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, Education for Ministry 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.
Lucy Wagner, Coordinator Episcopal Diocese of Texas
Education for Ministry is administered through the School of Theology at The University of the South at Sewanee, Tennessee.
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 $375 in the Diocese of Texas. Reduced tuition is available if the seminar group has enough students to support it.
