Stephen Ministers are trained lay ministers who will encourage, listen to, and pray with persons going through a difficult time. If you or someone you care about could use the care and concern of a Stephen Minister, please speak to a pastor or call our Referrals Coordinator, Pam Colborn, at (301)524-5223. Pam can also be reached by e-mail at moc.oohay|cmudyrtsinimnehpets#moc.oohay|cmudyrtsinimnehpets. There is no fee for this ministry and all calls are confidential.
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Stephen Ministry
What exactly is Stephen Ministry?
Stephen Ministry is a ministry in our congregation in which trained and supervised lay persons, called Stephen Ministers, provide one-to-one Christian care to individuals facing life challenges or difficulties.
Who is involved?
Stephen Leaders are the ones who oversee and direct our Stephen Ministry. They recruit, select, train, organize, and supervise our Stephen Ministers, identify people in need of care, and match them with a Stephen Minister. We have 6 Stephen Leaders: Jan Mullinix (Team Co-ordinator,Supervision Coordinator, and Regional Network Coordinator), Pam Colborn (Team Coordinator Referrals Coordinator and Network Liaison), Pastor Bonnie Custer (Training Coordinator and Continuing Education Coordi-nator), Pastor Frances Stewart (Continuing Education Co-ordinatorand Network Liaison), Hazel Strahorn (Awareness-Building Coordinator and support for Training and Continuing Education) and Janet Cornelius (Referrals Work Area & Leadership Support).
Stephen Ministers are the caregivers. They have been through 50 hours of training in Christian caregiving, including general topics such as listening, feelings, boundaries, assertiveness, and using Christian resources in caregiving. In addition, their training covered specialized topics such as ministering to the divorced, hospitalized, be-reaved, and aging. We currently have 11 active Stephen Ministers: Peggy Chaney, Don Cosman, Bonnie Custer, Patti Davis, Lynn Gruner, Cathy Heinbaugh, Marcia Hofman, Rachel Jones, Betty Spencer, Inga Tokar, and Penny Weeda. There are currently four Stephen Ministers in training: Jan Jaremko, Judy Kressig, and Earl & Joyce Patrick.
Care receivers are the recipients of Stephen Ministers' care. They are people from our church or community who are experiencing divorce, grief, loss of a job, loneliness, hospitalization, terminal illness, or any of an endless number of other life difficulties. Stephen Ministers usually meet with their care receivers once a week for about an hour for as long as the care receiver will benefit by the relationship.
What do Stephen Ministers do?
Stephen Ministers are caring Christian friends who listen, understand, accept, and pray for and with care receivers who are working through a crisis or a tough time.
Are Stephen Ministers counselors?
Stephen Ministers are not counselors; they are trained lay caregivers. Their role is to listen and care — not to give advice or counsel. Stephen Ministers are also trained to recognize when a care receiver's need exceeds what they can provide. When that happens, they work with care receivers to help them receive the level of care they really need.
Can I Trust a Stephen Minister?
Trust is essential to a caring relationship, and Stephen Ministers are people you can trust. Confidentiality is one of the most important principles of Stephen Ministry, and what a care receiver tells his or her Stephen Minister is kept in strictest confidence.
How can someone receive care from a Stephen Minister?
Pam Colborn is our Stephen Leader who coordinates referrals. If you or someone you know could benefit from the care of a Stephen Minister, you can talk to Pam, to one of our pastors, or to any of our other Stephen Leaders. Any of our Stephen Ministers would also be happy to help you through the process. (If you want to talk about Stephen Ministry for someone else, make sure you get his or her permission first.) To reach Pam, call her at (301) 524-5223. You can also reach her by e-mail at moc.oohay|cmudyrtsinimnehpets#moc.oohay|cmudyrtsinimnehpets.
How much does it cost?
Stephen Ministry is a caregiving ministry available to our members and community free of charge.
How can someone become a Stephen Minister?
Begin by talking to one of our Stephen Leaders or Stephen Ministers and they can tell you more. We usually train a new class of Stephen Ministers from September through February. Stephen Min-isters make a two-year commitment to train and serve.
"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2
