September 2026
It’s hard to believe we’re already one month into the 2026–2027 Winston-Salem Fellows class! Now in its eleventh year, this year’s class is especially exciting as our first all-female cohort. We’ve packed a lot into the past month, and we’re excited to share a snapshot of some of the highlights below.
Orientation
Before heading off to orientation, the Fellows gathered for dinner at Yama’s downtown and spent the evening exploring the beautiful property they’ll call home for the next nine months.
For the third year in a row, we were welcomed to the beautiful lake house of Bryan and Tina Parker. The Fellows tackled a few team-building activities, enjoyed delicious meals on the stunning porch, played in the lake, hiked at the state park, worshiped, prayed over the year ahead, discussed our team values, and so much more.
A huge thank-you to the Parker family for sharing their beautiful home and providing the perfect place to begin our year together!
Alumni Labor Day Cookout
This was our fourth (or maybe fifth?) annual Labor Day cookout with current Fellows and Alumni who live in town! This year was extra special because the 2020–2021 class was in town for their reunion, so we had some extra out-of-town folks join us for the weekend. We also missed a few familiar faces who were traveling.
This photo is just a small snapshot of the more than 100 alumni who have come through the Winston-Salem Fellows program to learn, grow, and invest in our city. We are so incredibly grateful for each of them and the community they continue to build!
Learning about Winston-Salem
Each year, we spend a couple of days learning about the history of Winston-Salem, celebrating the stories that have shaped our city while also taking an honest look at the more complicated parts of our past.
First, we had our annual Old Salem Moravian tour with Ginny Tobiason, recently retired pastor of Home Moravian. Ginny always does a fabulous job of bringing the story of Winston-Salem’s beginnings to life and helping us understand the Moravian roots of our city. We especially appreciate that she doesn’t shy away from the harder parts of our history. She helps us look beyond the stories that are easiest to tell and consider the fuller picture of how our city came to be.
Happy Birthday, Katie!
We were thrilled to celebrate our first Fellow’s birthday with our dear Katie! Katie is steady and rooted, while also always ready for a little spontaneous fun. She radiates joy wherever she goes, and we truly can’t imagine this year without her.
Professional Development Training
Our very own Anne Powers led a day of training alongside the Greensboro Fellows. We spent time learning more about ourselves, how we differ from one another, our values, and so much more. And, of course, we wrapped up the day with Lego Man.
A huge thanks to the Winston-Salem Foundation for hosting us!
Enneagram Workshop
The following Friday, we spent the day with the Greensboro Fellows again, diving into the Enneagram. We had a great day with Tim Reist, who encouraged us to use the Enneagram as a tool to better know and understand ourselves, recognize how we relate to others, and identify areas where we can continue to grow.
Leader lunch
Each week, our Fellows have the gift of hearing from a variety of leaders in our community. We kicked off the year with Lanie Ehlinger, who has been faithfully praying for these young women for months. She taught us so much about prayer and what it looks like to pursue intimacy with the Father, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.
Next, we spent time with Noah Downs, who has been a longtime mentor to many young men in our Fellows program. Noah spoke about the importance of community and challenged us to think more deeply about what it looks like to live that out in our everyday lives.
We also had the opportunity to spend time with Tammy Priest, who shared her unique faith and vocational journey with us, along with a broad overview of her recent book, When Jerusalem Calls. We loved hearing her story and learning from her experiences. And if you haven’t gotten your copy yet, don’t hesitate, go order one today!
Finally, we wrapped up September with Andrew Applegate, CEO of Arbor Acres. Andrew is a lifelong learner who encouraged the Fellows to keep reading, keep learning, and always stay curious. He shared valuable lessons on leadership and the qualities that make a great leader, all while keeping us laughing and engaged throughout the conversation.
I think it’s safe to say we started the year off strong with our Leader Lunches!
Exploring Our City
Each year, we love watching our Fellows explore this wonderful city and make it their own. It didn’t take this group long to get out and experience a Wake Forest football game. Go Deacs! And a big thank-you to Purple Crow for the tickets!
Speaking of Purple Crow, a few of the Fellows joined Kelsey and some of her coworkers for the Moonlight Madness 5k.
This group has already had a great time exploring Winston-Salem and the surrounding areas, from favorite hiking spots and the Crossnore Farm to our many coffee shops and local thrift stores. We can’t wait to see what other spots they discover in the months ahead!
Looking Ahead
Though we covered a lot of ground, there are still many things we didn’t cover, including their first days of work. As the Fellows adjust to full work and program schedules, please pray for them. Pray that they won’t miss the small moments, the unexpected joys, and the opportunities for growth that each day brings.
We have another full month ahead, and we can’t wait to share more with you soon! We’ll also be launching our newly refreshed website in the coming weeks, so be on the lookout.
Thank you so much for your support!