Playing Catch-up: In the Beginning...

...God created the heavens and the earth.

What? You expect me to pass up an opportunity like that? Please!

Anywhos, the start of the program:

We started with a kickoff retreat on Sept. 2, 2008. I managed to get a hold of my host family prior to meeting them, and they were gracious enough to let me drop my car-full of stuff at their house since I didn't really want to bring it to the retreat center and have it bake in the sun for 3 days or so.

It was a blast. All the Fellows shared their testimonies, and I finally got to attach people with the Facebook friends I had made prior to the start of the program (note: Facebook friends are not actual friends). It was a busy time. Many things were jammed into our time. In addition to the telling of testimonies, we spent time getting to know the people we'd be working with in our various ministries at the church (5 Fellows are working with the youth group, 6 with 4th-6th graders, and 2 with the young adult ministry), doing a photo scavenger hunt around D.C., going to a Nationals baseball game, playing many games, and lots of get to know you conversations.

After the kickoff retreat, we were introduced to the church body. It was kind of like being put on display for over 500 people that you didn't know. I have a newfound appreciation for what zoo animals go through everyday of their lives. =P

Anywhos, so after that initial Sunday of get to know you with the entire church body and the youth group a little later that night, things began to settle into a routine.

• Sundays: Sunday school, church, youth group, Harvest (young adult ministry)
• Mondays: AM class, free time, dinner, roundtable discussion
• Tuesday-Thursdays: part-time internship with a law firm doing foreclosure work, representing homeowners, so basically we try to save houses all day
• Every other Wed. night: class
• Friday: class, free time
• Saturday: off

The schedule is pretty full with the class work and the ministry work as well. We're taking 4 total classes this year. They're certified at a graduate-level by Reformed Theological Seminary. We're taking a Christ and Culture class (Learning to Read the World and the Word), Apologetics, Spiritual Formation, and Biblical theology.

The classes have been both infuriating and stimulating. They certainly stretch me to think about things in ways that I haven't even imagined in the past. They have forced me to think at least a little bit about things that I haven't ever considered.

In short, this program has made me grow every step of the way.