Main Page
 How to Find Us
 Worship Services
Recent Messages (audio)
What We Believe
 Pastor's Page
 General Information
 (Staff, Officers and office hours)
Monthly Calendar
Hope in Action (Photo Gallery)
Devotion of the Day
(Portals of Prayer)

Our Ministry Programs
 Learning Center of Hope
 VPK and 3-year Old Programs
Children/Youth Ministry
Amigos en Cristo
Music Ministry
 Stephen Ministry
Fellowship Groups
 Prayer Ministry
Other Links

We hope your visit to our website will be a faith-strengthening experience.
To continue your journey, click on any item above

Site Last Updated 2/24/2007
 


                                     
                                             

 STEPHEN MINISTRY

Stephen Ministry is . . .

A program of our congregation that equips lay persons to provide distinctively Christian one-to-one care to those who are experiencing all kinds of life needs and circumstances, both in our congregation and in our community.

Stephen Ministers are . . .

Committed Christian people who express God's care through their lives to others. After receiving 50 hours of initial training are commissioned to carry out this important ministry of our congregation.

Stephen Ministers meet the needs of people

There are times when each of us need the care of another person, a Christian friend, a Stephen Minister! These needs include but are not limited to the hospitalized, the terminally ill and their families, people that move into or out of our community, those grieving a death or serious loss, the homebound and institutionalized, prisoners, ex-offenders and their families, those with a job crisis, the aging and elderly, those with disabilities and their families, those needing support, those facing life transitions, the separated or divorced, households experiencing birth or adoption and those in spiritual crisis.

How does Stephen Ministry work ...

A Stephen Ministry training program prepares interested men and women to become Stephen Ministers, equipping them to care for the many needs in our congregation. Their 50 hours of training includes topics such as:

  • listening
  • feelings
  • assertiveness training
  • confidentiality
  • crisis theory and intervention
  • telecare
  • use of prayer and Bible
  • being professional
  • the "small step" approach
  • other specialized "needs" including topics on grief, divorce, depression, older persons, stress, etc.

Following training, the Stephen Ministers are commissioned by our congregation into active, caring ministries. People in need of support are matched with a Stephen Minister through contact with the church office, the pastors, or the Stephen Leaders. The Stephen Ministers work under the supervision of our pastors and Stephen Leaders with continual consultation and receive on-going education in the helping ministry.

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 congregation to confidential, in-depth caring.

A Stephen Minister is not ...

  • A professional counselor or psychologist.
  • A social worker providing lots of physical services.
  • An expert in law, finance. church doctrine. etc.
  • A brief. superficial visitor, "touching base" with people now and then.

Confidentiality...

Stephen Ministers abide by the rule that "All transactions, all observations, all impressions and all records made concerning the person are and must remain strictly confidential."