The Episcopal Diocese of Hawai'i
  • Home
  • THE DIOCESE
    • WHO WE ARE >
      • Welcome from the Bishop
      • Where We've Been
      • Where We're Going
      • What is the Episcopal Church?
    • THE BISHOP >
      • Meet the Bishop
      • Bishop's Calendar
      • Bishop's Messages >
        • Bishop's Message Archive
      • Ask the Bishop
      • Bishop's Bible Study
    • Diocesan Support Center
    • Our Churches
    • Our Schools
    • Our Camp
    • Supply Clergy
    • Governance >
      • Overview
      • Convention >
        • Convention 57
        • C57 Education Day
        • General Convention
        • GC Connection
        • Past Meetings of Convention
      • Commission on Ministry >
        • COM Overview
        • Discernment for Ministry
        • Ordination Process
      • Diocesan Council
      • Standing Committee
      • Commission on Finance
      • Commission on Investments
      • Commission on Property
  • Ministries
    • A Cup of Cold Water
    • Daughters of the King
    • Deacons
    • kahuaola
    • Episcopal Church Women (ECW)
    • Missions Beyond the Church
    • Native Hawaiian Ministry Committee
    • Outreach
    • Prison Ministry
    • Racial Reconciliation
    • Retired Clergy
    • SPICE: Clergy Spouses
    • Worship Ministries >
      • Acolytes
      • Altar Guild
      • Eucharistic Ministers/Visitors
      • Worship Leaders
    • Youth & Campus Ministry >
      • Youth
  • EDUCATION
    • Waiolaihui'ia >
      • Waiolaihui'ia Center for Ministry
      • WCM Ordained
      • WCM Licensed Lay
    • 2025 Clergy Conference
    • HULI
    • Christian Formation
    • Continuing Education
    • EfM: Education for Ministry
    • Godly Play
    • Red Cross Training
    • Safe Church Trainings
    • StoryMakers
    • Teachings by Clergy
  • RESOURCES
    • Forms & Documents
    • Bible Links Online
    • Church Pension Fund
    • COMMUNICATIONS >
      • Overview
      • CHATS
      • Media
      • Online Tips
      • Social Media
      • Tech Stuff
      • Zoom Training
    • Discernment Process
    • Evangelism
    • Grants-Scholarships >
      • Grant Opportunities
      • Student Scholarships
      • Chang Clergy Children's Fund
    • Lay Leadership >
      • Lay Leadership Resources
      • Coffee Hour
    • Lectionary Page
    • Licensed Ministries
    • Links to the Wider Church
    • Marriages in Hawaii
    • Music
    • Ordination Process
    • Parochial Report Stats
    • Planned Giving
    • Prayer Calendar
    • Safe Church >
      • Misconduct
    • Stewardship
    • Supply Clergy
    • WORSHIP >
      • Worship
      • Online Worship
  • OPEN POSITIONS
    • Ordained
    • Come Serve in Hawaii Short Term
    • Lay
  • Contact
  • NEWS
    • NEWS WEBSITE
    • MAUI RELIEF
    • Diocesan Calendar
    • Community Calendars
    • Photo/Video Gallery
  • Home
  • THE DIOCESE
    • WHO WE ARE >
      • Welcome from the Bishop
      • Where We've Been
      • Where We're Going
      • What is the Episcopal Church?
    • THE BISHOP >
      • Meet the Bishop
      • Bishop's Calendar
      • Bishop's Messages >
        • Bishop's Message Archive
      • Ask the Bishop
      • Bishop's Bible Study
    • Diocesan Support Center
    • Our Churches
    • Our Schools
    • Our Camp
    • Supply Clergy
    • Governance >
      • Overview
      • Convention >
        • Convention 57
        • C57 Education Day
        • General Convention
        • GC Connection
        • Past Meetings of Convention
      • Commission on Ministry >
        • COM Overview
        • Discernment for Ministry
        • Ordination Process
      • Diocesan Council
      • Standing Committee
      • Commission on Finance
      • Commission on Investments
      • Commission on Property
  • Ministries
    • A Cup of Cold Water
    • Daughters of the King
    • Deacons
    • kahuaola
    • Episcopal Church Women (ECW)
    • Missions Beyond the Church
    • Native Hawaiian Ministry Committee
    • Outreach
    • Prison Ministry
    • Racial Reconciliation
    • Retired Clergy
    • SPICE: Clergy Spouses
    • Worship Ministries >
      • Acolytes
      • Altar Guild
      • Eucharistic Ministers/Visitors
      • Worship Leaders
    • Youth & Campus Ministry >
      • Youth
  • EDUCATION
    • Waiolaihui'ia >
      • Waiolaihui'ia Center for Ministry
      • WCM Ordained
      • WCM Licensed Lay
    • 2025 Clergy Conference
    • HULI
    • Christian Formation
    • Continuing Education
    • EfM: Education for Ministry
    • Godly Play
    • Red Cross Training
    • Safe Church Trainings
    • StoryMakers
    • Teachings by Clergy
  • RESOURCES
    • Forms & Documents
    • Bible Links Online
    • Church Pension Fund
    • COMMUNICATIONS >
      • Overview
      • CHATS
      • Media
      • Online Tips
      • Social Media
      • Tech Stuff
      • Zoom Training
    • Discernment Process
    • Evangelism
    • Grants-Scholarships >
      • Grant Opportunities
      • Student Scholarships
      • Chang Clergy Children's Fund
    • Lay Leadership >
      • Lay Leadership Resources
      • Coffee Hour
    • Lectionary Page
    • Licensed Ministries
    • Links to the Wider Church
    • Marriages in Hawaii
    • Music
    • Ordination Process
    • Parochial Report Stats
    • Planned Giving
    • Prayer Calendar
    • Safe Church >
      • Misconduct
    • Stewardship
    • Supply Clergy
    • WORSHIP >
      • Worship
      • Online Worship
  • OPEN POSITIONS
    • Ordained
    • Come Serve in Hawaii Short Term
    • Lay
  • Contact
  • NEWS
    • NEWS WEBSITE
    • MAUI RELIEF
    • Diocesan Calendar
    • Community Calendars
    • Photo/Video Gallery

EfM: EDUCATION FOR MINISTRY

EfM invites the people of God to discern and act in faith through small group reflection.

Education for Ministry (EfM) is a four-year program developed by the School of Theology at the University of the South to provide lay persons with tools and resources that will encourage them to more fully engage their baptismal journey in daily life. Participants enroll one year at a time, each year building on the last.

The heart of the program, theological reflection, is supported by an exploration of the disciplines of biblical exegesis and interpretation, systematic theology, church history, ethics, liturgics, and ascetical theology.

Through study, prayer, reflection, and small-group conversation, participants are offered an opportunity to examine their own beliefs in light of the Christian tradition and everyday experience — developing knowledge, aptitude, and identity as followers of Jesus. The first two years of the curriculum focus on Scripture (year one on the Hebrew Scriptures and year two on the New Testament), year three examines Church history, and year four focuses on theology and ethics.
Topics covered include:
  • Spirituality, prayer, and worship
  • The authority of the Bible for the church today
  • The lessons and perspectives of history
  • Theological reflection as a life skill
  • Integrating behavior and belief for faithful living
  • Discovering vocation, passion, and one’s place in the church
To find all things EfM: linktr.ee/efm.sewanee.edu
​

Learn about the EfM books and curriculum: https://educationforministry.substack.com/p/efm-2024-25-books
Note: An updated listing of active programs in the Diocese is currently being worked on and will be posted on this page.  If you know of a church with an active program, please contact the Communications Specialist HERE for inclusion on the list.
Picture
The Rev. Christopher Golding
If you are interested in learning more about signing up for an EfM group online or in person, contact EfM Diocesan Coordinator Christopher Golding HERE, or call 808-214-2473.

“What EfM Isn’t and What It Is”
by Laurie Gudim, Fort Collins, Colorado

​If I am going to tell you about Education for Ministry (EfM), why would I start by describing what it is not? Because the words “for ministry” tend to send most of us everyday church folks running in the opposite direction out of fear that we are going to be dragged off to seminary and into ordained ministry. This isn’t that kind of program, nor are we talking about that type of ministry. In fact, this program was developed just for those of us who

want to understand our Christian journey as it relates to our daily lives. The “ministry” that this program focuses on is the ministry of the baptized and helps participants grow more fully into their Baptismal Covenant (see pages 304-305 in The Book of Common Prayer).

EfM is a four-year program that participants commit to one year at a time and includes two years of journeying through the Bible, a year of exploring church history, and a year of growing one’s knowledge of theology, ethics, mission, and day-to-day ministry in the world.

While it is true that participants read through the entirety of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, EfM is not a Bible study. It is, however, an opportunity to see the Scriptures through the eyes of scholars with varying perspectives and engage in a dialogue that enriches and enhances the participant’s understanding of the way these ancient texts engage today’s world. This understanding is further expanded as Christianity is explored from just after the resurrection of Jesus Christ to the church of today. During the final two years, participants will see how the various ways we now express Christianity have been shaped by world exploration, science, industry, and more.

How does this all happen? During weekly gatherings of no more than 12 participants, trained mentors guide the process at the heart of the EfM program – Theological Reflection (TR). This process connects what participants are learning from their weekly readings to what is happening in the world around them, in their own lives, and their personal beliefs about the topic at hand. It is through TR that each person becomes increasingly aware of God’s continuous work, not only in the world around them, but within themselves, and allows them to see themselves as Christ’s hands and feet at work in every part of their lives.

Picture
QUICK LINKS:
​

The Episcopal Church
Anglican Communion
Episcopal Church Foundation
Episcopal News Service
Episcopal Relief & Development
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture

The Episcopal Diocese of Hawai'i | 229 Queen Emma Square | Honolulu, HI  96813
(808) 536-7776 | Fax: (808) 538-7194 | www.episcopalhawaii.org 
Contact Webmaster | © 2024 The Episcopal Church in Hawai'i. All Rights Reserved.