Student Internships

REDWOOD PARK CHURCH (www.redwoodpark.org) has a dynamic internship program for those looking to gain ministry experience in a spiritually passionate seeker inclusive environment. We have 4 to 12 month internship opportunities in a variety of ministry areas including but not limited to student, children’s, worship-arts ministries, graphics, video and media, as well as various adult and social concern ministries that provide practical hands on training and personal shepherding in preparation for full time ministry.

 

You’ll be working alongside a ministry team of 7 experienced staff pastors and their dedicated volunteers in a growing church where weekend worship attendance can reach well over 900. The church relocated in December of 2003 to a renovated school and new worship auditorium totaling 32,000 square feet. In April of 2005 our original 12,000 square foot facility was transformed into a ministry centre for the disadvantaged as well as for First Nations people, called the Redwood Park Opportunities Centre. 

WHAT IS AN INTERN?

An intern is someone seeking to gain valuable practical experience with a local church in preparation for full time ministry. You will be fully immersed in a chosen area of ministry alongside of the staff pastor who coordinates that area. That staff pastor will serve as your immediate supervisor and coach. Mentorship in the areas of spiritual formation and leadership development will by provided by the senior pastor. You’re involvement will span everything from service tasks that are critical to the running of the ministry, to significant leadership and teaching opportunities designed to stretch and grow you, and then everything else in-between. While your focus will likely be on a particular ministry area, you will need to see yourself as a team player who is able to serve wherever needed.
You will also be expected to read and report on a number of books and journal articles related to ministry and spiritual formation. You will take time to reflect and then dialogue on your experience, throughout the internship. This can be adjusted to meet the needs of various schools should you be doing the internship for academic credit. The maintenance of dynamic personal quiet time of prayer and Bible study will undergird your whole experience.
You can expect that you will invest 50 hours a week into internship, including reading and reflection.
Internship is work. But it is rewarding work that will grow you in a multitude of ways.

FINANCES

Internship is primarily a volunteer educational experience. You are not a paid staff member. We are providing you with what we are convinced is an incredible opportunity to learn valuable ministry skills in the context of a vibrant growing church family with a talented and fun loving staff and volunteer team.
Single interns are provided room & board in the home of a congregational member or a staff member. For married couples suitable apartment accommodation will be found in the area.
For singles in addition to covering room and board, a monthly living allowance of $400 is provided. For married interns the living allowance varies.
At the end of your internship a love offering will be taken from the congregation. Depending on the length of time you are with us, we are often willing to guarantee a minimum of what your departure gift could be.

Redwood Park Church:
Who And Where Are We??

Who ...

    * The mission of the Redwood Park Church is to “connect people with the living God and each other, that together we might become fully alive Christ followers.” Our vision is “to develop a community of fully alive Christ followers with a passion to impact our city and world with the truth and the relevancy of the Gospel.” We are clearly contemporary and creative in our approach, while being sensitive to the history and heritage that is our foundation. We are a member church of the Christian & Missionary Alliance in Canada.
    * Right now a strong weekend could see well over 900 in attendance, spread over three identical weekend services (Saturday night/ Sunday morning). as well as a fourth alternative post-modern service (Sunday evening) . We have a constituency of over 1,400 people who would in some way identify Redwood as their church. Many of these 1,400 people would be what we call “spiritual seekers,” people who have some interest in Christ, but are not yet committed to Christ. The church continues to experience growth.
    * The church is staffed by a full time pastoral team of six joined with an even larger group made of secretaries, interns, and others (check out the staff page for the staff directory and bios). Staff facilitate the ministry of a committed group of congregational workers who make Redwood happen.
    * Our Plunge Student Ministry encompasses well over 150 high school and college aged youth who gather Sunday evenings for the Plunge worship service. Life formation is further encouraged through smaller life groups that meet during the week. There is much potential for growth in all of these groups. Strong leadership teams are in place for ministry to Junior High, Senior High and College Students as well as young 20’s who are working or just entering the workforce. We attract students from eight area High Schools as well as both Lakehead University and Confederation College.
     * Our youth program called SHIFT works with up to 75 youth in grades 6 to 8. * Our newest youth program called FLIPT works with up to 50 youth in grades 5 to 6. * Our nursery to grade 5 children’s program, “Redwood Kids” is working with well over 200 kids and their families, spread across multiple weekend services and special family events. It combines creative teaching and intentional shepherding to create a fun and caring environment for the development of kids who are passionate about Jesus.
    * Our worship-arts ministry is focused around a variety of vocal, instrumental, drama, technical, video and other arts oriented teams. These teams work together to help create a powerful worship environment that leads both believers and spiritual seekers to a life-changing encounter with Christ for the glory of God.
    * We have a diverse number of adult ministries that range from outreach to the disadvantaged through our Opportunities Centre, outreach to seekers throughout our city,  to intense spiritual or life formation opportunities through small life groups and various educational and service opportunities.
    * The Redwood family comes from a relatively broad range of backgrounds and embraces people from charismatic to non-charismatic perspectives. A significant percentage of our adult population was not raised as regular church attenders. Another portion of our adult church population were raised in non-evangelical settings, particularly Roman Catholic. The Redwood family while having a good representation of children, youth and young families, spans the diversity of our city and includes single parent families, blended families, and singles. We also have an active Senior’s group.

Where ...

    *   Set amidst the rugged beauty of the Nor-Wester Mountains at the head of Lake Superior, the City of Thunder Bay has a population of 108,000. When the area surrounding the city is considered, the population reaches over 120,000.
    * It is a diverse city with employment coming from a wide variety of sources including pulp mills, forestry, mining, multiple government agencies, transportation, regional health care facilities, a large educational community including Lakehead University and Confederation College. The city serves as the economic focal point for all of Northwestern Ontario.
    * The City and surrounding area is an outdoor sportsman’s paradise with ample opportunities for fishing, hunting, cycling, hiking, camping, canoeing, rock climbing, ice climbing, golfing, snowmobiling, skating, as well as down hill and cross country skiing, to name a few!! 
    * The City is big on hockey in the winter and enjoys soccer and some baseball in the summer, both to play and to cheer on our semi-pro teams. Basketball is also a growing sport and the High School and College level. University level hockey, the Lakehead Thunder Wolves has a strong following.
    * Indoor sports and fitness enthusiasts have access to the Canada Games Complex with complete gym facilities and an Olympic size pool as well the athletic facilities of both Lakehead University and Confederation College as well as several well equipped gyms. For the soccer enthusiast there is a year round Soccer Plex.
    * In the area of Arts and Entertainment, the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium is a beautiful theatre that is home to the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra as well as a wide variety of theatrical productions and concerts.
    * While somewhat isolated from other major urban centres, people from Thunder Bay tend to make occasional trips to the twin ports of Duluth, Minnesota/ Superior Wisconsin, the twin cities of St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota, as well as the city of Winnipeg. Chicago is also within an easy days drive. Thunder Bay is a 1,400 kilometre drive from Toronto.
    * Thunder Bay is truly a great city in which to live and raise a family. It is probably one of Ontario’s best kept secrets!