Every baptized person is called to ministry. During the Service of Confirmation we ask God to "Renew in these you servants the covenant you made with them at Baptism. Send them forth in the power of the Spirit to perform the service you set before them." The Education for Ministry Program provides people with an opportunity to discover how to respond to the call to Christian Service and carry out their ministries.

Education For Ministry, affectionately know as EFM, is a program of theological education-at-a-distance of the School of Theology of the University of the South. Students sign up one year at a time for this four-year program. It covers the basics of a theological education in the Old and New Testaments, church history, liturgy and theology.

The seminar group is the nucleus of the Education for Ministry program. A group consist of six to twelve participants and a trained mentor meeting weekly over the course of a nine-month academic year. Through study, prayer, and reflection, EFM groups move toward a new understanding of the fullness of God's kingdom.

• Study - Participants are given weekly assignments to study. They are responsible for setting their own learning goals. In the seminars members have an opportunity to share their insights and discoveries, as well as to discuss questions raised by the study materials.

• Reflection - Theological Reflection is the hallmark of EFM. The goal is to learn to think theologically. By examining their own experiences, their beliefs and their relationship to our culture and the tradition of our Christian faith, participants can learn what it means to effective ministers in the world. In coming to terms with the notion that everything we do has potential for manifesting the love of Christ, We discover that our ministry is at hand wherever we turn.

• Worship - The seminar is committed to and supported by a life of prayer and regular worship with the group.

• Community - Learning to discuss and share one's faith journey builds a community. We gather with all of the St. Peter's EFM graduates twice a year to bridge current participants with graduates. One of our outreach projects is to hold Stations of the Cross on Thursday evenings in Lent that are open to anyone who wishes to participate.

The group meets on Thursday evening - 6:30 - 9:30. The nine month cycle begins the end of August.

For further information, please contact Deacon Betty Breyfogle at bbreyfogle@stpetersmckinney.com.