About Faith Lutheran Church
Started by six Danish families in 1870, Faith Lutheran has grown into a vibrant, large congregation located in the mid-size rural town of Hutchinson, MN. Faith Lutheran offers three different worship opportunities and styles on Sunday morning, and has thriving children’s and youth ministries, strong seniors’ ministries and pastoral care, creative and ambitious missions and outreach, and diverse adult education opportunities. Faith has a twelve person staff of highly qualified and hard-working ministry specialists, and a heart for nurturing leaders. Hutchinson is a beautiful city of about 15,000 residents in central Minnesota. An hour away from the Twin Cities and St. Cloud, Hutchinson offers the perks of small town life while also being close to big city opportunities.
Mission of the Faith Lutheran Internship Program:
The mission of this program is to cultivate young adult Christian leaders and community. We aim to accomplish this by offering multiple hands-on ministry training opportunities in the context of deep and intentional community. Interns will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in a wide-variety of congregational ministries and specialized mentoring, while also enjoying intentional communal living and young adult community.
Scope of Internship:
Internships will include a variety of experiences that are comfortable and some that are challenging for the intern. There will be a primary focus (or a few primary foci) and a primary mentor for each intern. Interns will spend a significant amount of time and energy in their primary area but will also be involved in several areas across Faith’s ministries.
Possible internship areas of focus:
- Pastoral- Preaching and teaching
- Pastoral Care and visitation
- Worship / Music
- Tech / Media Ministry
- Youth Ministry
- Children’s Ministry
- Ministry to Seniors / Older Adults
- Missions and Outreach
We would also love to talk with you more about the possibilities of designing an experience that could fulfill requirements for internships in the following areas:
- Publications
- Graphic Design
- Finance
- Administration
- Marketing
Ideal candidates for the Faith Intern Program:
Faith is open to hosting a number of interns each year. We are looking for candidates who are either discerning a vocation in the church or are pursuing a gap year of service and learning. Some interns may have just finished college, some may be in college and do the internship concurrently, and some will be accomplishing requirements for their training (i.e., seminary vicarage). The ideal candidate is necessarily a growing disciple, engaged with God’s word and family, open to the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and respectful. The following would be helpful character traits: curiosity, humor, openness to growth, and willingness to work hard. The candidate is excited to jump into a new community and learn from a new ministry setting.
Particulars:
Interns should expect to work, on average, 20-25 hours a week in Faith’s ministries. One goal of this internship is to experience a ministry schedule and church life schedule. This means that there will be some weeks where you work less than 20 hours, and some full seasons (Holy Week, Advent / Christmas), where you will likely work more than 20 hours. You should expect to participate fully as an intern and as a member of our congregation community. Some of your time spent participating in Faith events and community opportunities will not count as your “work” hours, but will be important opportunities to grow in your Christian discipleship. Expect to meet with your primary mentor regularly for intern briefing and intern de-briefing. There may be more shadowing of your mentor especially at the beginning of the internship.The Ansgar House and other Provisions: We will provide space and grace for you to be equipped, to be mentored by experienced mentors, and to “live a year in God’s time”. Interns live in the Ansgar House, a home purchased for the interns located a block-and-a-half from the church. The Ansgar House is arranged in a duplex-style, with bedrooms, living areas, and a kitchen on each floor. The women live on the upper level and the men on the main level. Part of your commitment to this internship is committing to healthy community with your roommates. This includes respecting the space you live in and following Faith’s housing policies for God-honoring lifestyles.
We will provide time for you to get another part-time job to cover your other expenses. Finding a part-time job or enrolling in school courses is the responsibility of the intern and is a requirement to participate in the Faith Internship Program.
What will I do during my Faith Internship?
Here are some ideas of what your schedule might include as an intern at Faith.
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Sunday:
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- Assist with worship
- Help with music
- Tech/media ministry
- Share a children’s sermon
- Possibly assist with worship or even preach at an area congregation
- Sunday School, Confirmation, and Adult education
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- Wednesday: (Full Day at Faith)
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Release Time
- Staff Meeting
- 56ers
- Some Combination of:
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- Pastoral Care
- Confirmation
- Choir Rehearsal
- FLY Night
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Tuesday and Thursday
- Meetings and Prep
- Young Adult Night (Thursday)
- Monthly Ministry Team night
- Some Combination of:
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- Middle School Release Time
- Thursday High School Free Lunch
- Worship Planning
- Ringers of Faith Bell Choir
- Home visits
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Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays
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These are mostly off-days to focus on school work or part-time jobs, plus relaxation and fun!
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There are occasional special events on these days
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Faith’s Young Adult Community
As an intern, you will be involved in Faith’s Young Adult Community. This community consists of 18-25-year-olds who are excited to worship and grow in faith together. This community gathers weekly, on Thursday nights, at the Ansgar House. Each night centers around a meal and some combination of Bible Study, worship, fun activities, and Sporcle parties.
