We journey together with "one mind and one heart on the way to God." **
EIM TIMELINE 1995 to 1997 |
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| 1995 | Dr. Wallace Ford, Executive Secretary of the New Mexico Conference of Churches, forms a committee composed of church leaders interested in serious adult education for those engaged in ministry. Originally called the New Mexico Ecumenical Theological Consortium, by October 1995, the group was renamed the Ecumenical Institute for Ministry. |
| The Lay Ministry Certification Program is designed and developed. It includes a core curriculum in Biblical studies, History of Christian Tradition, Christian Theology, Effective Communication in Christian Ministry, Formation for Ministry, and a Supervised Practicum. Teaching locations include Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Las Cruces, and Gallup | |
| The Catholic community expresses a need for a Master of Arts degree program in Theology. Several institutions of higher learning are interviewed, including Dubuque University, Loyola (New Orleans), Gonzaga, Regis, Eastern New Mexico University, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and the College of Santa Fe. | |
| In December, Fr. Joel Garner, O.Praem., Prior of the Norbertine Community in Albuquerque and a member of the aforementioned group of church leaders, invites the Director of the St. Norbert College Master of Theological Studies program to meet with the committee. | |
| 1996 | In January, the NMCC-EIM committee meets with Fr. Richard Ver Bust, Director of the St. Norbert College MTS program. |
| In February, Dr. Ford, with the authority granted him by the Board of Directors of the NMCC, formally requests that St. Norbert College and the NMCC enter into a partnership for the purpose of offering the 32-hour MTS program in NM. | |
| Key animators during the early years: Fr. Richard Ver Bust, Director of the MTS
program at SNC; Rev. Dr. Wallace Ford, Executive Secretary of the NMCC; Fr. Joel Garner, O.Praem., Prior, Norbertine Community of NM; Rev. Dr. Philip Butin, Presbyterian committee member (Shepherd of the Valley Presbyterian Church) Fr. Mike Demkovich, O.P., Roman Catholic committee member; Frances Vogel-Montano, Roman Catholic committee member; Rita Lucero, Secretary/Program Coordinator for the MTS-NM program In the fall, Systematic Theology and Theological Method, taught by Fr. Joseph Serano, O. Praem., is the first offering of the MTS program in NM. |
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| 1997 | Articles of Understanding (7-11-1997) are drawn up between EIM & NMCC. It denotes that policies, procedures, and planning of EIM are administered through a State Coordinating Committee, which meets at least four times annually. The State Coordinating Committee is organized into three standing committees: Faculty Committee, Curriculum Committee, and Graduate Studies Committee. The Graduate Studies Committee “oversees all aspects of the graduate program…including but not limited to budget, promotion and publicity, student admissions, financial aid, accreditation, library resources, faculty selection, course administration and evaluation, faculty payment, and student support and advisement.” |
| There is a greater focus on the MTS program and the Graduate Committee. | |
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