|
Education for Ministry
is administered through the School of Theology at The University of the South at Sewanee, Tennessee.
Every baptized
person is called to ministry. During the Service of Confirmation we ask God to "Renew in these your servants the covenant
you made with them at Baptism." Send them forth in the power of the Spirit to perform the service you set before them." The
Education for Ministry Program provides people with an opportunity to discover how to respond to the call to Christian Service
and carry out their ministries.
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 a theological education which supports their faith and also
trains them to express that faith in day-to-day events. As the emphasis on lay ministry has grown, EFM has become an important
part of that growth by providing a program that develops an informed and knowledgeable laity.
The fact is that
all baptized Christians are called to be active participants in the church's total ministry. The EFM program is preparation
for the ministry to which we are called.
The seminar group is the nucleus of the EFM program. A group consists
of 6 to 12 participants and a trained mentor meeting weekly over the course of a nine-month academic year.
 |
|
EFM
is a four-year course of study in theological bible study and reflection for lay persons. The seminar group is the nucleus
of the EFM program. A group consists of six to twelve participants and a trained mentor meeting weekly over the course of
a nine-month academic year. These meetings are usually two and 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.
• Study - Participants
are given weekly assignments to study with the help of resource guides. They are responsible for setting their own learning
goals. In the seminars members have an opportunity to share their insights and discoveries as well as to discuss questions
which the study materials raise for them.
• Reflection - Theological Reflection is the hallmark of EFM. The
goal is to learn to think theologically. By examining their own beliefs and their relationship to our culture and the tradition
and the tradition of our Christian faith, participants can lean what it means to be effective ministers in the world. In coming
to terms with the notion that everything we do has 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.
• The Mentor -
Seminar groups work under the leadership of mentors who contract to serve as guides and administrators.
•
Enrollment and Tuition - Enrollment is done directly through the mentor. See the list of Seminar Groups to find a mentor in your area. The fee for one academic cycle is $350 in the Diocese of Texas. Reduced tuition is available
if the seminar group has enough students to support it.
|
|
