“I think that programs like Episcopal Service Corps (ESC) can provide a diocese with a constant source of labor, creativity and young adult involvement. One of the biggest issues I see in our diocese, and in the national church, is the lack of young adult participation. ESC would ensure that there is a consistent presence of young adult volunteers coming into our diocese. They would bring with them a different perspective on faith and mission. They would bring a creativity and ingenuity unfettered by the idea that things must be way a certain way “because they have always been this way.”

The diocese of WNC is a vibrant community with ample opportunities to volunteer and serve the greater mission of the church. Asheville and the surrounding area are increasingly desirable places to live. This combination has the potential to make the Western North Carolina ESC an incredibly fruitful project - one that could bring so much life into our diocese.”

-Will Bryant

“Episcopal Service Corps is an experience that has greatly shaped my life and way of living. I had just finished college and there was a lot of fear, stress, and anxiety about my next stage in life. Living in an intentional community with people who were going through similar emotions really helped my transition from college into the workforce. Our spiritual discussions and practices helped settle my anxious feelings and become more focused in the present moment. During my experience, I found myself more thankful for what I had and a stronger desire to help people in the community. I connected and interacted with people in my volunteer site who had totally different life experiences. Learning about their way of living and past experiences helped me appreciate my own more and realize the diversity in our nation. ESC gave me the opportunity to connect life moments with my spiritual faith and beliefs.

Growing up in a church in the Western diocese of NC shaped my beliefs. There were many opportunities of involvement outside of my church to connect with other children and young adults. Having the opportunity to be a camper and then a counselor at Camp Henry helped me want to be Christian. Because of that experience, I decided to be involved in Episcopal Campus Ministry at UNC Wilmington and then become a member in Colorado Episcopal Service Corps. All these experiences helped me become more compassionate and have the ability to question and search for my beliefs without judgment.”

-Kristi Smith

“I have always known the connection between faith and action. Following Christ cannot involve remaining stationary, or limiting yourself to certain experiences in life. This mindset was a huge part of my decision to join the Episcopal Service Corps. My year in inner city Los Angeles was an eye-opener. I wanted to be effective and asked to be put in the most difficult placement they had, and my request was honored. I spent a year among those in abject poverty, working at a school with children who were homeless, actively recruited by gangs, couldn’t speak a word of English, neglected by parents, dealing with severe mental health issues, and more, all happening in the United States. This experience changed my entire outlook on life, my beliefs, my career choices, and above all my faith. Not one of my days was “easy.” This program requires hard work and dedication, and will challenge you physically, spiritually, and emotionally. One of my corps members said it best in her post: “ESC is staring straight into the face of the suffering and pain in the world, ill-equipped to alleviate any of it, but going to work anyway because you believe in a better world.” This program creates Disciples of Christ and gives people a concrete opportunity to be his hands and feet. Without ESC, I would not be where I am today both as a person and in my relationship with God.”

-Dorothy Hart

“My year with the Episcopal Service Corps was both challenging and rewarding and helped me grow immensely as a person. By building relationships with the women at my site placement, Eden House, I got to witness the unbelievable strength they had on a daily basis to recover from their traumatic pasts. This was not only inspirational, but it helped direct me towards my next steps in my life and academic career. (Currently getting Masters in Public Health @ LSU, focusing my research/studies on the effects of early childhood trauma and adversity and how it affects long term health outcomes.)

The Episcopal Service Corps allows it's members to move to a new city and experience the culture and community that it has to offer. Additionally, ESC provides it's members with an excellent opportunity to network within the Episcopal church and the social justice community in that given city.”

-Helen Lindau

“The ESC challenged me, changed me, inspired me, and molded me into a young adult. I cannot begin to list everything the program did for my life, but I will highlight the most significant take-backs from the year. First and foremost it taught me the importance of showing up. That presence is just as powerful as being the speaker or group leader or "running the show." Simply, show up. Similar to showing up, but not the same, is the importance of accountability. People rely on you, whatever personal problems you may be dealing with, if you say you are going to do something, you need to be there and you need to do it. Lastly, most importantly, I experienced the power of daily prayer. Before the program I would talk to God when I wanted to on my time. Daily prayer taught me discipline and obedience and allowed me to give myself fully to God on a daily basis.”

-Page Pearson

“I can't think of any other way to describe what the ESC meant to me other than it changed my life. This is not hyperbole, I owe the person I am today to the two years I spent at Saint Hilda's House in New Haven, CT. While the diocese of WNC did all it could to prepare me for being a follower of Jesus, it took me getting out of my comfort zone and living the gospel for 2 years to really change the way I thought, lived, prayed and loved all of God's children.

Asheville and the Swannanoa Valley could be the place where other young adults learn how to live out the Gospel. We have the need and resources to facilitate such a program both in our urban and rural communities. In a time when it is said that the Church is dying, the ESC is a glimpse of what God's kingdom on Earth should look like. If the diocese goes forward with having an ESC program, I promise you it will change lives.”

-Will Oxford