A Weekend in Seattle

Two weeks ago, I had the privilege of traveling to Seattle, Washington to participate in a retreat sponsored by the Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE). If you haven’t heard of FTE, then you’re in the same boat as I was before coming to the retreat. In their own words, FTE is “a leadership incubator that inspires young people to make a difference in the world through Christian communities.” They basically provide resources and help build networks for young adults interested in exploring their vocation as a follower of Christ. Case in point: the “Discernment Retreat” that I attended along with 80 odd other service. You may be wondering what exactly one does at a discernment retreat. In fact, many of us attendees were wondering the very same when we arrived. All we knew was that some organization had paid for us to come to Washington for a weekend of dialogue and interaction. Well, it turned out to be a great event. We basically spent our time together talking about the idea of vocation and God’s call in our lives, with a special emphasis on a call to serving others. Here are some things I brought away from the weekend:

-An expanded view of who is involved in Christian service. I realized how narrow a view I had of Christian service. I was familiar only with Mennonite voluntary service opportunities, and though I vaguely realized that Mennonites weren’t the only ones giving their lives in tangible service, it didn’t really hit me until I saw the different denominations and backgrounds that other attendees came from. There were Episcopals, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Baptists, Unitarian Universalists, Catholics, and more. It was at once humbling and strengthening to realize how vast the network of young adults serving God and others really was. And of course, it’s always fun and exciting to make connections with other people: a Jesuit Volunteer also serving in Anchorage, someone who had volunteered with the same program in the same city as I did one summer during high school, and another who is good friends with someone on my soccer team here in Anchorage. The world is indeed small.

-Time to think on my vocation and calling. I was challenged to think on how God is calling me in my life. We mulled over questions such as “Who am I?” “What gifts do I bring?” “What do I love that loves me back?” “What is my identity and how can I articulate it in a full, poetic, nuanced way?” Many of the other attendees had graduated college and had many questions ahead of them of career, financial security, and what direction their lives would hold. For me, I feel as if my next four years of college are fairly defined and some of the uncertainties are farther away. That being said, I still found the question of God’s call in my life very pertinent. Where is God calling me? How will my time in college nourish and prepare me to serve others? How do I take what I love to the world’s needs?

-Renewed inspiration and energy for the rest of my term and beyond. The retreat was a time of replenishment for me. All around me, I saw creative, passionate, interesting people, excited about what they were doing in their service placements and full of hope for the future. It has been all too easy this year to – amidst both the routine and excitement – forget exactly why I am here in Anchorage, Alaska. The other young adults I met in Seattle re-encouraged me to focus on why I am here; not for a job, not to hike, not to photograph, but to serve others as Christ served.

We had great weather in Seattle for almost all of the weekend.

The retreat was at a beautiful church camp so I managed to make some time to explore their trail newtork

When I went to the retreat, not much spring green had appeared in Anchorage yet. It was a visual feast, then, to see the lush greenery in Washington.