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Education For Ministry is an education program to enable people to see and to experience the connection between faith and daily life. It is a significant Adult Christian Education endeavour requiring a high level of commitment by mentor and member.
Entry is open and it is assumed that those who enrol are motivated to study. No formal qualifications are necessary. Though EFM is a four year course, the participants in each parish group re-commit themselves for each year's work.
The Readings present the Story of the People of God from its beginnings some 3,500 years ago through to modem times. As the story unfolds, participants learn how the People of God thought about God, about themselves and the world; how they lived their faith; how they related with others; and how they worshipped as individuals and as a community. The later chapters bring the Story to Australia and to the present time, and then deal with major theological themes — associated with life themes — in which we are confronted with choices.
Through guided exploration and personal reflection, participants are able to deepen their perceptions of the Story and connect with it. The community established by the regular group seminars is at the centre of EFM.
Within the group seminar, participants share their insights and, through discussion, clarify their understandings of the tradition. As the skills of theological reflection are mastered by the group, the participants learn to reflect on their own experience with a view to being more intentional about their life and the exercise of their ministry.
Ministries of serving and proclaiming are undertaken everyday by every baptised person. The challenge resides in the quality of ministry. EFM provides good education for lay people. Whilst it is vital for clergy to have access to the best theological and ministry education possible, the education of the laity is of no less importance. Frequently lay people have the difficult and often subtle task of interpreting the richness of the faith in the neighbourhood, shopping centre, work place, sporting club, and school.
EFM, which has been used in Australia since 1978, is made available by the Anglican Church of Australia Diocese of Brisbane operating as EFM Education For Ministry Australia.
Since EFM began, thousands have found in it a foundation for living out their Christian vocation in their local community. EFM assists individuals and communities to understand the call to service and to respond with meaning.
Ministry 'in' the Church - the practice of Christian living, and the Ministry' of the Church - the engagement in mission to the world, are the vocation of all the baptised.
The last EfM group in Cooroora Parish graduated in 2004; one of the participants in that group, Frank Lee, is now an accredited EfM mentor.
If you feel you may be at all interested in being a part of a group, please don't hesitate to contact either the Rev. Julie Woolner or Frank Lee.
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