ADults
Adult Catechumenal program
Each year, in addition to the youth in our parish who are confirmed at the Bishop’s Visit, there are adults who can be either confirmed or received by the Bishop into the Episcopal Church. The details of which group a person falls into have to do with which part of the Body of Christ one is coming from: those who come from “historic” denominations such as the Roman Catholic Church, who were confirmed by a Bishop get “received.” Those who come from Protestant denominations where confirmation is celebrated by the local pastor are “confirmed.” Either way, the preparation is the same. There is a third group as well, and this includes people who were confirmed at a young age in The Episcopal Church who feel they would like to re-commit as adults: these persons can re-affirm their commitment to Christ publicly after a time of preparation. (See pages 418-419 in The Book of Common Prayer) This programs typically runs from February to April each year. Please contact the church office at stfran@verizon.net or 508-829-3344 for more information.
Education for ministry - efm
For adults interested in a more in-depth program of Bible study and theological reflection, St. Francis supports those interested in the Education for Ministry program known as EfM. EfM is a program of theological education-at-a-distance of the School of Theology of the University of the South at Sewanee. This course covers the basics of theological education in the Old and New Testaments, church history, liturgy, and theology. The class meets weekly from September to May. Students sign up one year at a time for this four-year program, and it is not necessary to commit to all four years. The program grants a certificate at the completion of the four years and 18 Continuing Education Units for each year’s work. For more information contact the church office at parishadmin@stfrancisholden.org or check out the program website at www.sewanee.edu/EfM.