50 Quincy St
Cambridge, MA 02138
Phone: 617/864-4552
Fax: 781/449-1331
Web address: http://www.swedenborgchapel.org
Contact Person:
Rev Sage Cole
Organization Description:
Swedenborg Chapel is a historic congregation in Cambridge that is actively engaged in casting a new course for the future. We are currently involved in a process of designing and fundraising for a new annex to our chapel that will be handicapped accessible and will house a new center dedicated to advancing the spiritual legacy of Helen Keller. Helen Keller was devoted to the teachings of Emanuel Swedenborg and a neighbor and friend during her years of education at Radcliffe. Our vision for The Helen Keller Spiritual Life Center is that it will be a place for gatherings, programs and education about Helen Keller, Disability Spirituality, Swedenborgian Theology and the causes of justice and peace that Helen supported. We see this outreach effort as an exciting new way to be of service, to support community, and to advocate for a better world.
At this point of transformation and change there is a lot of important and challenging work happening here. We hold the tension of old and new, hope and fear, contraction and expansion. The expansion has begun with the launch of a monthly Taizé worship service this past year and plans to build a labyrinth on our grounds. And much congregational change has occurred as the vision for the Helen Keller Spiritual Life Center has started to take root. Serving as a minister intern here at Swedenborg Chapel will be an opportunity to experience both old and new ways of being church
Opportunities for Student Involvement:
A field education placement at Swedenborg Chapel will offer a ministerial intern experience in both a traditional congregational setting, as well as on the ground experience with casting and working towards a new vision for the future. There would be an expectation that an intern at Swedenborg Chapel would regularly preach, and co-lead worship at our traditional 11:00 am worship. As we launch our new labyrinth, we’d welcome an intern interested in leading programming around labyrinth walking, and we’d welcome involvement in our monthly Taizé Service. Aside from preaching, this placement could be shaped in many different ways depending on the student’s areas of interest. The focus could be working with the project development for the Helen Keller Spiritual Life Center, gaining experience in business planning, fundraising, developing partnerships and casting a vision for a new ministry effort. We’d also welcome an intern interested in trying out some other new form of worship, or program at the Chapel. Any HDS student interested in going into parish ministry at this point of decline and uncertainty could gain quite a bit from this placement as we are right at that nexus of change. We also perform weddings, baptisms and memorial services through the year and would welcome our ministerial intern to participate in those services.
Commute/Transportation Information:
We are located within a very short walking distance of HDS.
Arts of Ministry Competencies Offered:
- Administration and Program Development
- Pastoral Care and Counseling
- Preaching and Worship
- Public Leadership, Community Organizing, and Planning
- Religious Education and Spiritual Development
Supervision:
One-hour theological reflection and supervision meetings each week with Swedenborg Chapel’s pastor and director, and project leader for the Helen Keller Spiritual Life Center, Rev. Sage Cole.
Additional Information:
- Number of Students: 1
- Total Compensation: $6000.00
- Type of Compensation: Direct Pay from Site