stephen ministry
"To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12-13).
Stephen Ministry is a lay ministry that provides one-to-one, confidential, Christian care to hurting people in our congregation and
community, bringing Christ’s healing love to people who are grieving or experiencing any number of life’s difficulties. We have been serving
members of our congregation since 2022, and have delivered over 150 hours of care to members of our congregation. Stephen Ministers typically meet with their care receivers once a week for an hour and are trained to listen patiently, without judging, to assist their care receivers process feelings. Stephen Ministers are committed to preserving the confidential nature of the caring relationship. For more information about Stephen Ministry & history and worldwide scope, click here: What is Stephen Ministry?
What Care Receivers Are Saying About Stephen Ministry!
“My Stephen Minister built a safe, confidential relationship with me where I felt comfortable sharing my heart…He/she really listened to me and provided emotional and spiritual support to me when I needed it most. My Stephen Minister never tried to analyze me or tell me what to do. Instead, the Stephen Minister walked alongside me and I looked forward to our meetings.”
“I have found your visits and your conversations to be a gift. It has been transformative. I know my grief will always be a part of my make-up, but I can now look beyond the grief to see hope. I know the journey ahead will not be smooth sailing, but I feel I have the tools to view situations in different ways. I do feel God’s presence in my life now.”
Our Stephen Ministry Team
Stephen Leaders
Lisa Hurd
Carol Carty
Joyce Stout
Donna George
Stephen Ministers
Larry Rugen
Deb Nussbaum
Donna George
Background
The Stephen Ministry Program was begun in 1973 by Dr. Kenneth Haugk, a Methodist minister and clinical psychologist, and has served over 12,000 congregations. Any Christian denomination is welcome to participate in the program. The Stephen Ministry program gets its name from the book of Acts, (Chapter 6) in which Stephen was chosen to provide caring ministry to those in need. There are currently over 12,000 enrolled congregations worldwide, more than 600,000 Stephen Ministers have been trained and 1.5 million people have had a Stephen Minister walk with them and provide confidential Christian care during tough times. For more information about the Stephen Ministries organization, click here:
Who Are the Stephen Ministers?
Stephen Ministers are lay congregation members who receive extensive training to minister to people experiencing a crisis, facing a challenge, or simply going through a tough time. They typically meet with their care receivers once a week for an hour and are trained to listen patiently, without judging, to assist their care receivers process feelings. They participate in regular support and supervision twice a month under the guidance of trained Stephen Leaders for purposes of ongoing evaluation and continuing education. Stephen Ministers are committed to preserving the confidential nature of the caring relationship.
Note that a Stephen Minister is not a counselor or therapist and does not take the place of a pastor.
Please click here to see Stephen Ministry in action: "A Listening Ear You Can Trust"
Contact
Lisa Hurd lhurd330@gmail.com
Carol Carty ccarty3@verizon.net
Joyce Stout joyce.stout@jefferson.edu
Donna George djheffel@icloud.com
