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How much does it cost?
This is a popular question! The answer is that it costs a lot.
You will pay nothing to live here.
You will pay almost nothing for food.
You will have health insurance.
We will help with student loan deferment for the year.
However, the costs are a willingness to share, work, listen, pray, and grow. If you can commit these things, we'll help with the rest.
You will receive a monthly stipend and you will pay no rent and most of your food will be subsidized for the entire house each week.
In other words, it's affordable!
Why is it called Saint Hilda's?
In 1910, Fr Frederick Burgess established deaconesses in habit (nun's garb) to be resident at Christ Church. They lived in a residence called Saint Hilda's House; they would serve the sacristy of the church, the children of the church school, and the poor and orphaned of New Haven until the early seventies operating a free medicine clinic, soup kitchen, and many other ministries. In remembrance of their work and in that tradition, we have retained the name Saint Hilda's House.
How many interns do you accept?
We look to bring on 13 - 16 interns per year total. The interns live either at Christ Church or in nearby residential units.
What about insurance?
Your insurance will be covered as part of the program. If you are on your parents' plan you may remain on that depending on your age and their plan.
How do I pay my student loans?
The program looks to provide options for interns to defer your loan payments and will help you make such arrangements.
Am I off on weekends?
Saturdays will usually be yours to spend as you want. We will organize outings for you periodically depending on what the group is interested in doing. Some weekends we will go on retreats and will be out of town. Sundays will be set aside for services...
SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY!
On Sundays, you will be part of the worship at Christ Church. This can mean anything from serving as a sub-deacon at 11:00 Solemn High Mass to officiating morning prayer to helping set out candles and cider for Compline.
Compline is a unique experience at Christ Church. It is a service which draws college students and young adults from Yale and beyond. There are usually 100 - 150 or so students there on Sunday evenings who are drawn by the experience of chant, incense, candlelight, and companionship.
Your role each week will be a little different but part of our growing as a group is to serve and worship together.
How do we relate to the parish?
An important part of the life of the interns is our relationship with the parishes that host our residential sites. Joining Saint Hilda's means more than joining the community of the house -- we also join the parish communities.
Thus, we act as both hosts and guests at different times. It also means, that since we live on site, that we will often be asked to pick up tasks that just need to get done (that might be acolyting, cleaning up a bit after a parish event, locking up gates, &c).
We understand our ministry as a servant ministry and part of that service is to minister to and with the communities that host us and that we become a part of.
We build a rota of some parish activities that interns are crucial to -- the 20/30s Group or Compline for example. Interns are expected to work out among themselves who will be "on deck" to help out with those in any given week.
Other activities are strongly suggested (and a source of great joy and/or learning). These are acolyting, ushering and greeting, visiting at vestry meetings, special parish events, guest speakers at Berkeley Divinity School, mission efforts, the Midnight Run, the Food Pantry, gardening, &c.
Since we live here -- we may get called on to do some basic upkeep of the grounds. For example, it does snow in New England, and you might get asked on a Saturday night or Sunday morning to help throw down salt so that elderly parishioners do not fall on Sunday morning.
Helping with some of these activities will bring you closer to one another and to the parish and people we serve.
Can non-Anglicans apply?
Preference will be given to Episcopal applicants. However, if you think this is the right program for you and you are not an Anglican, we will certainly be happy to talk with you (drop us a note) and take a look at your application!
What does my time look like?
We will balance out program time with private time in a pretty equal way.
You will work 30-35 hours per week at your job site, be a part of Sunday worship, attend daily services (morning prayer, Mass, and evening prayer) as your site schedule allows, and be part of group discussions on theology, discernment, and formation.
However, you will also have most evenings free and Saturdays will generally be yours as well.
You may have dinner with a parishioner, the rector, or program director...
Or attend a lecture at Yale...
Or you might go hear Hilary Clinton, Tony Blair, Christopher Buckley, or one of the many other public figures that visit Yale...
In other words, Yale and New Haven have a ton to offer, and you will never be short of things to do on site at Christ Church and off.
What is the age range?
The age range for the program is really 21-30.
If you are 30ish and can make a compelling case for being a young adult, we will talk.
So who should apply?
Our program has at its heart "vocational discernment," i.e.,
helping young adults answer the question, "Who/What am I called to
be?". Because of our setting at Christ Church and partnership with Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, we are
particularly well-situated to help people discern religious callings.
Nevertheless, many of our program participants already know they are
interested in secular paths, and still benefit profoundly from the
support, exploration and reflection we offer.
If you have recently finished up your undergrad degree and are considering seminary or have completed your M.Div. and have a year or more before ordination, this program may also be a fit for you. Students who have completed a year or two of seminary and are looking to take a service year before they finish their degree are also encouraged to apply.
What is an intentional community?
Interns grow through living with other Christians
while trying to practice the ancient ways of the faith intentionally,
including eating and praying together. This communal lifestyle is
counter-cultural, and in some ways monastic. Through this experience,
interns come to a deep understanding of how their actions affect
others. Communal living is an attempt to live out Jesus' commandment to
love neighbor as self in a literal and intentional way.
Is this about evangelizing or proselytizing?
Absolutely. Not in the way you might think though. S. Francis famously said “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” Your actions will preach the gospel.
By simple living, community action, participation in worship, and deep questioning you will be preaching a vibrant gospel message that will make your very living during this time a sermon as eloquent as any that can be heard.
This is evangelism by relationship and you are sharing a message of hope, love, and charity.
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