[The Episcopal News] Education for Ministry (EfM), a unique four-year distance learning certificate program in theological education based upon small-group study and practice, will begin its 2023-24 sessions in the Diocese of Los Angeles in September.
“EfM is destined to take on a larger role in our formation and theological education toolkit,” says Bishop John Harvey Taylor, “to address the disconnect in basic biblical understanding between those who preach and those who hear and to remove stumbling blocks to the pluralization of church leadership.”
The curriculum, based at the University of the South’s School of Theology, is shared in a small-group setting of six to 12 students. It is intended to help church members connect faith with everyday life. “We guarantee to stretch your imagination and open a new world of insights as you probe scripture and tradition,” according to EfM.
The training is not a seminary, and is not intended to train students for ordained ministry (though some have chosen to pursue ordination after taking the course). “It is more about discerning where our daily life and the things we do form our ministry to the world around us.”
In-person and online groups will be available. For more information about EfM and its curriculum, visit the website.
Classes will begin in September in the following communities. Each group will set its own meeting days and times; please contact the listed leaders for more information. Enrollment is limited.
Altadena, St Mark’s Church
Jon Courie, joncourie@me.com
Pam Dorff, pam@dorff.com
Maria Horner, maria@catalinaislandcamps.com
Beverly Hills, All Saints’ Church
Robert Craft, bcraft1038@aol.com
Julianne Reeder, juliannereeder@gmail.com
Fullerton, St Andrew’s Church
Paul Green, pgreen@msmu.edu
Shawn Cady, shawn999@earthlink.net
Hermosa Beach, St Cross Church
Cameron Johnson, cameratta@aol.com
Susan Tucker, setinla@aol.com
Huntington Beach, St. Wilfred of York Church
Pam Dorff, pam@dorff.com
Los Angeles, St James in-the-City Church
Mary Manning, mvmanning@aol.com
Los Olivos, St Mark’s of the Valley Church
Jeannie May, jeannie@the100acrewood.com
Oak Park, Church of the Epiphany
Elizabeth Bryant, e.vana.bryant@gmail.com
Pasadena, All Saints Church
Gary Leonard, gary.leonard63@gmail.com
Terry Moore, trgmoore@gmail.com
Michael Jeffries, effrmm@hotmail.com
Rancho Santa Margarita, St. John Chrysostom Church
Wayne Kempe, wkemp4@msn.com
San Gabriel, Church of Our Saviour
Juli Kennedy, pigski@sbcglobal.net
Kari Stewart, kari@kariscomments.com
San Juan Capistrano, St. Margaret of Scotland Church
Online group only
Catherine Glick, geoplex@earthlink.net
Santa Ana, Church of the Messiah
Wayne Kempe, wkemp4@msn.com
Santa Barbara, All Saints by-the-Sea Church
Robert Brown, flyingbus@cox.net
Santa Clarita, St Stephen’s Church
Kathleen Jensen, jensencurl@gmail.com
Mary Jo Higginbotham, maryjohigg@gmail.com
Santa Monica, St Augustine by-the-Sea Church
Laura Horton, hortonlaura@att.net
Online groups (Tuesday and Thursday)
Greg Richardson, strategicmonk@gmail.com
Questions may be directed via email to Gary Leonard at efmladiocese@gmail.com.