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Stephen Leaders oversee and direct the ministry. They recruit, select, train, organize and supervise the Stephen Ministers. They also match people in need of care with Stephen Ministers.
Stephen Ministers go through 50 hours of training in Christian care giving, including topics such as listening, feelings, boundaries, assertiveness, and using Christian resources in care giving. In addition, training covers specialized topics such as ministering to the divorced, hospitalized, bereaved and aging.
Stephen Ministers usually meet with their care receivers once a week for about an hour for as long as the care receiver will benefit from the relationship. Stephen Ministers listen, understand, accept and pray for and with care receivers who are working through a crisis. Stephen Ministers are not counselors. They are trained caregivers. When a Stephen Minister recognizes that a care receiver’s need exceeds what they can provide, they help them receive the level of care that they need.
Trust is essential to a caring relationship. Stephen Ministers are people who can be trusted. Confidentiality is one of the most important principles of Stephen Ministry. What a care receiver tells his or her Stephen Minister is kept in the strictest confidence.
To refer someone to Stephen Ministry:
- Identify a person (you, a friend, or family member) who is hurting and in need of Christian care.
- Contact the Stephen Minister Coordinators, Pastor Randall Hansen, or Chaplain Jan Johnson.
- The Coordinators will meet with the person to talk about Stephen Ministry.
- With the persons permission, the Coordinators will assign a Stephen Minister to meet on a weekly basis with the care receiver.
Get involved! Pray daily for Stephen Ministry. Inquire about becoming a Stephen Minister. Remember...Stephen Ministers are CAREgivers...God is the CUREgiver!
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