The Stephen Ministry is called by the Father, inspired by the Holy Sprit for growth in Christ, so that we may be a new people, a caring and sharing community.
What is the Stephen Ministry?
- It is one-to-one ministry by trained, caring church members.
- It is a long term helping relationship focusing on the unique needs of each person
- It is a commitment to caring and supporting one another, to building a Christ-centered, sharing community
- It is a response to Christ’s instruction, “to love one another as I have loved you.”
- It is a religious and educational system of training and organization, which is already working in many congregations throughout the country
- It is a ministry named after Stephen, the first deacon in the early church, commissioned by the Apostles to care for the community’s needs.
Who is a Stephen Minister?
- A lay person, man or woman, who through training learns skills and develops his/her gifts for brining Christ’s healing love to people who are lonely, grieving, strangers, new parents, ill, or experiencing other stresses in life.
- A caring, sharing person who reaches out a supporting hand to the spiritual, social, and emotional needs of our community.
How the Stephen Ministry works at Trinity.
A Stephen Ministry training program prepares interested men and women to become Stephen Ministers, equipping them to care for the many needs in our church. They have 50 hours of training which includes topics such as these:
- Feelings
- Listening
- Assertiveness Training
- Confidentiality
- Crisis Theory and Intervention
- Telecare
- Use of Prayer and the Bible
- Being Professional
- The “Small Step” Approach
- Topics on grief, divorce, depression, older persons, stress, and other specialized needs.
Following training, the Stephen Ministers are commissioned by our church into active, caring ministries.
The Stephen Minister works in continual consultation with Stephen Ministry leaders and receives ongoing education in the helping ministry.
What kinds of needs will the Stephen Ministry address?
- People who are hospitalized
- People who are grieving the loss of a loved one
- People who are lonely
- People who are depressed
- People who are separated or in the process of divorce
- People who are shut in
- People experiencing the birth of a child
- People who are dying, as well as the families of those who are terminally ill
- People who are experiencing the loss of a job or financial setback
- People and families of those who are in trouble with the law
- People who are new to our church
- People who are inactive members of our church
- People who are struggling with their faith with God
Stephen Ministry is ...
- A caring lay ministry in which one person reaches out to another in time of need.
- An ongoing helping relationship people who need help, get help.
- A meaningful way for our church to more fully use our talents in sharing one another’s burdens and joys.
A Stephen Minister is …
- A caring Christian—desiring to offer his or her support to others in time of need.
- A sharing Christian—bringing who he or she is to each helping relationship, as a partner in another’s life experiences.
- A trained Christian—having developed his or her helping skills through intensive course work.
- A dedicated Christian—commissioned by our church to confidential, in-depth caring.
A Stephen Minister is not …
- A professional counselor or psychologist
- A social worker providing lots of physical services or an expert in law, finance, church doctrine, etc.
- A brief superficial visitor, “touching base” with people now and then.
How our church benefits from the Stephen Ministry!
- Our community has a new and lasting lay commitment to caring.
- Our community as a whole grows in warmth and love. Caring is contagious.
- People receiving the caring and support will experience an increased closeness and involvement with our church.
- Stephen Ministers themselves experience personal growth and enrichment of their own lives.