Education For Ministry

Why EFM?

Lay persons face the difficult and often subtle task of interpreting the richness of the church's faith in a complex and confusing world. They need the kind of theological education which supports their faith and which also trains them to express that faith in day-to-day events.

As the emphasis on lay ministry has grown, EFM has come to be an important part of that growth by providing a program that develops an informed and knowledgeable laity.

While the EFM program does not evaluate or recommend individuals for ordination, some dioceses use EFM as part of the preparation for ordination under rules which permit ordination to special ministries without a seminary diploma. We do not recommend EFM for this purpose unless it is used as part of a comprehensive program of preparation for ordination.

Our Call to be Ministers in the World

Many people think that one must be ordained in order to be "a minister." The fact is that all baptized Christians are called to be active participants in the church's total ministry. This Total Ministry is nothing less than the exercise of the church's vocation to continue the ministry of Jesus. He reconciled the world to God. We are called to incarnate that reconciliation in our own time and in our own place through worship, service to others, and by proclamation of his Word to all people.

The EFM program is preparation for the ministry to which we are called. It is that vocation for which we pray at the end of the eucharist: "And now, Father, send us out to do the work you have given us to do, to love and serve you as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord."

The Seminar Group

The seminar group is the nucleus of the Education for Ministry program. A group consists of six to eleven students and a trained mentor meeting weekly over the course of a nine-month academic year. These meetings are usually from two-and-a half to three hours in length.

Through study, prayer, and reflection, EFM groups move toward a new understanding of the fullness of God's kingdom. This process can be illustrated by a two-rail fence. One rail is the Christian tradition. The other is the collective experience of the group's members. The rails are linked by fence posts which represent the seminar sessions where life and study meet. The fence is grounded in the soil of regular worship which is vital to the life of the group.

Study

Students are given weekly lesson assignments to study with the help of resource guides. Students are responsible for setting their own learning goals. They spend between two and four hours in study and preparation each week. In the seminars students have an opportunity to share their insights and discoveries as well as to discuss questions which the study materials raise for them.

Reflection

Through discussion and guided reflection, the seminars furnish an opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of the reading materials. More important is the development of skills in theological reflection. The goal is that students learn to think theologically. By examining their own beliefs and their relationship to our culture and the tradition of our Christian faith, students can learn what it means to be effective ministers in the world.

In coming to terms with the notion that everything we do has the potential for manifesting the love of Christ, we discover that our ministry is at hand wherever we turn.

Worship

The seminar is supported by a life of prayer and regular worship. EFM groups are encouraged to develop a pattern of worship appropriate to their situations. Liturgical materials are furnished with the course materials.

EFM at St. Mary's

The Reverend Bill Hesse has been mentoring EFM groups for twenty years at St. Mary's. Classes begin each September and run through May. To maintain the group dynamic, we try to have no more than 12 students in the group at any one time. If you would like more information about EFM, please contact Bill.