college students with training before they begin their internship
4) Work with professional youth ministers for training, advice, and support
5) Meet with interns weekly to:
a) Provide help with lessons to be used to teach youth (lessons will be theologically sound)
b) Troubleshoot together about ministry challenges
c) Celebrate “wins” and come up with plans to conquer challenges
d) Check on and invest in the spiritual health and growth of the interns
Churches would get a reasonably priced, well-equipped, and energetic youth leader. Students would get a chance to explore their gifts and possible calling for ministry. Wesley gets a chance to pour into the lives of the interns on a deeper level as well as a chance to thank the local churches that help keep us going. It is a win-win-win!
We hope to have our first batch of interns in place in August 2014. Since this is a new program we would like to start small with 3-5 Internships for the 2014-2015 school year (August-May). The college students will receive either a stipend or a scholarship for their work. We know that some churches can pay more than others, but we would like the amount paid to be consistent among all the interns. The payment amount has yet to be determined.
If your church is interested, then please let us know by filling out this church questionnaire.