DESCRIPTION:

This course is the required three-quarter church internship designed to give students supervised applied experience in pastoral ministry in the local church.

This course is designed to meet the requirements which many denominations have for a candidate's ministry preparation, as well as providing a means for students to increase their skills and experience in a particular area of pastoral ministry.

The course has three primary components: (1) The student spends ten (10) hours each week for three quarters (nine months) in the local church. The majority of this time is spent in a combination of specific ministry responsibility assignments, as well as in participation/observation of the broader or general ministries of the church. (2) One hour each week is to be spent with the on-site supervisor (most often a pastor in the church where the student is serving). These meetings are to be structured to contain (a) professional direction, evaluation, and overseeing of the student's ministry; (b) personal reflection and discussion of topics related to ministry as identified by the student and the pastor; (c) support and prayer. (3) Students will meet during the second quarter (FE501B) in a Reflection Group, led by a faculty member or experienced pastor. These groups ordinarily meet five times, for two hours each time, and are chosen at the time the student registers for the second quarter of internship in the Field Education Office. Each student participating will write and present one case study from their internship experience.

1. Completion of a Learning Agreement by the supervisor and intern, to be turned in to the Field Education Office by the end of the second week of FE501A (the first quarter of the internship).

2. Completion of Evaluation Reports by the student and the supervisor, to be turned in by the end of the tenth week of EACH quarter.

3. Participation in a Preparatory Workshop during the first two weeks of the first quarter in which the student is registered for a FE course (ordinarily FE501A)

4. Participation in a Theological Reflection Group during the second quarter (FE501B), including completion of a written case study to be submitted to the Reflection Group leader.

5. Meeting at the end of the first quarter FE501A with the Director of Field Education, or other faculty member as selected, for a progress report on the internship.

6. Participation in a minimum of four (4) Ministry Enrichment Seminars during the course of the internship, to be arranged with the Field Education Office.

None. However, note that a church setting for the internship experience and the selection of an approved supervisor (meaning that the supervisor has attended an Orientation or Certification session with the Field Education Office within the past 24 months) must be arranged prior to the internship period. Also, the student must participate in the Field Education Preparatory Workshop prior to actual involvement in the internship.

The three quarter sequence, FE501A, B, and C is required to meet this M.Div. core requirement in Field Education (MIN 7). It is offered credit/no credit. It is an elective for the M.A.

FINAL EXAMINATION:

None. Evaluation is through completion of the nine-month internship as specified in the individual learning agreement and through completion of all assignments listed above.