Internship Programme 2026-2027
Encourage. Equip. Empower.
St Barnabas Church Kensington (STBK) is a dynamic and growing church in West London marked by a rich cultural diversity that we see as a sign of God’s kingdom and a springboard for creative mission. Our vision is to be a kingdom community welcoming all in Jesus’ name, growing together as his disciples and stepping out in God’s mission to all nations.
Three words sum up how we put this vision into practice: encourage, equip and empower. Taken together, these describe our church culture and underline our commitment to Jesus-focused ministry and mission in the Holy Spirit, and our dependence on God the Father who opens doors for the furthering of his kingdom.
Our core values are: hospitality and generosity • honoring God with our whole life • pursuing intimacy with God • building supportive relationships • teaching, equipping and growing people • mission and service • experimentation and risk-taking.
Within the Anglican Church, we are an evangelical and charismatic ‘low church’ parish. Historically, we benefited from a replanting project carried out by the HTB group in the mid-1980s. Over the years, we have built connections with churches in Europe, especially with France and Switzerland.
Internship at STBK
Each year we welcome 3-4 volunteer interns from UK or abroad. From September to mid-July, they become part of our church life and staff team.
Interns discover church life, discipleship and service first-hand, getting involved in a wide range of ministries and activities. After an initial settling-in period, they have the opportunity to invest more deeply in one or two areas of ministry alongside their other shared commitments.
Interns receive weekly on-site discipleship training, complemented by 2 hours per week at St Mellitus College (Beginning Theology course) across three terms. We aim to grow our interns both spiritually and practically whilst they are with us.
Interns receive a living allowance to help cover their costs, as well as free accommodation for the duration of their internship. Accommodation is either in individual rooms in the vicarage next to the church building, or in the nearby Lee Abbey London - an international hall of residence for university students run by a Christian team linked with the Church of England.
Weekly program and responsibilities
Interns experience the running of church life — a wonderfully rich journey that calls for openness, courage and a growing faith. Each intern gains hands-on service and ministry experience through active involvement in the life of the church, serving on ministry teams, and building relationships across different cultures and age groups.
An internship involves 40 hours per week, of which 24 hours are spent gaining direct ministry experience through serving as part of various ministry teams.
In addition, around 8 hours are given to personal study, discipleship, and group and individual supervision.
Alongside this, a further 8 hours of community/practical service can include setting up for and clearing away activities (services, groups, events), cleaning and gardening, filming social media content, etc.
Everyone is entitled to one full day of rest (usually Fridays), and the equivalent of one free day for personal activities or projects outside work (usually Saturdays).
The first three months are a time to settle in and discover the reality of church life at St Barnabas.
After this initial period, in parallel with their regular weekly church activities, each intern will have the opportunity to invest more on one (sometimes two) key areas such as:
● Children’s Ministry
● Youth and student Ministry
● Evangelism and Outreach (with the distinctive feature of being able to potentially serve the mission with French or Persian speakers as well)
● Worship, Production and Social Media
The person overseeing this area will serve as the intern’s line manager.
Personal requirements
Being an intern is an intense but deeply rewarding commitment of around 11 months. We are ideally looking for people aged 18-25 to create a helpful group dynamic.
We are looking for someone who:
loves Jesus, wants to grow in their faith and has a passion to serve Him;
is motivated by the vision, mission and values of STBK;
will seek to become an active and enthusiastic part of our church community;
values being part of a team;
is willing and open to learn and be challenged;
Is ready to do physically demanding tasks.
What we offer
an immersive experience in a vibrant, multicultural church and staff team;
opportunities to grow in faith, service and in your God-given gifts;
discipleship and practical training;
a dedicated line manager for support and growth;
pastoral support and a church mentor;
on-site housing and living allowance.
Costs
Basic costs:
The internship programme costs the church around £5,000 per intern per year. We do not ask participants to cover this - we see it as a means for us to invest in people and in God’s kingdom. However, we do invite participants to contribute where they can towards these costs. This is done on a case-by-case basis, since we do not want finances to prevent a suitable candidate from being able to participate. This is discussed with candidates as part of the selection process.
Visa and NHS costs:
Interns coming from abroad should factor in the cost for them of a UK Temporary Religious Worker visa (we provide a sponsorship certificate) and the Immigration Health Surcharge, which amounts to around £1,400 in total. For more information, see https://www.gov.uk/apply-to-come-to-the-uk.
Application procedure
All line for applications: 11 May 2026
Interviews will be held in May 2026
All applicants should complete an application form, which can be found here: St Barnabas Kensington Internship Programme Application Form
All applicants will have a DBS check and be taken through the safer recruitment process including obtaining relevant references.
If you have any questions, please contact info@stbk.org.uk