By John Kyle
Merry Christmas, Capital Fellows community!
Christmas is upon us, and what a time it is! The birth of Jesus has been the subject of human pondering for more than 2,000 years. Even now, in 2021, it’s still good to stop the bustling to ask questions about who Jesus is and why God became a man.
Among those questions, we might find ourselves asking, “What if it’s all true?”
What if there is a God that created all things and that loves and faithfully sustains his creation? What if God loved the world so much that he broke through the veil of heaven and earth by becoming a human being, Jesus. What if the words of the Bible are true and, as it claims, “God-breathed”? What if, by believing in Jesus, we can have eternal life? What if, by living according to God’s design and desires, we can bring flourishing, justice, and mercy into an otherwise broken and hurting world? What if God made things in such a way that our thoughts and actions are not random or insignificant, but integrally woven into the fabric of his beautifully complicated plan?
Christmas is a moment for us to reflect on big questions like these. We are invited to ponder anew not only what the Almighty will do, but what he has done and what he is doing right now. It is a time to think about how he brings redemption far as the curse is found, even to the farthest reaches of our own rebellious hearts. Christmas is a season to dream, with intent and purpose, about what God is calling each of us to do in this life. It’s a season to commit or recommit ourselves to the great callings God has placed on us to be likeminded (Phil 2:2), tenderhearted (Eph 4:32), and grace-filled (Eph 4:29) in community and to be his Ambassadors to the world around us (II Cor 5:20).
In these ways, we might say the Capital Fellows program is like a year-long Christmas season. Fellows have the opportunity to dig into the big questions of who God is and what he is doing in this world. They learn to navigate the narrative of his Word and apply it to their lives. They have time to reflect on who he has made us to be, collectively and individually, and how he invites us to be part of what he is doing. They grow in community and servanthood. They practice diligent and excellent work while sorting out some of the questions of vocation. In other words, the Capital Fellows are asking, with Francis Schaeffer, “If it’s all true, how then should we live? How then should I live?”
If you are a friend of the Capital Fellows program, thank you for reading along with the Fellows this year as they share their experiences on this blog. I’d like to invite you not just to read along, but to join them in exploring the “What if?” questions and all of their implications for your life.
Capital Fellows Season 15 – Dawson, Lydia Grace, Emily, Orlane, Seth, Samuel, Emy, Kate, Jack, Lainey, Camille, David, Brooke, Annie and Madi – thank you for getting after it this fall, for digging into the big ideas, for taking good care of one another, and for serving so well in the Capital Pres Family.
Merry Christmas!
Become A Capital Fellow in 2022-23
We are now receiving applications for Season 16 of the Capital Fellows program!
WINTER APPLICATION DEADLINE: JANUARY 15th!
Most fellows work in the marketplace - for companies, nonprofits, government offices. Three Capital Fellows work at our church each year as well. For these roles, we are looking for a worship fellow, a children's ministry fellow, and a missions fellow. These are special Capital Fellows opportunities because you are not only paid a salary, but also your Capital Fellows program fees are covered as well!
The Season 16 program year runs from late August 2022 through mid-May 2023. If you are a college senior or recent graduate - or know someone that is - we would love to hear from you!
Pray for the Capital Fellows
Thank you for praying for the Capital Fellows each week!
The Capital Fellows are on break through January 2nd, then on the Winter Vocational Retreat from January 2-7. Please pray for rest and refreshment during the break and for a wonderful time of regathering and digging in during the Winter Retreat.
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 32 fellows programs in The Fellows Initiative network. Capital Fellows benefit from our affiliation with The Fellows Initiative in many ways. One of those ways is that all Capital Fellows alumni receive a 33% tuition discount at Reformed Theological Seminary for 5 years. For more information, please contact us.
If you know a church in the US or Canada that would benefit from joining The Fellows Initiative by launching a new fellows program. Please contact TFI by visiting their website.
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