Bombyx Fellows
BURNOUT SHOULDN'T BE THE COST OF DEVOTING YOURSELF TO GOOD WORK.
Idealistic people, working in fields like education, health care, and social work, are vulnerable to isolation, disillusionment, overwork, and crises of meaning - in other words, burnout.
In partnership with Beit Ahavah Reform Synagogue of Greater Northampton and Bombyx Center for Arts and Equity, Florence Congregational Church is developing a new program, called Bombyx Fellows, for younger adults working or volunteering in high-burnout fields who are looking to deepen their spiritual lives.
What?
Imagine meeting over dinner two evenings a month with other hard-working, committed people, hoping to find balance, peace, and joy in the midst of lives given to service. Together you’ll explore a variety of spiritual practices and ancient traditions specifically chosen to help you as you make more sense of where you’ve been and where you want to go. Through a combination of presentations, workshops, and readings, you and your cohort will grow deep connections and gain the skills you need to care for your own and one another’s journeys. By the end of the program, running September through May, you’ll be able to give a cogent narrative of your own spiritual journey that can integrate both positive and negative experiences. You will be able to name for yourself your curiosities and concerns as you move forward, and you’ll have a community of fellows to partner with you as you continue with your work and journey here in the valley.
Why?
After three years of living through a pandemic, more people than ever are grappling with questions of ultimate meaning: why are we here? what’s it all for? how does my life matter in the scheme of things? Institutions that used to provide connection and community in answering these questions are increasingly disconnected from the lives of younger adults. Although formal religious affiliation is in decline, people of conscience are no less spiritual. While younger adults are often sophisticated at navigating and blending the best of the multiple traditions and practices that have influenced their lives, this approach leaves individuals bereft of community. This program is designed to nurture spirituality deeper than burnout, within a community that respects individual difference.
The long heritage of Florence Congregational has been rooted in a deep reverence for the sacredness of every individual, in all their complexity, slave or free, Black or white. Drawing upon the abolitionist and ecumenical roots of this congregation’s formation, we now offer an experiment in new ways of creating a spiritual community. The fellows program is centered on the assertion that every person’s spiritual life is complex, unique, and sacred, and should be treated with care.
Who’s it for?
This program is designed for adults, typically in their 30s and 40s, who are working and making their lives in the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts. We hope to develop a network of alumni who can continue to support one another long-term, both professionally and personally.
We particularly intend this program for those who have never belonged to a particular religion, or who feel like they’ve outgrown their childhood faith but have found nowhere to explore a more adult faith. Equally, those who have found institutional belonging challenging, even hurtful, but are curious about multiple spiritual approaches would also find this valuable.
Those we expect will get the most out of this program are those who have a relatively stable living situation and are not in crisis, as major upheavals require attending to basic needs in a way that often leaves little room for the slower pace of reflection and integration that will be the focus of our work together. Life happens, of course, but this is not intended as group therapy or other mental health offering. Think of it more like a yoga teacher training program, outdoor leadership course, or guided wilderness expedition.
What’s the time commitment?
Two evenings per month will cover the core work of the fellowship, with an introductory weekend retreat and a closing ceremony. Some readings will be assigned, more so in the beginning, as we learn how to navigate our own group complexity together with reverence and care.
Each fellow will also be paired with a spiritual guide, to meet with for about an hour per month, whose role will be to help you process and integrate the meaning you make of your work in light of your spiritual explorations.
In addition, fellows will have free admission to a regular spirituality workshop offerings by Florence Congregational and/or Beit Ahavah, featuring practitioners from around the valley. Depending on interest, we may organize group “field trips” to explore area religious and spiritual events, or less formally, we can connect you with communities and practitioners that you may find especially helpful. This is definitely a “you get out what you put in” situation, but it is also understood that fellows are working in demanding fields while trying to balance relationships, home, and health.
Who runs this?
Rev. Dr. Marisa Egerstrom, Program Director, is the pastor of Florence Congregational Church. She developed this program out of years of working with young adults in similar programs such as the Episcopal Service Corps, Jesuit Volunteer Corps, and Americorps. She is also a trained spiritual director through Still Harbor, based in Boston, and created the Protest Chaplains during the Occupy movement, sparking the now-widespread “movement chaplaincy” approach to interfaith spiritual care in protest. After earning her seminary degree at Harvard Divinity School, she was ordained as an Episcopal priest in 2017 and completed her PhD in American Studies in 2021. Part of her academic work on the history of American torture practices examined religious abuses in Guantanamo Bay, underscoring for her the importance of deeply rooted spiritual practice in confronting injustice and oppression. Her passion is to make connecting with the sacred possible and practical for people who don’t identify as religious.
What does it cost?
The program cost is largely subsidized by grants, particularly the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts. Each Fellow’s contribution is $95/month for the nine months of the program, which is intentionally set at about the cost of a gym membership or yoga pass. Dinners are included! If the cost is a little much, apply anyway! Some scholarship funding is available. We'll make it work!
How do I apply?
Visit the application page here. First round applications are due June 15, 2024! Any remaining open slots will be filled on a rolling basis as funding permits. There are several short reflective responses required, so get started today!
Stay connected
Not sure this is the program for you, but want to hear about other workshops, programs, and events? Get on the email list here!
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