Called and Thriving: Honoring the Inaugural Fellows’ Journey of Formation, Discernment, and Service

In 2020, Western Theological Seminary expanded on the faithful work of the Friendship House by launching the Friendship House Fellows Program. Now, we’re celebrating the graduation of our Inaugural Class.

When asked what the most formative aspect of seminary has been for her, Inaugural Friendship House Fellow Ms. Megan Kidulas states the following:

“Seminary normalized discerning the voice of God for me…most people assume that I cannot discern God because of my disability. However, and maybe this is even more important than believing that I can, seminary has been a community in which I could learn how to [discern God’s voice] through classes and community. In a way that is supported by Scripture and upheld by people who are part of Jesus’ body with me.” 

Ms. Kiduals then goes on to assert that “when you live your life vulnerably, when you live your life embracing that you need others, you also can live life more aware of God through others.” Perhaps this is a crucial part of the worldview that we are invited into through the Writings of St. Paul when he admonishes Christians to, “belong to one another” as “members of the body of Christ.” 

During her time as a Fellow, Ms. Kiduals’ classes and internship experiences equipped her to discern a call to serve both college students and young children. Thus, after graduation, Ms. Kidulas intends to retain the job she secured during her time in seminary with Hope Dining Services. This work enables her to serve, befriend, and minister to local college students. Additionally, Ms. Kiduals hopes to continue serving in Pillar Kids ministry at Pillar Church, where she serves as an intern.

Inaugural Friendship House Fellow Mr. Kurtis Cunningham offered the following reflection when asked about the most formative aspect of seminary life: 

“Seminary taught me the importance of asking questions and believing that I can come to know the answers if I don’t quit. This is not just true about homework, confusing parts of books, you know things like that…but about God, too. God is complicated, for sure. But God’s love is not. We are supposed to love people and love God and believe that God loves us too. Seminary reminded me of that. That loving the person in front of me is what I should do. But, in order to do that I must remember to pray before I do anything. God knows how I am supposed to love people…even when it is hard. Like he did with Jonah. I remember that from Hebrew.”

For Mr. Cunningham, the belief that one can ‘know’ the truth has led him to the belief that one can know something deeply without understanding it logically. He has come to believe that part of his calling is to help people become more comfortable with mystery so they can know God more intimately. As a result, Mr. Cunningham plans to remain involved at Community Reformed in Zeeland, MI, where he interned as a Fellow. 

Mr. Cunningham also believes that his seminary experience has prepared him to facilitate Bible studies with his roommate at his new home near the seminary as a way of ministering to people who live near downtown Holland. For Mr. Cunningham, Christian ministry is inseparable from Christlike presence and embracing one’s need for God is inseparable from one’s need for others. When asked to reflect on this, Mr. Cunningham states, “to look at other people, to see them rightly, is to see God honestly…to not resist my need for others just makes sense because I also believe that God works through others…If I need God, I need others.”