November 18, 2024
Last week, we kicked off a short series aimed at highlighting some of the opportunities that Kairos students have for reflection and peer connections. With students from around the world, we strive to create an environment through which students, faculty, and mentors can connect with one another.
The two specific opportunities we are exploring in this short blog series are online Reflection in Community (RIC) Sessions and the online Doctor of Ministry (DMin) Seminar. Both create an environment where students, regardless of their vocation or academic journey, can share and process their experiences.
This week, let’s begin by taking a closer look at Reflection in Community Sessions.
Discipleship happens in community, and Reflection in Community Sessions are an important aspect of building community in Kairos for bachelor’s and master’s students. They provide students with the opportunity to reflect upon and process vocational experiences with peers and a trained facilitator in a safe, confidential space. The sessions were designed to focus on the integration of biblical study, theological reflection, self-awareness, research, and a student’s real-life experiences in their vocational context. The format challenges participants to integrate their experience with the wisdom that comes from biblical and theological studies, the behavioral sciences, and the field of theology and practice, as well as their reflection on what they have learned from that particular moment in their context.
When asked about their recent Reflection in Community experience, here’s what a few students shared:
“The people that have been involved have been wonderful and very responsive. Overall, it’s comforting to know that I will have a group of people that I can reach out to…who will give me honest feedback and a new perspective on situations.” – Mike, Master of Divinity student
“The spiritual direction program is so good at preparing you to ask really good and really hard questions. I may have walked away from these situations wishing things went differently, but the experience wasn’t wasted. In Reflection in Community, students learn to engage with the process of spiritual inquiry and reflection, transforming challenges into opportunities for growth.” – Victoria, Spiritual Direction and Master of Divinity student
“One of the great benefits of Reflection in Community groups is that you get to meet with people outside of your context and theological tradition. We can get so focused on our local church and local community that we can sometimes forget that we are a part of the [global] church. These groups help connect us to other ministry leaders to do life together, even if just for a few short days. I believe that is the heart of Kairos University.” – Doug, Master of Divinity student
Next week, we will take a closer look at the Doctor of Ministry Seminar and the role it plays within the Doctor of Ministry program. We’re excited to hear from students and the impact they feel the seminar is having on their Kairos journey. Stay tuned.