Want to dig deeper into the Christian faith, study the Bible with greater intellectual integrity, learn more about church history, theological ideas and, most importantly, connect your faith (and doubts) more strongly to your own life experiences? Then consider enrolling in Education for the Ministry – or “EfM. EfM is a unique four-year distance learning certificate pro-gram in theological education based upon small-group study and practice. EfM helps the faithful encounter the breadth and depth of the Christian tradition and brings it into conversation with their experiences of the world as they study, worship, and engage in theological re-flection together.
The class convenes once a week on Tuesdays from mid-September through May for 3 hours (11AM—2PM) at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Middleburg. Studies include
Year 1 - the Hebrew Testament,
Year 2 - the Christian Testament
Year 3 - Church History
Year 4 -Theology and Christian Spirituality
The class includes students in all four years and does require weekly personal study. Created by Sewanee Seminary and administered locally via the Diocese of Virginia, the tuition is $375 per year and scholarships are available. You only need to commit to one year at a time.
Feel free to contact EfM Mentor Gina Hammond (540-655-5744) or graduates Sandra Markus (540-878-5577). Laurie Volk (540-539-1734), Jolly de Give (540-592-3889), Melissa Neal (540-255-8596), or Joe Fluet (540-496-8999 for more information and their personal experiences with the program.