What is Stephen Ministry?
St. John Stephen Ministry is a ministry that equips lay people to provide one-to-one Christian care to individuals in our congregation and community who are experiencing difficulties and challenges in their lives.
Stephen Ministers Care For People Facing Tough Times: We all experience challenges in life - times when we could benefit from the support of a caring friend. Stephen Ministers are ready to provide the emotional and spiritual care we need when faced with a crisis or difficulty,
such as:
Stephen Ministry is a confidential ministry: The identity of those receiving care and what takes place in each caring relationship remains private.
How You Can Help:
If you or someone you know (whether it be a friend, a neighbor, a co-worker, or a relative) is hurting in some way and could benefit from the care of a Stephen Minister, tell them about this ministry. Or if you are someone who is a good listener, compassionate and prayerful, consider becoming a Stephen Minister for our congregation.
If you would like more information or feel the need to talk, please contact Scott Steinke in the Parish Office.
Personal Witness: A Note from a Stephen Ministry Care Recipient
"Divorce is a situation almost half of us experience in our lifetimes, either from our parents' lives or in our own. At best, it is a very sad and isolating experience. Even when you love the Lord and your church, you feel the stigma associated with it. Moving on is very difficult when your energy has been sapped.
My Stephen Minister has been a friend and Christian connection through my trials. She has heard me voice my most private thoughts and feelings. She has shared my tears and has quietly helped me prioritize things from a Christian perspective. Her prayers have strengthened me. She withholds judgement. Her suggestions have been wise and often very witty. She reminds me that I am exactly where I am supposed to be when I express impatience with myself. We pray together and share chocolate and ice cream. For me, she is a model of a courageous woman who has made good choices and is totally devoted to becoming more Christ-like in her service to others.
The world is a better place because she is in it, and I am better for her example.
Thanks be to God."
St. John Stephen Ministry is a ministry that equips lay people to provide one-to-one Christian care to individuals in our congregation and community who are experiencing difficulties and challenges in their lives.
Stephen Ministers Care For People Facing Tough Times: We all experience challenges in life - times when we could benefit from the support of a caring friend. Stephen Ministers are ready to provide the emotional and spiritual care we need when faced with a crisis or difficulty,
such as:
- Loss of a loved one
- Hospitalization
- Divorce or separation
- Loneliness or discouragement
- Spiritual cries
- Unemployment or job crisis
- A terminal illness
- Incarceration
- Aging
- Birth, adoption, miscarriage, or infertility
- A chronic illness
- Relocation
- Recovery after an accident or disaster
- And many more
Stephen Ministry is a confidential ministry: The identity of those receiving care and what takes place in each caring relationship remains private.
How You Can Help:
If you or someone you know (whether it be a friend, a neighbor, a co-worker, or a relative) is hurting in some way and could benefit from the care of a Stephen Minister, tell them about this ministry. Or if you are someone who is a good listener, compassionate and prayerful, consider becoming a Stephen Minister for our congregation.
If you would like more information or feel the need to talk, please contact Scott Steinke in the Parish Office.
Personal Witness: A Note from a Stephen Ministry Care Recipient
"Divorce is a situation almost half of us experience in our lifetimes, either from our parents' lives or in our own. At best, it is a very sad and isolating experience. Even when you love the Lord and your church, you feel the stigma associated with it. Moving on is very difficult when your energy has been sapped.
My Stephen Minister has been a friend and Christian connection through my trials. She has heard me voice my most private thoughts and feelings. She has shared my tears and has quietly helped me prioritize things from a Christian perspective. Her prayers have strengthened me. She withholds judgement. Her suggestions have been wise and often very witty. She reminds me that I am exactly where I am supposed to be when I express impatience with myself. We pray together and share chocolate and ice cream. For me, she is a model of a courageous woman who has made good choices and is totally devoted to becoming more Christ-like in her service to others.
The world is a better place because she is in it, and I am better for her example.
Thanks be to God."
| Stephen Ministry Information |