By Eric Weinberger
When I received an email from the Capital Fellows program back in February of this year, perhaps the last thing on my mind was anything resembling concern about a global pandemic. I think a lot of people would agree! I could not contain my excitement to be learning, working, and serving in Christian community together with new friends in a new city. Yet, many things in our life do not go according to plan.
Make no mistake, given the COVID-19 pandemic and the adjustments we have had to make as a result, I have been incredibly blessed by the three short months we have spent together as Capital Fellows. Whether it be classes with Irwyn Ince and Bill Fullilove, Roundtable discussions with John Kyle, virtual tutoring at Cornerstone School in DC, or just chatting with other Fellows, I continue to see God at work in my life and others as I learn more about myself and about Him. Considering what a blessing these few months have been, I was overwhelmed with disappointment (understandably so) when our plans to head home after Thanksgiving and do work, classes, and service virtually until January were becoming reality. As I am writing this, I am home in Pittsburgh and the rest of the Fellows are headed home for the holidays.
As great as it is to be home, I do miss the Fellows community God has blessed me with. Yet being home is a new way to apply the lessons we have been learning and service and work the past few weeks at Roundtable. Jesus is the perfect example of servanthood. He humbled himself and came not to be served, but to serve, that he would bring salvation to us through his death and resurrection. He is the God who came to wash the feet of sinners, commanding us believers to do the same. As such, we are obliged to serve our fellow image bearers. Yet we will come up short, and He gives abundant grace to us so that we may continue His kingdom work.
How does this look like practically in the life of a Fellow? For myself in DC, it looks like being patient, respectful, and helpful when an angry constituent calls me during work on Capitol Hill. It looks like lending a hand to inner city high school students with their writing homework for two hours a week, listening to them and letting them see that they are valued image bearers of God. It looks like genuine care for other Fellows (or as we like to say, “check in, check up, and check out”). As the Capital Fellows Program goes remote, I have had to look at my own life and ask how to serve my home communities in person and the Fellows community virtually.
As I wrestle with the changes COVID has caused for us, I continue to dwell on the Word of the Lord for guidance, especially from the theme of our Micah 6:8 Conference: “Seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” My prayer for us Fellows is that we continue to see service as not just obligatory work, but a genuine, intentional, and consistent mindset that persists in all aspects of our life. I pray that we seek to love our neighbors, families, and friends as is fitting to the Lord during these odd times we live in, and dwell in the grace and rest Jesus provides for us.
Pictures from the Week
Never a bad time for Mickey D’s with Fellows!
Learning more about the Lord and ourselves at Roundtable.
Scenic river walks are truly a blessing.
Become A Capital Fellow in 2021-22
We are now receiving applications for Season 15 of the Capital Fellows program!
The next program year runs from late August 2021 through mid-May 2022. If you are a college senior or recent college graduate - or know someone that is - we would love to hear from you! The Winter Application Deadline is January 15th!
Want to learn more before you apply? Join an upcoming informational webinar. Click here for dates and times.
Pray for the Capital Fellows
Thank you for praying for the Capital Fellows each week!
Please pray that this Advent season would be a great blessing for everyone involved with the Capital Fellows program. May we more deeply grasp and embrace the incarnation of Christ. May it be a reminder that Jesus came to get us, the lost sheep on a hillside, with love for us and a desire for us to flourish. Through the miracle of his birth and the power of the Resurrection, he offers freedom and joy in both the extraordinary and ordinary things of life - at work, home, church and in the community. In the reality of his coming, may we find and embrace what is most true and beautiful.
Want to pray for the Capital Fellows throughout the year? Download this handy prayer guide for your phone or tablet.
Benefits of The Fellows Initiative
You probably already know that Capital Fellows is one of 30 fellows programs in The Fellows Initiative network. But, did you know that the sponsors of TFI offer great benefits to Capital Fellows alumni? For example, Reformed Theological Seminary offers a 33% tuition discount for 5 years. You can learn more about TFI's sponsors by clicking here.
If you know of a graduate school, seminary, employer, or other organization that would be interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact TFI by clicking here. Thanks!
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