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Our new intern, Richard Sheridan, will start in September 7, 2010.
In the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the denomination of which United in Faith is a part, there are 2 components when seeking ordination. The first is an academic component, equal to 3 years of academic study. The second is a field work component. This includes a chaplaincy experience, a year in a ‘Ministry In Context’ church (where the student spends about 7 hours a week working at the church), and a year of internship, or full-time church work.
Internship is a year-long learning experience in a church. Typically, a student seeking ordination (trying to become a pastor) takes 2 years of classes, does an internship during the 3rd year, and returns to school for 1 final year of classes. While on internship, students participate in all aspects of congregational life. “Internship provides [students] with educational experiences and appropriate participation in acts of ministry to assist in developing the attitudes, understandings and skills necessary for the exercise of the pastoral office.”
You can read more about the requirements of the ELCA to enter the ordained ministry at the ELCA's web site.
I am a student at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, located on the south side of Chicago, in Hyde Park. LSTC is one of 8 ELCA seminaries in the country. These schools seek to prepare women and men for ministry. While most students are members of the ELCA, students from other denominations also study and participate in student life at LSTC.