Christmas day, 2008. My girls are still snuggled down after a late night that ended with church at midnight. In a couple of hours they will be up, the presents will be opened and the day will settle into the annual ritual of passing the time between morning services and Christmas dinner.

The St. George Education for Ministry group has broken for the holidays and will not get back together until January 8th. I am, with a group of five others, half way through year four of the program. We also have eight participants spread between years one two and three. The Rector of St. George, Roger Cooper, is our mentor and last year Melody Goguen, who finished her year four while I was in year one, took mentor training and joined in to work with Roger in guiding us along our path.

This program, developed out of the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, has had a wonderful impact on my faith journey. The most obvious effect of the course has been a new and deeper understanding of the bible, of the progression of creeds that have developed since the beginning of the church and of our story as Anglicans.

As much as I love the learning, the greatest impact of EfM on my faith has been the spiritual growth that has come to me through the process of theological reflection that we follow and through our worship together during each session. The other members of the group are imbued with such a deep and wholesome faith that I sometimes feel that I don't belong amongst them. Only sometimes though. I believe that I am brought to this gathering to learn from these fine folks, and being bathed in the reflection of the Holy Spirit working through them is an experience that transcends learning.

I wonder where the Spirit will lead me after this fourth year is finished?

Well, I hear stirrings from the girl's rooms. Merry Christmas to all who may chance upon this.