A Litany of Farewell to An Intern

Minister: The life of our religious community is fluid, ever changing with new lives, new visions, new possibilities and new ministries. [Length of time] ago we welcomed our intern minister, [Name]. And we have been changed. Today we say farewell to [Name], who has successfully completed [her/his] internship.

Intern: I thank the members and friends of the [Church] for my experiences of the past two years. I thank you for your love, kindness and support. I was challenged; stretched and my experiences gave me good tools with which to do ministry. I was given freedom to create a ministry with you and I thank you for your acceptance of my ministry among you. I celebrate the things we were able to do and I have sadness there were things I could not achieve. [The intern can be encouraged to write her/his own words here.]

Congregation: [Name], we are grateful that you came to learn the practice of ministry among us, growing into the compassionate and visionary minister we know you to be. Even though you'll no longer be with us, your influence will not leave us. We bless you in completing your studies and look forward to great excitement when you are ordained in your home congregation.

Minister: I ask the members of the Internship Committee to please stand. (They do so) [Names]—thank you so very much for mentoring [Name] into ministry. Will you trust that the work you did with [her/him/them] will serve [her/him] well in [her/his/their] ministries to come?

Internship Committee: We do.

Minister: You may be seated. Do you the members and friends of the [Church] now release [Name] from [her/his/their] role as intern minister?

Congregation: We do.

Minister: Do you [Name], release the [Church] from turning to you for ministry and guidance?

Intern: I do.

Minister: Will join with me in blessing [Name]?

Congregation: Spirit of Life and Love, we have been moved by [Name’s] presence and work. We are grateful for [her/his] special gifts which [she/he] will take with [her/him/their] and by which we have been changed. We bless [Name] as [she/he/they] completes [her/his/their] journey to being a fully fellowshipped and ordained minister. Spirit of Life and Love, we trust that whatever ministry [she/he/they] undertakes in the future will be done well with great love, compassion and a heart open to learning from all that [she/he/they] does. [Name], go with our blessings and love.

Minister: [Name], surrounded by our love, and our hopes for your future in this wonderful faith we share, you are hereby released from your internship. Blessed be and Amen.