San Francisco

Last weekend, I had the privilege to travel to San Francisco, California, to take part in a Volunteers Exploring Vocation conference, funded by the Fund for Theological Education. I gathered there at San Francisco Theological Seminary for four wonderful days of sightseeing, worship, lectures from seminary professors, and spending time with over fifty volunteers from various programs all over the country. It was such a positive experience, and best of all, completely free!

I found this conference beneficial for me in several ways. First of all, taking a few days off work to travel and be spoiled a little was much needed at this point in the year. I am learning more and more how important self care is, especially in direct service. If I do not take care of myself and make sure that I am finding ways to rejuvenate, then I am not going to be able to serve others to the best of my ability. This realization is one I do not want to forget or forgo.

It was also such a wonderful gift to spend time with other volunteers and share our experiences with one another. We talked about our struggles during this year of service, as well as the “high points” we have had along the way. Spending time with other people who are passionate about similar things was so energizing. I was able to imagine the future of the church when I was surrounded by other people my age who were considering the call to ministry, and it was exciting. I cannot wait to see what the church can become!

I also had a lot of time to reflect personally on my own service at the Campus. I feel extremely blessed to love my job and consider it meaningful work. It gave me something to think about as I discern my next step. I will keep you updated on what that is going to be when I know for sure! Until then, I feel at peace that God is going to lead me to where I need to be next, and that God will open doors in order to make possible whatever is supposed to happen. Thank you for your continued support!