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·CHILDREN'S EDUCATION · EFM · VACATION BIBLE · DOY |
Education
for Ministry (EFM) Purpose
Education for Ministry, affectionately known as EFM, is a program of theological education-at-a-distance of the School of Theology of the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. Students sign up one year at a time for this four-year program. It covers the basics of a theological education in the Old and New Testaments, church history, liturgy, and theology. Students meet once a week in seminars under the guidance of trained mentors. The program grants a certificate at the completion of the four years and 18 Continuing Education Units for each year's work. The Scope of the Program Participants in the EFM program study the entire sweep of the Christian tradition, from the earliest period to the present. Students learn the disciplines of biblical exegesis and interpretation, systematic theology, church history, ethics, liturgics and ascetical theology. These are the disciplines which form the core of a seminary education. The traditional content is not studied in a vacuum, however. Students belong to small "communities of learning" in which the events of each person's life may be examined in the light of the materials being studied. While the academic material is substantial, the focus of the program is on life as ministry and understanding that ministry. EFM does provide adult Christians with that basic skill which is the foundation of all Christian ministry - theological reflection. In doing this, it sharpens the skills of personal and cultural assessment and enhances students' ability to be effective in a variety of ministries. The Seminar Group The seminar group is the nucleus of the Education for Ministry program. A group consists of six to 11 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. 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. There are 36 group meetings during the course of an academic cycle. New students always begin with the first lesson of the first year. Frequently students in the same group may be studying at different levels.
Enrollment Enrollment
for EFM groups sponsored by The Chapel of the Cross is held each
August with classes running September through May. The fee is $340
which includes the text materials. Contact the Chapel office at
856-2593 if you are interested in receiving further information
or enrolling. |
Every
baptized person is called to ministry. The Education for Ministry
(EFM) program provides people with the education to carry out that
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." EFM offers an opportunity to discover
how to respond to the call to Christian service.Chapel
of the Cross · 674 Mannsdale Road · Madison, Mississippi
39110 · (601) 856-2593
Copyright © 2001, Chapel of the Cross