If you have ever thought about engaging in an academic course on the bible or exploring your faith in a deeper way, I highly recommend participating in Education for Ministry, EfM for short. This is a year-long program from September to June, meeting once a week in a small group setting, over four years if you elect to participate in the full program.
When Father Chris sent an introductory email in the summer of 2022, I was looking to strengthen my understanding of the bible and how to live a more spiritual life. Without a second thought or question, my response was an immediate yes. So many assumptions on my part, including that EfM was a traditional academic course. It is not; it is much better than that. I knew that I would find value in reading the Bible again, in exploring educational texts and academic analysis of the readings.
Although EfM does have aspects of a traditional class, it encourages full participation from every individual, irrespective of background, knowledge, experience or where you are on your spiritual path. The unexpected gift is the rich tapestry that evolves and unfolds through the unique voice and participation of the entire group.
What I did not expect was the profound impact EfM has had on every aspect of my life. Up until EfM, my spiritual life has been very personal. The gift for me is in the community, the privilege of exploring complex and difficult topics with a group of intelligent, amazing people with different perspectives and insights.
This quote from the introduction from the Education for Ministry Reading and Reflection Guide (the EfM handbook) from 2022 speaks to me: “A gap occurs between vision and reality; between what is desired and what currently exists.… A vision that is loved can provide motivation and energy to transform current realities into the vision.” In EfM, we work together to understand God’s vision, and we work through the tension that exists between that vision and reality. Through the EfM program, my own pathway working through that gap that has also evolved.
EfM provides a rich community in which to question and discuss the deep questions of life and faith. Sharing in the knowledge and experience with a group of completely amazing and intelligent individuals results in a rich and priceless dialogue that has helped guide my path.
If you have an interest or are being called to join, I would encourage you to find out more about the classes or sign up and join us.