I started my seminary journey shortly after returning to my full-time church coordinator position following maternity leave with my third child. Life was full, to say the least. I knew I would have to do a lot of juggling to make it all work, but I was confident that God was calling me to further theological education, and the Kairos program provided the flexibility I would need to make it happen.
Having attended online courses in other academic institutions, I was worried that I would have limited interactions with my instructors and would have preferred to be on campus for the entirety of my degree. But life, family, and ministry prevented me from participating in traditional (in-person lecture) courses.
I was delighted then to find that the interactions I had with my instructors (whether it was with those willing to meet me in a coffee shop or those who could only meet over Zoom) were more meaningful and formative than the ones I had with in-person instruction at my previous university. Both my vocational and personal mentor were local to me and this helped give me the community and in-person interaction that I needed.
My academic mentor, Dr. Heather Henson was all the way on the other side of the Canadian border, however, this did not prevent us from forming a relationship. And, as with my other instructors, Dr. Henson had no less impact on my spiritual and theological formation than if we shared a city. Dr. Henson, along with my other mentors, made me feel seen and valued both as a student and as a sister in Christ. Because of the relationships we had and the space for growth that I was given, I believe my team helped me to become a stronger and more faithful servant of Christ.