Joy + Vocation

Written by Ellie Sterenberg ‘17            

On Monday, October 19, Trinity welcomed artist and filmmaker Evan Koons, joined by conference speaker, mentor, and former pastor John Armstrong. Through film, conversation, and a game of Frisbee-toss, they set out to answer the questions that many students and working people find themselves asking: what is work, and how can one find joy in it?

Koons first presented episode three of his For the Life of the World series. Entitled “Creative Service”, the film demonstrated that work is a gift from God, something much deeper and more sacred than a mode of survival; instead, it has everything to do with relationships.

The episode served as the perfect segue into further discussion about what it means to work for the Triune God whose three persons are in eternal collaboration.

As part of a demonstration, Koons pulled out a Frisbee disc and played catch with Dr. Clay Carlson, an eager volunteer. Throwing the Frisbee, Koons explained, is an excellent metaphor for vocation in the life of a Christian. God will toss us a job, and we can either offer our work back to him or drop it and walk away. Throwing a Frisbee takes practice; in the same way, becoming good at our work takes repetition––we do not need to become frustrated by a lack of skill right away. “There’s no pressure,” said Koons, “it’s just catch.”

Ultimately, said Koons and Armstrong, God desires everything; our successes, failures, and desires should all be offered to him.

“We must never see our work as something impersonal. See it as a divine project of vast creativity. See every object as a touch point for millions of relationships, a reminder that you were never alone and that you were never meant to be.”

Koons and Armstrong closed with a question and answer session and spent additional time visiting classes and engaging students on the subject of vocation.