CITI appoints Revd Ted Woods as part-time Internship Co-ordinator
The Church of Ireland Theological Institute is delighted to announce the appointment of the Revd Ted Woods as part-time Internship Co-ordinator. With preparations already well underway for the commencement of the inaugural internship year from September 2011, Mr. Woods, who continues to serve as Rector of Rathfarnham Parish, will take up his appointment of approximately one day per week with immediate effect.
Within the MTh course the internship is intended to offer a pinnacle opportunity for the blending of theory and practice. It stands as Year 3 of the full-time pathway, and, with equivalence, as Years 5 & 6 of the part-time pathway. Students are to be ordained as deacons at the beginning of their internship final year so that the commencement of a curacy in due course will coincide with the moment of priesting. During the internship they will spend the majority of their time learning practically in a variety of parochial and ministerial contexts. They will be expected to return to CITI for one week each month over the course of the year and by the end of the year to have written up their MTh dissertation prior to a final process of oral examination which will mark the completion of their initial training.
Speaking of his appointment, Mr. Woods said, 'As a DDO I know that students are finding the new MTh course both stimulating and demanding. The internship year will be integral to their training and preparation for ministry, and I am very excited to be able to contribute to this new development which will lay foundations for the future. I very much look forward to working with students and training clergy and the staff of CITI in this new part-time post.'
The Director of CITI, the Revd Dr. Maurice Elliott, commented, ‘We are thrilled to welcome Ted as a member of the CITI team. Having served in so many corners of the Church of Ireland, he brings with him a wealth of ministerial experience. Ted is someone who readily commands the respect of both his clerical colleagues and the student body. He is a superb organiser, and I have absolutely no doubt that he is the right person to take on this important new role in the development of training and in the service of the church.’
The Right Revd Dr Michael Jackson, Chairperson of the CITI Governing Council, added, ‘A lifetime of committed service and parochial experience in the Church of Ireland, along with a broad range of other interests, equips the Reverend Ted Woods for the position of Internship Co-ordinator (part-time) for the M Theology students in the Theological Institute. Having served in five different dioceses in Ireland and with sustained experience as a Diocesan Director of Ordinands, Ted will bring to this position both reflection and energy. The internship year is strategic to the fresh thinking which has brought us to a very new place in ordination training. Ted is renowned for his approachability and his administration - vital components as the Church of Ireland collaboratively moves into this new phase.’