Accepting Applicants for Fall 2011.

Equipping Tomorrow's Leaders to Embrace the Church and Engage God's World.

The Fellows At First Program is a nine-month (September through May) leadership development and training program for young adults recently out of college or graduate school. Six to twelve young men and women from all walks of life come together to engage in a program designed to foster a God-centered view of knowledge, culture, work and life. Fellows receive theological training, participate in Bible studies, and enjoy one-on-one mentoring relationships with mature Christian men and women. Fellows apply their training as they minister in the community, work in a marketplace internship and interact with their host family.

Calling and Career 
The Fellows At First program seeks to prepare and equip young men and women for a lifestyle of living by the Gospel and for the Kingdom of God. It prepares young adults to integrate their Christian worldview in their future vocations and all areas of their lives. Emphasizing the sacredness of calling in all work, the Fellows program exists as a discipleship and leadership training tool for those called to serve God in the professional marketplace as lawyers, doctors, bankers, artists and in all professions. Each participant builds a framework for discerning God's calling and answering the question: "What do I do with my life?" The program emphasizes the importance of understanding the redemptive work of Christ as the foundation of life, work and calling.

Testimonials
"The Fellows Program is an ideal fit for a recent college grad who is interested in integrating faith with work in the marketplace and for someone who is seeking to understand how all of life and everything on this earth belongs to God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Fellows Program builds a strong biblical foundation for young people who wish to engage the culture and not retreat from it; it teaches them to be as wise in the things of Christ as they will be in their professional career pursuits."
Hugh Jones, MidSouth Regional Director for Staffed Campuses, Campus Crusade for Christ

"I thought four years of college would help discern my calling and direct me toward a future career. However, faced with graduation I found myself with a lot more questions than answers! Being a Fellow didn't give me all the answers, but it gave me a church community in which I could ask hard questions, actively learn about my faith and myself, and apply it all in a work setting. The best part about the Fellows Program wasn't the answers I found, but the chance to ask more questions."
Shannon Bremer, Fellows Program Alumna & College of William & Mary Alumna

"Though I became a Christian in college, I was still unsure how to apply my faith in practical ways, especially in the business world. The Fellows Program allowed me to see Christianity lived out in the home, community and marketplace. As an integral part of the local church, I could wrestle with tough questions without pretending to have all the answers. That process changed my understanding of Jesus' work on the cross from an abstract theory to a concrete reality."
Sam Voelkel, Fellows Program Alumnus & Auburn University Alumnus

The Fellows At First Program assists each Fellow in obtaining a part-time, paid professional position in an area of interest: business, law, medicine, education, youth work, etc. These marketplace internships allow Fellows the opportunity to apply biblical principles in the workplace while developing professional and Kingdom relationships. Working combines practical experience with the personal exploration of day-to-day issues of faith. It gives young people a framework for viewing their work through God's eyes. Fellows also receive career counseling and aptitude assessment through a nationally recognized career evaluation and consulting center.

Teaching and Training
Fellows at First participate in a graduate level course of study that is applicable to a Masters of Arts or Divinity (12 Credit hours). Scholars offer focused, thought provoking courses in leadership, culture, spiritual formation and theology. Graduate level courses examine how we think rather than what to think.

Service and Discipleship
Service lies at the heart of leadership. Fellows are given many opportunities to serve within First Presbyterian Church and in other community ministries. These opportunities include working alongside other volunteer leaders in First's Family, Student & Children's Ministries and in local ministries such as The Manna House, and Lighthouse Ministries. Each Fellow participates in a mentoring relationship with a mature Christian. Fellows, in turn, will follow the biblical mandate of discipleship by mentoring younger students.

Community
The Fellows Program is a smaller community within the fabric of First Presbyterian Church. It is a place where shared convictions are embodied and embraced. A family in the church community hosts each Fellow, allowing him or her to experience life with people who are striving to serve Christ in the midst of their own challenges, joys and failures.

The Fellows community is committed to accountability, prayer, biblical teaching and fellowship. Often, the friendships forged within this community are the type that will last a lifetime.

Tuition Costs & Benefits
Each Fellow is housed with a host family from the church community. Room and board are provided at no cost, and living expenses are further offset by the part-time wages the Fellows earn in their workplace assignments. Fellows are responsible for their own car and health insurance. Before entering the program, each Fellow is required to raise $5000 tuition and is encouraged to seek financial and prayer support from his or her family, friends and church community. Tuition costs meet expenses related to seminary courses, field trips, career evaluations, books/study materials, conferences and administrative expenses. Please note that Fellows are classified as full-time students and thus may be able to defer student loans and retain dependent health insurance status.

Statement of Commitment
We in the First Presbyterian Fellows at First Program desire to keep God's Word as the standard by which we live. We recognize that all of life, including life in the workplace, is to be lived out under the lordship of Jesus Christ and to His Glory! We are convinced that the most effective leader is a servant-leader who strives to know God's will and is compelled by His grace. As believers we celebrate our life of grace, we affirm that we belong to Christ, and we are committed both to serving others and to pursuing a mission greater than ourselves.

If this statement reflects your own commitment to a life of following Christ, we invite you to download an application for admission.

Applying to the Fellows Program
The Fellows At First Program is currently accepting applications for Fall 2010. Our admission process is very selective and the spaces are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Generally speaking we reserve equal spaces for men and for women. A visit to Florence is strongly encouraged but is not mandatory.

Please download this application (opens a Word document), complete and email it to Rev. Chris Handley.

Note that applications are accepted until spaces are filled.