Congregational Meeting Following Worship July 22

We have been approached by the Synod to consider having a seminary intern this coming academic year.  Dawn Bennett is a recent graduate of Vanderbilt Divinity School and is a candidate for ordination in the ELCA.  She is doing her Lutheran studies through Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN.

All candidates for ordination are required to do a year-long, full-time internship in an ELCA congregation.  Dawn is a resident of Nashville and is interested in doing her internship in our church.  As such, she would work under my supervision and alongside me as we all seek to do and be gospel in East Nashville.  Her work would include all the various aspects of pastoral ministry but with a particular focus on community outreach and church growth.

While there are various costs involved that are being covered by the seminary and Synod, Memorial would be responsible for $10,000 dollars toward her stipend.  So we, in essence, get a full-time pastor in training for one year for that amount.

Dawn will be with us next Sunday, July 15 for a meet and greet time after worship.  We invite everyone to stay and get to know her and ask any questions you may have about the internship program and its impact on our church.  Then on Sunday, July 22 we will have a congregational meeting right after worship to decide if this particular opportunity is right for our church.

I hope you will be in prayer as we seek to make the best decision we can for all parties involved and I look forward to seeing you the next two weeks at Memorial as we seek God’s guidance in this important decision.

Thanks,

Pastor Joel Emerson