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Ministry Summer Service Orientation (May 30 - June 4, 2008) will take place at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin.

What is Ministry Summer Service?

Ministry Summer Service (MSS) is a leadership development program for college students in the Church of the Brethren who spend 10 weeks of summer working in the church (local congregation, district office, camp, or national program).

Why Ministry Summer Service?

Congregations may ask, "Why should we take on a summer intern?" Young adults may ask, "Why should we work for the church for a whole summer?"

The answer has to do with God's call. The Bible is a record of God calling people to challenging tasks. MSS is no exception. Through MSS, God is calling congregations to reach out in the ministry of teaching and receiving. God is calling young adults to explore the possibility of church work as their vocation.

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Expectations of the Church

1. Provide an atmosphere for learning, reflection and development of leadership skills of the intern.
   
   
2. Provide a setting for intern to engage in ministry and service for a ten week period.
   
   
3. Provide the intern with a stipend of $100 a month, plus room and board, transportation on the job, and travel of the intern from orientation to the placement site.
   
   
4. Provide a structure for planning, developing and implementing of the ministry/service projects in a variety of areas.
   
   
5. Provide financial resource and time for pastor/mentor to attend two days of orientation at the beginning of the summer.

Expectations of the mentor

1. Spend at least one hour each week with the intern in intentional supervision/mentoring. Using the materials shared during orientation or other ideas, you will need to develop your own model and style for doing this mentoring/supervision.
   
   
2. Informally check in daily with the intern for questions, progress reports, and feedback.
   
   
3. Negotiate expectations for the number of hours the intern will work each week. We suggest a 40-50 hour week. However, the context, the nature and timing of the work projects, and the local expectations need to be a determining factor. We counsel being reasonable, hoping the needs of the intern and the expectations of the congregation will be mutual.
   
   
4. Prepare a written report of the summer experience, reflecting on both the church, the intern and yourself. An evaluation form will be provided for your writing.
   
   
5. Assist the placement site in creating a support network for the intern.
   
   
6. Communicate clearly to the intern expectations, and responsibilities for the summer.
   
   
7. Communicate these same expectations and responsibilities to the congregation.
   
   
8. Attend two day orientation for mentors in early June.

Who Pays for What?

The Church (or ministry site) provides:

• housing, food, local transportation for intern
  
• $100 per month spending money for intern
  
• transportation for intern at the end of orientation to ministry site
  
• transportation for mentor to attend orientation

The Intern provides:

• transportation from home to the orientation

Brethren Colleges (Bridgewater, Elizabethtown, Manchester, and McPherson) provide:

• $2,500 scholarship from the respective college for each intern who participates in Ministry Summer Service

Ministry Summer Service provides:

• $2,500 per student for each young adult from colleges other than Bridgewater, Elizabethtown, Manchester, and McPherson
• all expenses (housing, food, training) for the orientation week
• overall administration and staffing of Ministry Summer Service
• Travel back home at the end of the summer

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