Stephen Ministry is . . .

·        A lay, caring ministry in which one person reaches out to another in time of need.

·        An ongoing helping relationship so people who need help, get help.

·        A meaningful way for our congregation to more fully use our talents in sharing one another's burdens and joys.

A Stephen Minister is . . .

·        A caring Christian desiring to offer his/her support to others in time of need.

·        A sharing Christian bringing who s/he is to each helping relationship, as a partner in another's life experiences.

·        A trained Christian having developed his/her helping skills through intensive coursework.

·        A dedicated Christian commissioned by our congregation to confidential, in-depth caring.

A Stephen Minister Is Not . . .

·        A professional counselor, psychologist, or therapist.

·        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.

What Is The Stephen Minister?

·        It is a one-to-one ministry by trained, caring parishioners.

·        It is a long term helping relationship focusing on the unique needs of each person.

·        It is a commitment to caring and supporting one another, to build a Christ-centered, sharing community.

·        It is a response to Christ's instruction . . . "to love one another as I have loved you."

·        It is a religious and educational system of training and organization, which is already working in many congregations throughout the country.

·        It is a ministry named after St. Stephen, the first deacon in the early church, commissioned by the apostles to care for the community's needs.

Who Is a Stephen Minister?

·        A lay person, who through training will learn skills and develop his/her gifts for bringing Christ's healing love to people who are lonely, grieving, strangers, new parents, ill, or experiencing other stresses in life.

·        A caring and sharing person who reaches out a supporting hand to the spiritual, social, and emotional needs of our community.

What Kinds of Needs Does Stephen Ministry Address?

·        People who are hospitalized

·        People who are grieving the loss of a loved one

·        People who are lonely

·        People who are depressed

·        People who are separated or in the process of divorce

·        People who are shut in

·        People experiencing the birth of a child

·        People who are dying, as well as the families of those who are terminally ill

·        People experiencing loss of job, or financial setbacks

·        People and families of those who are in trouble with the law

·        People who are new to our parish

·        People who are inactive members of our parish

·        People who are struggling with their faith with God

How Does Stephen Ministry Work At Bethel Lutheran Church?

·        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:

o       feelings

o       listening

o       assertiveness training

o       confidentiality

o       crisis theory and intervention

o       telecare

o       use of prayer and the Bible

o       being professional

o       the "small step" approach

o       other specialized "needs" topics on grief, divorce, depression, older persons, stress, etc.

Each Stephen Minister works in continual consultation with our pastoral staff and receives ongoing education in the helping ministry.

For further information on the international program