Education for Ministry
As Christians we are taught that our call is to minister to the world.
This service work can take many forms: volunteering for a church ministry; helping out at a soup kitchen or clothing pantry; quietly taking supper to a house-bound friend. Anytime we do something for another, if it’s offered with a full heart, we are answering God’s call. The Education for Ministry (EfM) program offers a more formal opportunity for discovering how to respond to the call to Christian service. EfM, a four-year theological course of study from the University of the South, offers participants the education and skills to prepare for lay ministry. |
Students commit to the program one year at a time. (EfM
doesn’t evaluate or recommend people for ordination as clergy or offer preparation for ordination, which usually takes place at a residential seminary.) The purpose of EfM is to help participants find their own personal ministries. Students meet once a week for two and a half hours to connect as a group and discuss that week’s lessons. Group members also learn to expand their thinking and stretch their faith through theological reflection. Meetings close with worship. |
