PROJECT BURNING BUSH is a program for high school youth who are considering ministry as a vocation. In short, it is a place to imagine and explore how their gifts and talents can be used for God’s purposes, alongside others who are experiencing the same type of call.
The Program
Now in its seventh year, PROJECT BURNING BUSH is a yearlong program with three phases:
Phase One: Institute
Students are challenged to consider their call to ministry by studying for two weeks with faculty and peers at Union Theological Seminary & Presbyterian School of Christian Education in Richmond, Virginia. They live together on campus and use their gifts in areas such as worship, drama, video, recreation, mission and music as they take classes in Bible, Christian education, spiritual practices, and contemporary ethics, among others. It is a taste of what seminary is like. Dates for this year’s Institute are June 29th – July 12th, 2008.
Phase Two: Mentored Projects
After our students leave the Institute, they create and lead a mentored project with a church leader at their home church or college. They use the skills they learned here to give back to the community and explore what it means to practice ministry.
Phase Three: Vocational Retreat
The following summer, students are invited back to campus where they spend a three-day weekend at Union-PSCE. They reconnect with friends, share the results of their Mentored Projects, and learn how to achieve their vocational goals once they leave the program.
After students exit the program, PROJECT BURNING BUSH stays in touch with them as they make choices for college and careers.
