Thoughts on a Mentors’ Seminar
Sandy Barr | EFM Mentor, St. John's Episcopal Church, Decatur, Alabama
I would like to reflect on my experience during the Experimental Weekly Mentors’ Seminar that Beth Cavey and Mary Novello organized over Zoom. We have met weekly since August and our time as a spiritual group for 2023-24 is coming to a close. It has been a holy and very intimate time discovering our spiritual calling to mentorship in the EFM program.
Taking care of ourselves should be one of our top priorities, and yet, I find myself taking care of everyone else’s needs in my home group except my own. This year, I decided to try an experimental new mentoring training with Beth Cavey and Mary Novello, which would meet weekly for 2 hours over the EFM year schedule and would parallel with the weekly work in the Reading and Reflection Guide 2023-24 (RRG). This would be an experience different than the typical 3-day retreat. Beth and Mary wanted to try something new, and I jumped at the chance to try it!
Our group started with 12 charter members, but as time elapsed, our numbers became 9 due to health issues. We started meeting in August 2023, and we will conclude in May. Following the RRG, we took it week by week. Each week, we started with worship, continued with text discussion, and ended with theological reflection and prayer. During our text discussion, we shared creative and new inventive ways to present the material for discussion. The best and most stimulating part of our session was the theological reflections. We used a different method each week, and we grappled with the topic but also the stumbling points of each method. It was awesome!
I did not know how much I needed a weekly discipline, but I absolutely did. I wonder if other mentors need a change. We met, we worshipped, we studied and questioned. Our theological reflections (TR) were stimulating and challenging. I could not wait to try new approaches in my home group. I also noticed that I became more relaxed with the TR process, and I could enjoy the process without worrying about components and outcomes. I love the TR process. I could think deeply about my relationship with God and my relationship with my “neighbor”. I hope I have another opportunity to join another future weekly seminar group next year. I can promise you I will again jump at the chance!
If this sounds like something you would be interested in for the new EfM year, contact Beth Cavey, Trainer in Residence for Mentor Empowerment, and she will give you the details.