DESCRIPTIONS OF FORMATION
TRAININGS COMMON LESSONS: To examine in depth the Common Lessons
used in EfM, with particular attention to Lessons 3, 4, and 5. The event is designed to familiarize mentors with these lessons,
demonstrate the centrality of the Common Lessons to the program, and increase the comfort of mentors in leading these lessons.
(1 trainer, 6-12 participants)
DESIGN
SKILLS: To learn to design seminar sessions which meet a specific need in the mentor's particular seminar group,
including guidelines for planning, administering, and evaluating designs. (1 trainer, 6-12 participants)
EQUIPPING FOR MINISTRY: To understand lay ministry as
part of the total mission and ministry of the church. Participants will develop skills for equipping seminar members to exercise
their ministries as the baptized people of God. (1 trainer, 6-12 participants)
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING: To increase the mentor's ability to help seminar groups learn from
their own experience and thereby take responsibility for their life together. Trainees will learn basic theories of experiential
education which will be tested and developed during training. (1 trainer, 6-12 participants)
FOUR SOURCES: To examine in depth the four sources of
theological reflection used in EfM, making distinctions between the four-source model and the various methods used so that
mentors may more effectively facilitate Theological Reflections which lead participants to new insights and implications for
action. Each of the sources will be examined independently of the others, as well as the relationships between the sources.
(1 trainer, 6-12 participants)
GROUP
SKILLS AND HUMAN INTERACTION: To refine mentor's group skills through building community and understanding group
dynamics as related to EfM groups. Mentors will become aware of group leadership skills and styles of human interaction and
gain confidence in using theories and learnings in the EfM setting. (1 trainer, 6-12 participants)
LIVING WITH CONFLICT: To enhance the mentor's ability
to be a point of God's loving presence in the midst of conflict. This will be done by increasing the ways we can respond to
strong differences between people and by creating a community of support in which we can examine conflict situations in our
lives. (1 trainer, 6-12 participants)
MYERS-BRIGGS:
To explore and recognize, through use of the Myers-Briggs (MBTI) categories and inventory, the preferences of different personality
types and their relationship to group life and spiritual growth. Please note that this formation event does not certify
the mentor to be able to administer the MBTI instrument. (1 trainer, 6-12 participants)
POWER AND AUTHORITY: To equip mentors to identify and explore the dynamics of power and authority
in the life of the EfM group. Trainees will identify and explore their own sense and sources of power and authority as mentors
and will be encouraged to identify and explore "The Source" of all power and authority for themselves and the EfM
group. Seminar members will assist one another in identifying and exploring issues of power and authority in their ministries
in the world. (1 trainer, 6-12 participants)
SPIRITUALITY:
To experience and explore our own spirituality and draw implications for mentoring by having a time of refreshment and renewal.
This is achieved through deepening our relationship with God and exploring resources for our spirituality. (1 trainer,
6-12 participants)
TRANSITION IN THE
MIDST OF A CHANGING WORLD: to utilize the core EfM resources to equip mentors to identify, explore, plan and implement
actions as we move through transitions to new life in the midst of change. This training will provide opportunities for mentors
to build awareness of change and transition in their lives and to use theological reflection, stories and worship in order
to live creatively in the midst of our changing and diverse world. (1 trainer, 6-12 participants)
VOCATION: To reflect on your own sense of vocation and
call, then consider how you can strengthen the sense of vocation and call of the participants in your EfM groups. You can
expect to gain a deeper understanding of the preparation needed for a person to claim his or her calling and experience some
of the power which is released when you do what you love in service of what is most important to you. (1 trainer, 6-12
participants)
WORSHIP: To explore
the interweaving of personal devotion and corporate liturgy in worship in order to equip mentors to develop their seminar
groups as worshipping communities. As a result of this formation event you may expect to: distinguish/articulate the relationship
between personal devotion and corporate liturgy; to acquire the "know-how" to design worship with seminar groups;
use more fully the resources available through EfM materials (i.e. TR, CLSM and texts) for study and worship. (1 trainer,
6-12 participants)
