Cascade Fellows
Are you wondering about Cascade Fellows? Why it is? What you do in the program? What difference does it makes?
A year or so ago, I was too. I signed up because I’ve always wanted to read some of the well known ancient and contemporary Christian classics and couldn’t seem to motivate myself to do so. It’s worked. Some of those classics I’ve liked, some I haven’t. Some I’ve finished. Some I never will. Some I will go back to and finish later. But the best part for me has been the discussions around these works in small groups, which are an essential part of the program. Getting to talk the works over with people with different backgrounds, different life experiences has been one of the most enriching and thought provoking part of the program for me.
There are two other components to the program, devotions and speakers and they too have been enriching and thought provoking.
Now I usually have personal devotions but these have encouraged me to ask questions of the Lord I wouldn’t have thought of or in ways I wouldn’t have thought of, especially about the idols in my heart and what the Lord would like for my future.
The program features speakers once a month. They too have generally been challenging.
So that’s what one does in the program.
Why is the program? As I understand it, the program seeks to challenge its participant to deepen their faith, to discern God’s calling for them and to integrate it into all of life. Work, family, recreation, faith should all mess together.
What difference has it made for me? I expect to see ramifications for a long time to come but in addition to the items mentioned above I’ve realized that career and calling aren’t necessarily the same thing. My job can put food on the table while it is OK that I put most of my energy into my passion/calling. Also, and this has been a surprise for me, as I write this from Oruro, Bolivia where my daughter is doing community development work, I find I’m viewing at least some of the issues in this country and the world through the integrating lens of Fellows. I don’t think it is just because I brought my readings along.