Fellowship (and Candidacy Training)

Once a CrossSwords student receives an invitation from their teacher, their training shifts from Discipleship-only lessons (private training with their master) to balance this with Fellowship classes (group instruction). These Fellowship lessons are held with a CrossSwords teacher (who may or may not be that student’s personal teacher), who leads their cohort in discussion and investigative dialogue to foster growth in students side-by-side.
This step from private to group instruction is a vital step in each student’s development. As the security and normalcy of isolated instruction is step is vital when they begin (to take their first steps), so jumping out and testing their skills with their peers and fellow students is essential as they continue to grow!

Students often receive their invitation to join the first degree of Fellowship around their second rank of Page, and most receive this no later than their third rank of Apprentice (which is the final rank in their first tier: the Novitiate).

Following these novitiate ranks, students move into the seniority of initiation, the Candidacy Levels: which include Squire (orange belt), Herald (yellow), and Warden (purple). During these more advanced ranks, students may receive an additional invitation: to join the Senior Fellowships, where students engage with deeper questions, and most importantly begin to temper mere knowledge with prudence and winsomeness in their dialogue. You can always mark out one of these Senior students (at any formal events) by the senior robes which they wear as indicators of their level.