New CEMES Interns

Interns for this year will be (pictured from left to right):

Jonty Brawn - Trinity Church, Lyon

Ben O’Neill – Christ Church, Vienna

Mark Van Eker Holy – Holy Trinity, Brussels

Sharon Ejinkonye - St. Paul’s, Tervuren

Erik Heemkerk - Holy Trinity, Utrecht

Ilse Swart - St. Martha and St. Mary, Leuven

What is CEMES?

The Church of England Ministry Experience Scheme (CEMES) in Europe is designed for young people, aged 18-30, who desire to discern their vocation in the Church of England. It runs for an 'academic' year from September to the end of the following June.

From William Gulliford, Europe DDO: 'The Europe scheme is part of a wider national church programme and drive to attract younger people to consider ministry in the Church. The young people who are recruited are mostly but not all recent graduates. Known as 'interns' they are invited to apply to spend a year in chaplaincies discovering what ministry involves. As the young interns engage in local mission and gain experience of Christian leadership alongside the clergy and laity of the chaplaincies they learn more about themselves, the Church and their vocation. The interns are supported by the chaplains and two mentors, one of whom supports them in their personal growth and the other leads a programme of Theological study. We have six young people starting this year, four from island dioceses and two from this diocese. This year’s interns have just completed their induction and all of them had their first Sundays in their host chaplaincies on the first Sunday in September. Four are in North West Europe (Brussels, Tervuren, Leuven and Utrecht) one in Vienna, and one in Lyon.

We are delighted that of the six on last year’s programme, two are entering training this September in the UK, and two hope to go to selection conferences later this academic year. Of the participants in the previous year all are proceeding through training. One of the points we stress at the induction though is that if the interns discover ordination is not their vocation, nothing has been lost and there is no failure. We are hoping to help all of those on the programme view their lives in vocational terms and we hope to help them hear where God is calling them next in their journey. The induction gives some idea of life in each chaplaincy, sets out the expectations of the programme, introduces the principles of Safeguarding, and best practice in ministry. As well as eating and praying together, the interns and all of those on the scheme studied some Theology together, and heard something of what it is to be Anglicans in a host culture – which for four of the six will be a new experience. We would ask your prayers for all involved in the scheme and for those from this diocese, and those from the scheme embarking on entering training or the next stage of their Christian journey.'

Bishop Robert has previously said, 'I believe we need to be encouraging young people to think about their future vocation wherever it lies. For some, it may lie in ordination. The CEMES scheme is a practical way in which we can give new graduates a taste of ministry. I can testify that members of our churches have also greatly benefited from the energy and fresh perspective our interns bring.'

For more info, see the Diocese in Europe's CEMES Europe page.

This article was taken from the Diocese in Europe's website.