Stephen Ministry - Coming Soon to Redeemer
What is Stephen Ministry? Stephen Ministry trains, organizes, and supports laypeople to provide one-to-one Christian care to hurting people in and around a congregation. Thousands of congregations use Stephen Ministry because we all share two common characteristics:
- There are people who are hurting and would benefit from one-to-one Christ-centered care – many more people than pastors alone can care for.
- There are laypeople with the gifts and potential to provide care – if they are trained and empowered to do so.
Stephen Ministry brings these two groups of people together in a powerful way. While Clergy are usually on the front lines of providing pastoral care, Stephen Ministers walk alongside people after a crisis: after a funeral, the loss of a job, the cancer diagnosis, etc. It is during these “after periods” in life that many people really struggle and when Stephen Ministry can be especially valuable. Stephen ministers are provided with training and support to serve this important role.
What is happening at Redeemer? We believe God has called Church of the Redeemer to bring Stephen Ministry to our congregation. In response, this past summer, six individuals from Redeemer completed training to be Stephen Ministry Leaders: Becca Morehous, Maggie Gough, Kelli Wisecup, Nip Becker, Jen Strom, and Joyce Keeshin. Carter Waide had already received leadership training and will serve as part of the leaders’ team. These leaders will provide the extensive training and on-going support of Redeemer’s future Stephen Ministers. The team is supported by Redeemer staff, Becca Morehous, Health & Wellness Ministry and Rev. Joyce Keeshin, Associate for Pastoral Care.
How might you discern a call to become a Stephen Minister? This fall we are beginning the discernment process for our first Stephen Ministry training programs. We are looking for individuals who feel called to serve in a confidential one-on-one ministry of being present, listening and walking with someone through a difficult time. The discernment process includes completion of a
Stephen Ministry Application, a conversation with ministry leaders, and especially prayer. We would like to receive applications by
October 21, 2018.
Preparation for this ministry requires participation in fifty hours of Stephen Ministry Training, completion of Safe Church Training, and faithful participation in on-going peer supervision. The first training series will run from January 9 – May 19, 2019. Classes will be held weekly, primarily on Wednesday evenings 6:30 – 9:00. A second training series is planned to begin August, 2019.
