Intern Pastor Rebekah Cochrane is a Masters of Divinity ( M.Div.) student at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN and a candidate for ordination in the ELCA.  She is from south-central Pennsylvania and graduated from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN before moving to Missoula in 2018 along with her wife, Maddy, and their two sweet and silly pups, Rainy and Bean.  For the past three years, Rebekah has been the Children, Youth, and Family Director at St. Paul Lutheran Church. Her internship will be shared between Immanuel and Emmaus Campus Ministry. 

Rebekah trusts that God’s love is more expansive than we can imagine, and she prays that “I might reflect that love by centering the Gospel of liberation, honoring the humanity in all people, and staying unapologetically grounded in hope, curiosity, and wonder.” Rebekah’s other interests include trail running, choral music, reading, and family adventures in the outdoors.

What is an Intern Pastor?

Remember practicing an instrument or a sport or even your first day on a job? You knew a lot more and could do a lot more after a year than on the first day.  That’s the idea of an internship for future pastors.  We offer a supportive and safe place for them to learn how to be a pastor, to try new things and to fail. We are the intern pastor’s teammates – cheering her on, encouraging her, letting her visit us, lead us, preach to us, and teach us in a truthful, kind and forgiving environment.  She will be deeply shaped by her time at IMLU for wherever the Spirit will call her next in church and ministry.

 A year long internship is a core requirement for all those who will become ordained pastors in the ELCA. Both the seminary and the candidacy team will receive formal reports from the Intern’s supervisor and the Intern Team.  Along with coursework, the student must pass internship to become an ELCA pastor.  

Intern Team

Sumer Pellett-Chair, Jim Bendickson, Jean Larson, Larry Mansch

What Can I Do to Help?

  • Show up when Intern Rebekah is leading worship, preaching, or teaching. 
  • Say YES if she asks you to be a part of something.
  • Invite her to visit you at your home, out for coffee, or when you are ill or in crisis. 
  • Call her Intern Rebekah or Intern Pastor Rebekah.