Converge
Kaitlyn has always had a knack for connecting with people from different walks of life. Whether she’s with her family, classmates, church members, or friends, she can find common ground without losing herself in the process. She’s comfortable in spaces where people disagree and builds relationships across differences. In her church, she’s learned to love people whose views often differ from her own. And among her friends, she is known for advocating for the dignity and inclusion of others. For most of her life, these worlds remained separate. But when they unexpectedly collided, Kaitlyn found herself confronting questions she had never needed to answer before.
Kaitlyn had spent years building relationships across differences. She knew how to be present in church with people who disagreed with one another and valued the community they built around their differences. On the other hand, many of the conversations she had with friends about identity, belonging, and inclusion didn’t bring faith and belief into the dialog. Likewise, the spiritual practices and convictions that grounded her faith often stayed separate from those conversations. The arrangement worked well enough, but it left little room to explore what might happen if those worlds met. “I never doubted my faith,” Kaitlyn explained, “but I did doubt my place in the church.”
When coming to UNCW, Kaitlyn knew she wanted to be part of a campus ministry. When she came to Wingspan’s Nourish and Flourish meal for the first time, there was an integration of two sides of her she didn't know she had been missing. She was able to have conversations that weave together what had previously been separated: faith and action, scripture and inclusion, obedience and dreams, calling and response.Over time, Wingspan offered Kaitlyn fresh avenues to delve into her beliefs. Engaging in communal worship, intimate group dialogues, and heartfelt service, she found a version of faith that honored both scriptural tradition and the inherent worth of every individual. Wingspan did not require her to set aside any aspect of her identity. It welcomed her entire narrative into the fold. While the community didn’t always offer simple solutions, it provided a circle of reliable friends to accompany her through the mystery.
Kaitlyn realized through Wingspan that her unique journey was actually a contribution to those around her. Her ability to navigate various social circles, practice active listening, and offer compassion to those with differing views was an asset rather than an obstacle. Within a campus ministry where voices from numerous paths intersect, she discovered the vital role of a bridge-builder. The exact traits that once left her feeling torn between two lives emerged as her most meaningful offerings for community leadership.
Kaitlyn feels called to exist in spaces where her voice may be new and helpful to others who are in the same place she came from. “Wingspan helped me see there's different sides to Christianity,” Kaitlyn added, “you don't have to exist silently in just one space. You can use your voice in both spaces.” Using her voice is exactly what she plans to do. Church has always been her safe place, even when the differences were vast. She wants to help create a larger and safer environment for the next generation. In learning she didn't have to choose between her worlds, Kaitlyn discovered she could help bring them together.
