ditor’s note: We recently talked with Britta Apple, a current Fellow preparing to finish the program later this spring. We asked about her interest in the program and why she’d recommend the Fellowship to others.
DIFW: Who are you? What do you do?
BA: I’m Britta Apple and I’m a high school English teacher.
DIFW: What drew you to the 5280 Fellowship in the first place?
BA: When I found out about the 5280 Fellowship, I was at a point in my career of looking for renewed focus and purpose. I was excited at the prospect of gaining wisdom from the curriculum, insight from cohort members, a renewed perspective, and fresh momentum in my workplace, especially from other folks in other career fields. I was intrigued by the program because it was less prescriptive about my industry of teaching and more synergistic in shared faith throughout industries. Hearing about the 5280 Fellowship made me realize that I was ready to zoom out and take on a broader perspective of faith and work.
DIFW: How has the 5280 Fellowship developed/helped with what you were looking for?
BA: The 5280 Fellowship has presented material that reiterates things I’ve already been grappling with, while giving it a fresh and new perspective. The varied compilation of material in the curriculum has helped me engage in conversations that focus on bringing the redemption of the gospel to the field of education in new and thoughtful ways. It has also given me a new mindset about culture — the 5280 Fellowship has helped me find tangible ways to engage in culture for redemptive purposes. For me, the 5280 Fellowship has been an incredibly rich and inspiring experience.
DIFW: What’s been the biggest surprise or unexpected byproduct of the 5280 Fellowship? What have you enjoyed the most that you didn’t anticipate?
BA: I’ve been surprised in a wonderful way by the opportunities to hang out with people in other cohorts. I assumed that it would be easy to get to know those in my cohort as we’d meet weekly, but the relationships among the other cohorts as well during events like the retreats have been a sweet surprise. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know those in my cohort on a deeper level because everyone has such varied backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and personalities. I’ve also appreciated how willing everyone has been to pour into one another. There’s a sense of community and family within the 5280 Fellowship because we’re all committed to the same thing.
DIFW: Why would you encourage someone to consider the 5280 Fellowship?
BA: The 5280 Fellowship gives you a Christ-centered awareness of how to direct your effort and energy. It’s not just “insert Jesus.” It’s the whole person, the whole field, and the whole city of Denver. It’s a balanced understanding of how things work and what our role is in it. It’s knowing who God is and who we are in relationship to Him. It’s not just a part of your life — it’s about how to allow the center of yourself and your life, namely Christ, to affect each and every aspect. The Fellowship puts first things first and is a holistic picture of “Who is our Lord?” It’s helps us focus on questions like who am I in light of Christ? Who has he created me to be? How can I be a reflection of Him in my different spheres of influence? The 5280 Fellowship is refreshing because in the midst of life’s busyness, it reminds us to live purposefully, intentionally, and “redemptively.” Life can fill up with a bunch of checklists, but the Fellowship has helped me reorient my life to live in a sustainable way.
Learn more about the 5280 Fellowship through our free online webinar or join us at an upcoming Info Session. Applications for the 2019–2020 class of fellows are due April 30th!
