The Illinois Great Rivers Conference Intern Program exists to provide opportunities for Christian young adults to explore their unique calls to ministry and to experience those ministries first hand. The focus of the program is on the spiritual, leadership, and vocational development of the intern. It is understood that ministry takes a variety of forms - ordained and lay; deacon, elder, local pastor, or some other title; in the church, in the world, or some combination of the two.
Applications for potential interns and for potential host churches and ministry sites for summer 2023 and the 2023-2024 academic year will be available starting October 1, 2022. The priority deadline for early consideration is January 17, 2023. The final application deadline is March 1, 2023. Please download the IGRC Intern Program Handbook (see below) for further information prior to submitting your application.
Questions may be directed to Rev. Dr. Beth Fender, 217-529-2611.
To complete your application file, you must submit a complete application form, a copy of your driver's license and car insurance, and a background check form. Within the application form, you will be asked to share your faith story in approximately 500-750 words. You are welcome to draft that statement in your favorite word processing program in advance and copy/paste it into the form. You must also secure three references. One reference must be from a United Methodist pastor (preferably from the Illinois Great Rivers Conference) or United Methodist campus minister/chaplain or Wesley Foundation director. The other two references may be from people such as a youth group leader, professor or teacher, choir director or music ministry leader, Sunday school teacher, church camp counselor, or other adult who knows your abilities well. References (including the pastor's reference) may NOT be completed by family members. If your parent is the pastor of your church, please ask another United Methodist pastor who knows you well to complete the form.
Please note that within the online application form, you will be asked for:
Each of these may be drafted ahead of time and copied/pasted into the text box in the application.
All mentor applicants must complete a separate application. To complete your application file, you must submit the online application form below plus three references. For clergy, one reference must come from your District Superintendent, one from a lay member of your church or a lay participant or volunteer in your ministry, and one from another person who can attest to your character and qualifications. None of these may be relatives. For laity, one reference must come from your pastor or another United Methodist clergy person, one from a lay leader in your church or ministry with whom you have worked closely, and one from another person who can attest to your character and qualifications. None of these may be relatives. If you have served as a mentor in the IGRC Intern Program within the past three years, you only need to submit the online application form (no references).
The IGRC Camping Ministry also hires young adults to serve as lifeguards, camp counselors, food handlers/helpers, and other roles at IGRC campsites in the summer. Click here for further details.