Summer Internships

Over the past four years, 40 young adults (10 per year) have served as summer interns through the Saint Paul Area Synod, matched to a variety of nonprofit sites. They might help lead VBS at a local congregation, prepare and serve lunch at a food truck ministry, support older adults with dementia, guide job seekers, help run children’s programs at a shelter, distribute groceries at a community food shelf or other tasks. The interns also gather weekly to reflect on their experiences, build community, and share a meal. Pastor Bristol Reading serves as the internship coordinator.

The interns work 20-24 hours per week and are paid a generous stipend of $4,000, which is funded by the synod’s Planting Hope Campaign. Whether they are seeking to build a career in a particular field or just looking for a meaningful summer work experience, young adults find this program to be an excellent opportunity to learn, serve, and reflect.

We are excited to look ahead to our fifth year of summer internships in 2027. Watch for the application process to open early in the new year. Site assignments are made as applications are reviewed and potential interns are interviewed. (That means early applicants have the best chance of selection and also the most flexibility of placement.)

Want to learn more?

We interviewed some of our 2026 interns to learn more about what they did and their reflections on what they took away from the experience. Watch their stories below: