Q. Through whom does the Church carry out its mission?
A. The Church carries out its mission through the ministry of all its members.
Catechism, BCP

Most of us can recognize these words and the idea conveyed by them. We can probably remember, at least vaguely, the confirmation service and the Bishop's words that we are to be "sent forth . . . to perform the service you set before them . . ." And for some, the response to the notion of mission and service is straightforward and clearly delineated. For others of us, how to serve the Church and try to perform God's work in the world can be more obscured, or even a downright struggle.

Education for Ministry (EFM) provides, for some, as the background materials state: "an opportunity to discover how to respond to the call to Christian service." Intended for lay people, it offers a chance to pursue the ideas of service and ministry and to explore the traditions and structure of our church and our faith.

EFM is a four-year extension program of the University of the South at Sewanee's School of Theology. The curriculum is divided into four year-long "courses": The Hebrew Scriptures, The New Testament, Church history, and theology and personal direction. Each year's work is guided by a text and accompanying reading in various books and articles. The EFM group meets weekly to discuss the readings for the week and to relate them to broader topics of discussion. The program encourages what it calls "theological reflection," a means of thinking and talking about different issues from different perspectives. The work of the course proceeds under the general guidance of a mentor, but the group is intended to be largely self-directed.

At the Chapel of the Cross (as in most EFM groups), the group usually consists of more than one year's class. In my first year, we had all four years represented. This produces a lively mix of perspectives on the course work and other topics of discussion. Whether intended or not, similar themes and core ideas often run through the Hebrew Scriptures, New Testament, and other readings for a given week. And as I progressed in the program, hearing successive classes tackle the problems of their respective years' lessons gave me a different perspective and flavor to what I had read and discussed in my own first or second or third year.

For me, EFM was a unique and very welcome opportunity. My undergraduate major in college was religious studies, and I had spent a fair amount of time dissecting and trying to understand the Bible from an academic, intellectualized point of view. I had not, though, read the Bible as part of a guided study from a perspective of a faith-based community. In addition, I wanted very much to better understand the call to Christian service and what it might mean for me.

[The following paragraphs were inadvertently omitted from the print edition.]

The program had its challenges.  Reading Leviticus at 11 o'clock at night for class the next day was work.  Trying to keep up with the work of the class while working in a demanding job and having a family life was, at times, a tricky balancing act. 

EFM also gave me times of cherished insight and discovery, both in the readings and in the group discussions.  The relationships I formed with my classmates, in particular, and the lessons I learned from the others in the class greatly enriched me, and particularly gave me many moments of careful reflection on the meaning of faith, service and Christian love. Tammy Lee, our mentor, was especially instrumental in making my experience successful.  She kept us together, kept us moving and answered countless questions, big and small, with good humor and great insight.   

EFM is probably not for everyone, but I would recommend it to anyone who wants to pursue the challenge of personal ministry with greater knowledge of our faith and its institutions.

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