Our Diocesan Interns have celebrated a year full of learning, service and fun as this year’s cohort prepare to move on.
At a celebration at St Matt’s in Burley, the departing Interns shared all that had been good about their year, and praised those who had supported them every step of the way.
The Revd Jude Smith, Diocesan Director of Church Revitalisation, hosted the event, which included worship led by a band made up of Diocesan Interns.
Interns Aidan, Briony, Isaac, Jon, Josh and Smarak spoke about the highlights of their years, speaking of the joys of serving in our churches, and how good it was to gather all together on Mondays for fellowship and training.
Interns Eli, Abi, Joshua, Rohan, Lyds and James came up to tell people at the celebration about all the people who had supported them in this year, including their line managers and mentors, without whom none of the great things they have achieved would have been possible.
The Revd Derek Jones and the Revd Leah Leighton, coordinators of our Bradford hub that supports our Mission Apprentices in that area, also gave thanks for Susie, Laxmi and Lucinda, who are also completing their time with us.
Thank you gifts were given to line managers and mentors by the Interns, and gifts were also given to Revd Jude; the Revd Lottie Jones, who has been supporting the teaching of the Interns; and Katharine Greathead, Diocesan Internship Coordinator, who was praised by all Interns and others as a vital support for the successful running of the scheme.
The Rt Revd Toby Howarth, Bishop of Bradford, spoke at the service, and praised the Interns for being people called to serve their communities so clearly and doing so very well.
Bishop Toby said: “On a recent trip to Sudan, I was struck by two things there – the people had kept up the basic disciplines of faith so well, and still had a real sense of joy in God.
“That’s my call to you – hold on to the means of grace that keep our faith, the praying, reading the Bible, getting stuck in and serving; and continue to engage with the world creatively and with joy.
“I pray that you will keep putting the seeds of yourselves where the grace of God will keep making them grow.”
Bishop Toby led a commissioning prayer for the Interns, before the celebration came to a close.
We are still recruiting for next year’s cohort of Interns, and for more Mission Apprentices – please click here to find out more about Interns, and here for Mission Apprentices.
A full list of the departing Interns cohort, and where they served, can be read below.
Diocese of Leeds Interns
St George’s Church - Joshua Smith, James Hodson, Rohan Clay, Smarak Subudhiray
Holy Trinity Boar Lane – Joshua Faulkner
St Matts Church Burley and St Philip’s Osmondthorpe – Lydia Francis-Holmes
St Augustine’s Wrangthorn and Church@Hyde Park Corner – Jonathan Nixon, Briony Shutt
St Paul’s Ireland Wood - Eli Miller
Kairos Church Harrogate – Aidan Wheeler
Fountains Church – Susie Triffitt
‘Honorary’ Interns who joined our Monday Learning Community
St Philip’s Church, Chapel Street, Manchester – Abigail Buijs, Isaac Emmins
Mission Apprentices
St John's Clayton – Lucinda Cook
St John’s Great Horton – Laxmi Rai