Meet the St Columba's Interns

Over the past year, St Columba's has been working towards developing a training programme for local church ministry. In September we were delighted to welcome our new trainees. Here, our Assistant Minister explains the programme and our interns tell us a bit about themselves and their roles:

There are two levels of training at St Columba's. The first is aiming to provide a general introduction to ministry in a local church. This is a one or two year programme open to anyone - men, women, young or old! The aim of the training is to involve people with a wide variety of ministry opportunities such discipleship, teaching, evangelism, youth work, hospitality, pastoral care and church administration. The second level is designed especially for men who are planning to enter full time preaching and pastoral ministry. Our trainees are also studying as part of their programmes; some at Edinburgh Theological Seminary (ETS), others at Cornhill and some studying biblical counselling. In it all we are longing to see people grow in their knowledge of Jesus and in their walk as his disciples. We hope and pray that these men and women will be well equipped to go and serve in a local church and share the good news of Jesus in the years ahead.

Assistant Minister

Thomas Davis

Rowan Corrigan (Ministry Apprentice)

“Last year, I was working with UCCF at Napier University and that really helped me to see the love that I have for evangelism, but also grew in me a love for good and intentional discipleship. It was such a privilege to be able to see people becoming more like Jesus and to be able to help them to love Jesus more. It was from this that helped me to seek out an internship which could help me to think and train further in making disciples for Jesus, and thankfully, I could stay put at St Columba’s where I’ve been for the last 4.5 years and I’m really excited to be able to work and serve in and amongst a congregation that I love so dearly!

I’ll be in my role for the next 2 years, where I’ll also be studying at Cornhill Scotland (a bible handling training course in Glasgow). Within the church, my main roles include being a leader in both the Den and iDen (our teenage ministries) and also I will be involved in the woman’s pastoral team. At the end of my internship, my biggest hopes for myself are that I will love Jesus more, that I will be able to serve the Church better and that I will be more equipped to faithfully walk alongside others. I’m so excited to be able to be working with the teens at St Columba’s and I’d really love to see them equipped to take on school and university by the studies that we do in Den/iDen! I really hope that I can be a blessing to St Columba’s over the next few years and that I can serve and love the church faithfully and in a way that glorifies Christ.”

Jon Watson (Minister in Training)

“My wife and I grew up in Washington state, and found ourselves in Nashville, Tennessee for the last four years. I have served as an Elder at a non-denominational Reformed church in Washington, as a Community Group Regional Coach at Immanuel Nashville in Tennessee, and we have now followed the Lord to Edinburgh, where I will be working with St. Columba’s for the next two years (while also pursuing a ThM at ETS).

When God called Abram out of Ur, he said “follow me to a place I will show you.” The faith-filled answer of Abram was “Yes,” in advance of having any information whatsoever. My wife and I prayed “yes” in advance last October, not knowing where the Lord would lead. It quickly became clear that he was directing us to the UK, and we eagerly obeyed. He has laid on our hearts a passion for teaching the Bible and for discipleship; we also have much to learn from the church in Scotland about serving the Lord faithfully in an overwhelmingly secular context. We pray that this is a step toward full-time pastoral ministry, and that our time may be a blessing to Edinburgh and to Christ’s church here.”

Calum Cameron (Minister in Training)

“My name is Calum Cameron, I'm 25 years old and I'm a minister in training at St Columba's. I recently finished my Bachelors degree in Theology at ETS and I have just been licensed for ministry in the Free Church of Scotland. For the last three years I have worked with St Columba's in a part time role alongside my studies, and it's a wonderful opportunity to continue that while I do my Masters in Missiology at ETS.

My role involves regular preaching, both at St Columba's and in different churches across the country. Alongside that, I'll be leading small groups, engaged in pastoral work and 1-2-1s, some organisational stuff, receiving and implementing feedback, attending leadership meetings, and discussion seminars and whatever else is thrown my way! God willing, I'll be here until 2021 when I hope to finish my Masters and begin serving God in pastoral ministry somewhere!

My hope for my time here is that I'll grow first and foremost as a disciple, as a follower of Jesus, and that my life and character would better demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit to others! Alongside that, I hope to grow and develop my gifts as a preacher, pastor and leader, and I really want to maximise the opportunities and time I have here to read, preach, pray and discuss, as well as to continue to learn from the example of wisdom of the church leaders here.”