What is the Salt Lake Fellows?
The Salt Lake Fellows is a ministry partnership of New Song Presbyterian Church, City Presbyterian Church and The Fellows Initiative in Salt Lake City, Utah. In this program recent college graduates will participate in a 10-month program of living, learning and working in the city of Salt Lake and the community of the church. Participants will have paid part-time jobs in local businesses, will be paired with mentors and will take weekly courses of theological study focusing on work and vocation. Participants will commit to be a part of the local community, church community and the Fellows community. The Salt Lake Fellows program will strive to establish a web of relationships for “Fellows” to integrate their faith and calling into everyday life. In addition, the Salt Lake Fellows will include retreats, conferences, and a required amount of outdoor adventure for the growth and development of the whole person and a greater perspective of the Creator God and our identity as image bearers.
Why The Fellows Initiative?
The Fellows Initiative’s purpose is to help college graduates “Start Well”: to integrate their faith and work, to pursue their calling, and better understand their place in God’s bigger story. We strongly believe in this purpose and mission. We desire to create a space where young Christians can experience how their faith connects with and transforms all aspects of life: work, family, neighborhood, city, friends, hobbies, etc. We desire to teach recent graduates how to minister in their workplace. We see TFI being an agent by which we can use our passions and strengths to minister to the next generation and, in doing so, to the surrounding city. We are passionate about learning with others, sharing life together and furthering God’s Kingdom.
Why Salt Lake City?
Salt Lake City, Utah, is an incredibly fertile place for business and growth while a fun place for adventure and community. But along with that there is a huge need in Salt Lake City and in Utah for the Gospel to be lived out and the Kingdom to grow. This is a perfect place for a Fellows program! Salt Lake County is less than 3% evangelical Christian while the LDS Church (Mormons) make up around 58% of the population, which gets much higher outside of the urban areas. Along with that, SLC is also over 25% agnostic or “unreligious”. Utah itself is one of the most unChristian states (for example, there is a higher percentage of evangelical Christians in Cairo, Egypt than in SLC). However, Utah is the 4th fastest growing state in the U.S., has the youngest population of any state and the lowest unemployment percentage. Salt Lake City is a growing and thriving city, earning the nicknames Silicon Slopes and Wall Street of the West for its booming tech and finance industries. It is located within an hour of several world class ski resorts and within 4 hours of several National Parks (Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Great Basin to name a few). Salt Lake City is also the 25th largest refugee city in America which adds diversity within the urban areas.
There is a desperate need for Christians to be in Salt Lake City, not just present, but living out the Gospel in the city and in the workplace. The Salt Lake Fellows program is an incredible avenue for bringing young Christians in to do that very thing. The program is for the good of the city, the community and the local church. In addition, those participating in the Fellows program will be pushed to live an authentic life of faith as they interact with their neighbors and co-workers.
There is a desperate need for Christians to be in Salt Lake City, not just present, but living out the Gospel in the city and in the workplace. The Salt Lake Fellows program is an incredible avenue for bringing young Christians in to do that very thing. The program is for the good of the city, the community and the local church. In addition, those participating in the Fellows program will be pushed to live an authentic life of faith as they interact with their neighbors and co-workers.