HELM Leadership Fellows see
the intersections of life and faith

"In the midst of freshman year, first semester, tests, papers, working, partying, cleaning, meetings, mediocre food, and making new friends, I got lost in the shuffle," says the first-year student at Texas Christian University from Olathe, Kansas. "I was able to surround myself with people who share my passion and hope for peace, justice and equality. The hope for a better world where there is enough for everyone and everyone has enough transcends time and distance."

Florida in known for attracting college students for a particular kind of "rest and relaxation." But 48 students who took a break from their studies in November came to Florida to examine their relationships with God and their individual calls to leadership and ministry, whether from the pulpit or in the pews.

The fourth annual Leadership Conference organized by Higher Education and Leadership Ministries gathered 25 HELM Leadership Fellows and 23 Phillips University Legacy Scholars at the DaySpring Episcopal Retreat Center in Ellenton, Fla.

After three years of workshop that focused on external qualities of leadership, this year's conference shifted to more introspective aspects of leadership. At a conference titled "Body, Mind, Soul, and Strength: Becoming Wholly God's," renowned Disciples teachers Kay Bessler Northcutt and Stephanie Paulsell helped students reflect on the intersections in which excellent Christian leadership takes shape - including the intersections of tragedy and hope, strength and weakness, body and spirit, self-knowledge and knowledge of God, and church and world.

Bessler Northcutt is associate professor of preaching and worship at Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, Okla. Paulsell is Senior Lecturer on Ministry and Associate Dean for Ministry Studies at the Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, Mass. They are also best friends, and the theme of friendship wove itself throughout the weekend's activities.

"I learned much more about my spiritual self," said Chris Miller-McLemore, a freshman at Vanderbilt University, "how to better get to know a bunch of people I don't know, how great new friends are, and how to analyze myself better."

Natalie Dixon, who will graduate from Eureka College in December and plans to attend seminary in the fall, served on the planning advisory team for the Florida conference and led morning worship services.

"During our annual conference, we travel from across our country to forget about our separations and join as one family. We challenge each other to expand the Kingdom of God, through justice, education, love, and understanding," Natalie said. "We pick up friendships that are blessed by God, we cry about what makes us falter, and we demand acceptance. At our meetings we do more than learn about Christian leadership - we learn about ourselves, we develop our identities in the sight of God, and we join together at the table of remembrance and gifts."

As impressed as students were with Paulsell and Bessler Northcutt, the instructors were equally moved by the students they taught.

"We were so impressed by the depth of commitment to the life of faith and the flourishing of all humanity that shone out of these students," Paulsell said. "Whether they were preparing for careers in ministry, mechanical engineering, physics or education, they had all found ways to integrate their studies with the life of faith. They inspired us, and we felt lucky to get to spend the weekend with them."

While the conference was educationally oriented, it wouldn't be right to bring students to Florida in November without visiting the beach. Saturday afternoon's break included lunch at the home of HELM board member Sylvia Barr and husband David and a trip to the St. Petersburg public beach.

The conference had a bittersweet conclusion Sunday. Eight students who entered the program during its first year attended their final conference, though several vowed to return to future gatherings as instructors. Senior Alison Williams is one of the students whose life has been dramatically changed by the program. Though she is an English education major, she is considering seminary after graduation.

"It was not a meeting with my career counselor or even a memo straight from the Almighty that helped me discern this call. It was the great support network I had nurturing me, allowing me to make mistakes but always cheering me on that helped me arrive at this intersection in my life," Alison said. "Without the Leadership Fellows Program I may have eventually found my way to considering ministry, but I am sure that I would not have felt too supported and cared about along my bumpy journey."

Four-year students are Sara Blackwood, Texas Christian University, El Paso, Texas; Sarah Carter, William Woods University, Garden City, Kan.; Natalie Dixon, Eureka College, Wellington, Kan.; Laura Jennison, Mount Holyoke College, Spokane, Wash.; Brandon Johnson, Transylvania University, Cedar Falls, Iowa; Krista Johnson, Chapman University, Greenwood, Ind.; Emily Klingenfus, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Mich.; and Alison Williams, Indiana University, Indianapolis. Additional graduating seniors are Titus James, Jr., Kansas State University, Wichita, Kan.; Jeremy Spitzer, Virginia Tech University, Winchester, Va.; Valerie Steffen, Drury University, Shawnee, Okla.; and Ralph Wesley, Delaware State University, Washington, D.C.