EfM - Adult Christian Education at St. John's

If you were a fruit, what kind of fruit would you be? What would your world be like if you were that fruit? Would it be sweet smelling and delicious? Would it be frightening, wondering if/when you might be eaten? Would it be hopeful, feeling that if someone chooses you, it would fulfill your purpose in life? Would your world be anxious, waiting to be picked, fearing you might go to waste?

The church is said to be the "Body of Christ". What does that mean for you?

What do we mean when we say, "All baptized persons are called to ministry"?

The foundation for bringing Christ to the world lies in a church empowered by an active, theologically articulate laity. The emphasis on lay leadership is growing and lay people often face the subtle and difficult task of interpreting the richness of the church's faith in a complex and confusing world.

EfM can help! The Education for Ministry (EfM) program is for people from every walk of life and provides adults with the education "to be" Christians. "All Christians need a Christian education which supports their faith and which prepares them to express that faith in day-to-day events."

EfM is not Bible Study - that is on Tuesday mornings with Father Jenks. EfM does not evaluate or recommend people for ordination. Education for Ministry is a worldwide program with substantial academic content, and the focus is on life as ministry and understanding that ministry. Students belong to a "small community of learning" with course material from the School of Theology of The University of the South. Over the course of four years, only committing one year at a time, students study the Christian tradition from the earliest period to the present day.

Critical study includes, among many other topics, the Scriptures, Ethics, Greek and Roman Culture, Biblical Criticism, Church History, Modern Religious Thought, The Rise of Science, The Rise of Fundamentalism, Non-Christian Religions, and Twenty-First Century Challenges. EfM is also a safe place to challenge your own beliefs. There are no foregone conclusions or 'supposed-to-be's'. Learning is shared by the group; there are no tests or papers - no grades. Respect and confidentiality are an important part of the seminar.

Currently, the St. John's group is meeting on Sunday afternoon from 2-4:30. There are also groups meeting in Rockland at St Peters, and Camden at St Thomas's.
We would love to talk to you! Please contact Emily Rotch - 845-2250,
Emily Jenks - 354-0834, or Peter Jenks - 354-8734.

For more information on EfM, follow any of these links:

Education for Ministry (The School of Theology Programs Center, The University of the South)

The EfM program at Christ Church, Lake Oswego, Diocese of Oregon

After Sunday