The Power of a Christian Community

Being a Christian calls for us to be surrounded by a community that supports, challenges, and helps us grow within our faith. Being in solitude can drive you away from these

things, and I’ve always sought after solitude. So, coming to the Pittsburgh Fellows program and being part of a large community that wanted to see me flourish, changed my life.

I’ve been able to connect with members of St. Stephen’s Church, business mentors, host families, and other Fellows, who all push me to be the best version of myself. I never thought of myself being able to flourish within a community before or being able to integrate into one, but the Fellows community has been beyond welcoming. I felt as if I was a part of a family and loved since day one.

I want to share a fond memory of mine:

When I moved in to the Fellows' house early in the summer and before most of the

other Fellows moved in,. I went to church and sat alone on Sunday. I was getting

ready to leave when a former Fellow (Landon Sjoberg ’23) approached me and asked if I was a

new Fellow. He then took me to a Sunday pot luck at the church, where he introduced

me to a large part of the church community, ranging from children to elders. He sat

with me and talked to me for a while, making me feel loved and cared for even though I’d just

met him earlier that day. Now, I have had the incredible opportunity to give back to this community over the past seven months by serving in the St. Stephen's Church Youth Group.

Community is such a sacred and beautiful part about being a Christian, and the Pittsburgh Fellows program has done an amazing job about emphasizing this aspect of our faith.

-Bain Marsh, Class of 2025

PGT Trucking