"So what's this fellows program thing you've been doing?"

This post is a copy of an article that was featured in The Falls Church Current Magazine. Fellows Update by Sarah Foley So, what's this fellows program thing you've been doing?-I wish I had a nickel for every time I heard this question over Christmas break. Better yet, I wish I had a nickel for each time I struggled to explain what this year is really all about without sounding like an absolute snob! How do you tell someone that you have been welcomed into a community that desires to sacrifice time and energy that you might learn about life, love, and yourself in the context of the gospel without coming across as elitist or self-righteous? So, basically you learn about Jesus, work three days a week, hang out with teenagers, live for free in one of the most expensive cities in America, and build relationships." Me: "umm.yeah..." In all fairness, it's pretty amazing. Blessings, which we in no way deserve, have been freely given to us since the day we arrived last September. In so many ways the fellows program has given us a tangible picture of the gospel. When I think about this year, it's no wonder that I cannot help but marvel at the Lord's goodness and provision. In order to flesh that out a bit, let me give you a few snapshots of what we've been up to the past two months: In seminary we are learning the importance of peeling back the complex layers of God's creation in order to understand our place within it. In doing so, we've seen, perhaps for the first time, the implication of the cultural mandate and its requirement that we become proactive agents of redemption in the world. Steven Garber is teaching us to be sensitive to the sacramental and transcendent nature of life-we're learning to see art and sexuality and even economics through the lens of our deepest longings for reconciliation with the creator God. We've watched clips from popular films and discussed readings as diverse as Tom Wolfe and Wendell Berry. There have been tears as we confront brokenness, and yet the prospect of being used to restore creation has inspired us to think practically about how we "practice resurrection," as Berry so aptly describes it. In our weekly seminar, Dick Foth has met with us on two occasions to discuss the value and development of meaningful relationships-a process which he claims starts with history giving and ends with being able to dream together. As our group learns more about each other, it has become possible for us to see each person's God-given potential. How much fun it has been to dream about the ways each of us will be able to serve the Lord's Kingdom! Before this year I understood fellowship (spoken of in a Christian context) as a means of accountability only. However, now that I live and breathe in a context of true fellowship, I see that it functions also as a way to know myself and my God. As believers, we know that we live in a constant state of grace, but as fellows that grace is all the more easily detected. Never in my life has the gospel been so palpable-you can taste it in the meals we share with one another, hear it in the stories of our teachers and mentors, see it in the way that we are allowed to serve our community, and know it by the assurance of the Holy Spirit who has been so present in our time together at The Falls Church. Honestly, I often wonder if I'm not missing something-if there isn't a hidden fee or a required 5 year parish commitment lurking within the fine print! It would certainly explain why The Falls Church community has opened itself to us so unreservedly. Thank you for all you're doing for us. We are relishing the gospel and the Lord's blessing as He is showing it to us through you. And we are having a great time.