Black Methodists for Church Renewal (BMCR) and Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century (SBC-21) in the Greater New Jersey Conference have a new pre-ministerial recruitment and orientation initiative to help youth and young adults of African descent “discern and clarify their call to ministry.”
The Home-Grown Recruitment Internship, entering its second year in July, is intended to help young participants explore their call to ministry and possibly become successful pastors or leaders in GNJ churches.
The pilot project, supported by SBC21 and BMCR and the Connectional Table, is funded through GNJ’s budget as part of its commitment to the Journey of Hope. Leaders from each group have been instrumental in designing the initiative. Monica Grady, of The Church of the Good Shepherd UMC in Willingboro, has been serving at Haddonfield UMC for the first year of the internship.
Now, the project seeks recommendations from current leaders to help identify more youth and/or young adult prospects, ages 16 to 25, who manifest possible gifts for ministry, as demonstrated by their current work in local churches. The next internship will begin July 1, 2023, and end June 30, 2024.
Applicants will undergo a selection process before acceptance into the program. Those accepted will be expected to work in a church for 20 hours a week, including Sundays, for a weekly stipend.
Interested, eligible persons will need a recommendation from their pastor and written approval from their church’s Staff-Parish Relations Committee (SPRC). Completed applications and recommendations should be emailed to Rosa Williams at rosamw@optonline.net by the deadline is May 30 application deadline.
Only two persons will be selected, but all prospective candidates will be interviewed. Interns and pastors of participating churches will receive an orientation to the program. Interns may not be assigned to the church that recommends them.
For more information contact Rosa Williams of the Internship Program Committee at rosamw@optonline.net or 201-833-0352.