By Olivia Poteet
Much of my life has been spent in service to the church. As a pastor’s kid who joined the mission field immediately following high school and then attended a Christian college, I have a lot of experience serving. Some of my favorite memories growing up are helping with VBS, going to missions conferences, and participating in community outreach with the youth group. When I learned about the Fellows Program, I knew there was a focus on service in the church, but what I didn’t realize was just how much this focus on service would have an impact on me.
My experience with the Fellows is unique because I am employed in a service-focused job. I work as a family advocate for Family Scholar House, a non-profit organization with a mission to end the cycle of poverty by empowering families to succeed in education and achieve self-sufficiency. My day-to-day life is full of moments of both joy and hardship. I work closely with domestic violence survivors, the underprivileged, single parents, and former foster youth as they struggle to build their lives through education, hard work, and life skills. I witness the everyday struggles of people who are living with trauma and never had the support they needed to succeed. However, I also get to see the joy. I witness the fruits of success and the rebuilding of lives, as well as the healing of families and the love of a supportive community. Every day at work, I see rebirth, growth, and new beginnings. In this job I am truly in my element, and I am thankful for the Louisville Fellows team for helping to place me in this position I love so well.
Another aspect of service in the Fellows Program includes volunteer work. Each week, we have a leadership lunch where we meet someone who impacts the community through the work they do. Often this includes directors of non-profits or businesses with the purpose of serving the community. We have spoken to employees in hospitals, food banks, law offices, and after school programs among others, and as a part of the Fellows Program we are encouraged to volunteer with one of these non-profits for the duration of the year. For my volunteer experience, I am returning to my roots by sharing music with residents in senior living homes. I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to get to know these members of my community and serve them.
Finally, a big part of the Louisville Fellows Program is to serve in the church. We do this by working closely with the youth group each week. We attend Sunday school and events, lead Bible studies, and build relationships with the students. I get to attend their school performances and ride in the van with them to youth events. I get roped into running around with them while playing underground church. I get to hear their opinions, fears, joys, and struggles and see how they interact with the rest of the group. My favorite part of this work, however, is getting to know each student individually and having the opportunity to pour into their lives. These students have so much to offer our church and are growing into strong men and women.
These, among others, are the areas of service we focus on in the Louisville Fellows Program and help fulfill one of the main purposes of the program: shaping godly leaders. We as Fellows are met with many challenges as we balance work and classes, but we are called to something even greater as we serve those around us both in our church community and the community at-large. While our work may seem small, it creates ripples over time that impact the Church and the world as each generation of godly leaders shapes the next.
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others. -Philippians 2:3-4, ESV