How can I get involved in Education for Ministry in DioNeb?
Upcoming 2026 EfM Event
Saturday, January 24, 9am-12pm CT/8-11am MT
Register for Be Still and Know…Psalm 46:10 Taking Time for Sabbath with Brother James Dowd. Join us on Saturday, January 24 from 9am-12pm CT / 8-11am MT, in person online via Zoom. There will be two presentations focusing on the importance of Sabbath and how to take Sabbath, two breakout sessions, time for group sharing and questions.
$25 SUGGESTED DONATION to the Benedictine Way (thebenedictineway.org) to support their work in their urban neighborhood and online.
All are welcome! EfM Graduates, mentors, students, clergy, and lay - Join us for this special event focusing on the importance of taking Sabbath for our spiritual well-being.
Questions? Email Sandra Squires.
Find an EfM Group Near You
Time to think about EfM!
Each year EfM groups seek new students to replace those who have graduated the previous spring. To view existing groups, you may click here for more information.
Joining an EfM group means joining a community of learning, and we would love to welcome you into one of our groups no matter your age, race, gender, background, or sexual orientation. All are welcome in the Episcopal Church, and all are welcome in our DioNeb EfM groups.
To register, please contact any of the co-mentors listed in the infographic. Most students will need to register by early August. You may also contact Sandra Squires at sandra.k.squires76@gmail.com for general questions.
"I loved the community we built together. I heard beautiful stories of faith and the power of God working through people's lives that I might never have heard were it not for the deep trust and spiritual vulnerability that we learned to open ourselves to through the EfM process of Theological reflection. Our study of the Bible, Church History, and Theology opened my eyes to just how much there is to know, and set me on a continuing path of study and discovery that has continued long past my time in EfM."
- Denise Forrest, Church of the Resurrection
Join the EfM Virtual Book Club
About the Book Club
The EfM book club gathers quarterly via Zoom to discuss books on faith, theology, and spirituality. We journey together through a variety of different authors and topics, and hope to deepen our faith and our community in the process. We would love to see you at our next meeting!
Our Reading Schedule
April 2026: The Book of Common Prayer: A Biography by Alan Jacobs
July 2026: The Forgotten Desert Mothers: Sayings, Lives, and Stories of Early Christian Women (Second Edition) by Laura Swan
October 2026: Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls: Revealing the Jewish Roots of Christianity by John Bergsma
Previous Books
January 2026: Church Tomorrow by The Rev. Stephanie Spellers
October 2025: Silence and Honey Cakes by Rowan Williams
April 2025: The False White Gospel by Jim Wallis (led by Pam Wright)
2025: God’s Ghostwriters by Candida Moss
January 2025: Dream of God: A Call to Return by Verna Dozier
January 2024: Ask Me for a Blessing (you know you need one), by Adrian Dannhauser
April 2024: Sacred Fire: A Vision for a Deeper Human and Christian Maturity, by Ronald Rolheiser
July 2024: I, Patrick, a Sinner: A Novelization of the True Life Story of Patricius Magonus Sucatus, Saint Patrick, by Stephanie Lavenia Swinnea
October 2024: Oscar Romero: Prophet of Hope, by Roberto Morozzo della Rocca
October 2023: How to Hear God: A Simple Guide for Normal People, by Pete Greig
July 2023: Freeing Jesus: Rediscovering Jesus as Friend, Teacher, Savior, Lord, Way and Presence, by Diane Butler Bass
April 2023: The First Paul, by Marcus J Borg and John Dominic Crossen
January 2023: Always a Guest: Speaking of Faith Far From Home, by Barbara Brown Taylor
October 2022: Ladder to the Light: An Indigenous Elder’s Meditations on Hope and Courage, by Bishop Steven Charleston
July 2022: Song in a Weary Throat: Memoir of an American Pilgrimage, by Pauli Murray
April 2022: Open Mind, Open Heart, by Thomas Keating
January 2022: Hallelujah! Anyhow—A Memoir, by Barbara Harris
October 2021: Love is the Way, by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
July 2021: The Time is Now: A Call to Uncommon Courage, by Sr. Joan Chittister
April 2021: Dresser of Sycamore Trees - The Finding of a Ministry, by Garret Keizer
January 2021: Julian of Norwich: A Contemplative Biography, by Amy Frykholm
October 2020: The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything, by James Martin
July 2020: Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again, by Rachel Held Evans
April 2020: The Universal Christ, by Richard Rohr
January 2020: Holy Envy, by Barbara Brown Taylor
Go on an EfM Retreat
Previous Retreats
February 15, 2025 | Caring for a Loved One with Memory Loss: Team Building and Financial Planning.
Presenters: The Rev. Lisa Aguilar, Dr. Daniel Murman, David Grooters, Deb Schrager, and Fr. Bob Kem
This hybrid retreat addressed the needs and experiences of those caring for family members with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD).
February 10, 2024 | Living in a World Beyond a Binary God: Stories & Challenges of our Trans Neighbors
Presenters: The Rev. Antonia Anderson, Cameron Koenig-Barker, and Heidi Sell all of Omaha
This hybrid retreat addressed basic information about trans individuals and allies, shared personal stories of a trans woman who is also a priest, a trans man, and a mother of a trans man. The Rev. Antonia Anderson presented a theological foundation for welcoming our trans neighbors based on the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch found in Acts 8:26-40. Discussion about making our trans neighbors welcome in the church was a major goal for the retreat. This retreat attracted an international audience of at least 112 people with a live audience hosted by St. Augustine of Canterbury in Elkhorn where it was filmed and watch parties throughout the United States.
January 28, 2023 | "Prayerbook Revisions and the Future of Common Prayer"
What does General Convention’s resolution about Prayerbook revisions mean to clergy, liturgical planners, and interested people in the pew? At this retreat, we learned about this important resolution and what it meant for DioNeb. It was led by Bishop Barker and Canon Easton, and was open to the EfM community, clergy, liturgists, and others. You can learn more from the flyer, and read about the resolution here.
January 22nd, 2022 | "A Christian Response to Environmental Degradation and Climate Change"
This virtual retreat examined our response to issues surrounding climate change as Christians. We explored three primary questions during this retreat: What does our faith tell us about our responsibility to care for Earth? What are our challenges? Where do we as Christians go from here? Our time together included short talks from the retreat leaders with small group discussions and synthesis of what we discover together. The retreat was led by Archdeacon Betsy Bennett and Brother James Dowd, OSB. You can read more about the event here.
February 20th, 2021 | "Pandemic Spirituality and the Future of the Church"
Presented by Bishop J. Scott Barker and the Rev. Canon Elizabeth Easton
This workshop was a virtual retreat exploring the spiritual challenges surfaced by the pandemic and our collective responses to it. We reflected on what we have learned about ourselves and our faith, and how our lives as followers of Jesus may have been forever changed by the last year. You can read more about the event here.
Recent News & Announcements
Testimonials
![]()
![]()
![]()
The Episcopal Church
Welcomes You
