FORGINGNEWFRONTIERSRESIDENTIAL STUDENT HIGHLIGHTSfrom left to right:(back row) Kristen Gunn, Matthew Rogers(front row) John Conner, Julia Hendrix, Dante' Anglin8THE MISSIONER
We say it all the time because it is true... the frontier has changed, but the mission remainsthe same: train men and women for lay and ordained ministry, thereby empowering theChurch to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We maintain our steadfast belief that groundingstudents in the great traditions and teachings of the church, best achieved through residentialformation, will enable them to lead the church faithfully on new frontiers and in a changingworld. To study at Nashotah House is to become a member of something larger than yourself,as these five residential students recognized for themselves. Here each shares a glimpse oftheir journey to Nashotah House.KRISTEN GUNNMaster of Theological Studies(MTS PROGRAM) ‘21God has entrusted this Word – the One who calls andclaims me – to His Church, and that if I want to learn tospeak of Him, there is really only one place to be.I don’t know where God will lead me next, but I’mdeeply hopeful because of the life that is in (and is)this place. I’ve found a place where I can steep in theWord – take up and read, but also take and eat. And Ifeel strongly that this is all either very good practice...or the real thing itself.I’ve always had a fascination with words. My parentstell me that, even when I was just a tiny thing, I’d takegreat care to articulate the names they were teachingme for things in the world around me. “Pine-needle”was an early favorite.Not long after I was baptized as a teenager, thefascination became tinged with (better, singed by)desire: I wanted words about God. This has neverreally gone away.After having written a wonderful piece of heresy for acollege course in a religious autobiography course Iwas taking, I believe I felt God call and correct me: Hewanted me and my words, not for self-indulgent art or fornonsense that still had “yours truly” at its center, but tospeak (somehow... marvelously) the word about Christ.It took me some time to figure out what this meant interms of life in the Church and, to tell the truth, I am stilltrying to figure it out. But I have come to believe thatMATTHEWROGERSMDIV ‘20I came to NashotahHouse seeking theformation of the Apostolicfaith. Although mysending bishop didn’treally provide meanother option, I trulywould not have wanted itany other way. In fact, Iconsidered his directionjust another portion ofGod’s calling.My motivating themehas always been service. I first felt this in high schoolwhile working at summer camp. Waking up, setting upfor Mass, activities, and running around from sun-upto well past sun-down, I had never felt more spirituallyfulfilled than fully living every waking moment for thebetterment of others. Serving others with or withoutcontinued on page 10VOL. 33 NO. 2 9
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