EfM Group

What is EfM?

EfM is "Education for Ministry"

• EfM is a programme designed for the people of the Church.
  
• Ministry here means a person’s life as a follower of Christ. It means being equipped to understand, share and reflect on our faith and to live our daily lives doing what we are called to do.
  
• The EfM programme takes four years to complete, but commitment is for only one year at a time. It is all about adult learning. There are no assignments or marks! This is about participating, reading and learning to reflect theologically on the scriptures and our experience of life.
  
• Over the 4 years EfM covers:
  • Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures)
  • New Testament,
  • Church History and
  • Theological Choices.
    
• All the reading material is supplied in a folder and is basic, solid and scholarly. This is a learning experience for people who are serious about deepening their faith and understanding.
  
• EfM is a small group experience with about 10 participants plus accredited mentors.
  
• EfM group meetings (seminars) are for 2.5 hours and a commitment of 32 weeks in a 12 monthly period.

THOUGHTS ABOUT EfM - from our current Students and Mentors

In EfM

• We are “Companions on the journey” and “no longer strangers to each other” (as in the song quoted below*)
• We are encouraged to share and express our faith and to discover and develop our ministry
• We read the Bible intelligently and thoughtfully and systematically and share our responses
• We share our reflections on scripture and life openly and respectfully and with humour

  Companions on the journey
  We are companions on the journey,
  Breaking Bread and sharing life;
  And in the love we bear is the hope we share
  for we believe in the love of our God,
  We believe in the love of our God.
  No longer strangers to each other,
  No longer strangers in God’s House;
  We are fed and we are nourished
  by the strength of those who care,
  By the strength of those who care.
  We have been gifted with each other,
  And we are called by the Word of the Lord:
  To act with justice, to love tenderly
  And to walk humbly with our God,
  To walk humbly with our God.

"EfM for me has been a journey of discovery related to the history of my faith in the Old Testament.  I am so grateful to have been able to undertake this journey with a group of acquaintances at the commencement of the year but whom I now enfold as true and compassionate friends. 
 In summary:  EfM has for me been hard work with incredible richness of rewards."

EfM is about sharing and caring
Respecting others and ourselves
Engaging with scripture for real life situations
EfM means enlightenment, fellowship, merriment

EfM has given me the skills I need to interpret the scriptures in an academic setting.
EfM has encouraged me to seek deeper understanding within a supportive environment.
EfM has taught me to engage my physical and spiritual life alongside energetic characters.

So much packed in to a few months.
I look forward to the friendly discussions, looking at the Bible with a critical eye, and analysing my belief system.
The course has led me to completely overhaul some areas of my beliefs, others I have updated, and some have received just a spring clean.
Quite a journey – are you up for it?

When I was asked to join an EfM group in 1998 I was in the kitchen running the soup suppers. That was my comfort zone - organizing, serving, helping in practical ways. I'm not academic or intellectual, I didn't want to study.
I will be eternally grateful to Caroline Pearce for not taking 'no' for an answer.
Not only has critical study of the scriptures and church history deepened my understanding of my own Christianity; but more importantly, I have shared these truths at a deep, spiritual level with members of the group, first as a student and now as a mentor.
"We have total trust, friendship, good humour and integrity in the group' and I love them all."

EfM is:

• A journey through the scriptures, church history and theology.
• A journey which explores the background, social mores of the time of writing of the documents.
• A journey with like minded people who share their strengths & vulnerability - an exchange which is at a deep level of laughter and tears.

EfM is a wonderful, friendly, joyous group experience.
It allows me to study The Bible in the deeper way I feel I need, and to consider God's purpose for my life.