Stephen Ministry
What Is Stephen Ministry?
Stephen Ministry is a ministry of caring. Stephen Ministers are people in our congregation who are trained to listen and help others sort through their feelings. They are not counselors or therapists; rather, they are caring Christian friends who can offer a listening ear to help others through the tough times in life.
Stephen Ministry is a one-on-one ministry. As a Stephen Minister, you will never be assigned more than one person (care receiver) at a time. While you commit to serve two-years as a Stephen Minister, the number of care receivers you have during that time will vary depending upon the need, but it will never be more than one at a time. The length of time you spend with a care receiver will vary. You may find one person needs to meet only a few times, while another may need to meet over a period of several months.
Care is given gender to gender - male Stephen Ministers meet with male care receivers; women meet with women. You won’t meet with couples and you won’t meet with minors. A Stephen Leader meets initially with each potential care receiver, and, if it is determined during that process that the person is in need of professional help, he or she will be encouraged in that direction and not paired with a Stephen Minister.
Training and Support The goal of our Stephen Leaders is to train and develop Stephen Ministers in ways that build your feelings of confidence and success. That is why the training period is the length that it is – 50 hours, which can take as long as 6 months, meeting once a week for 2.5 hours. We want you to feel confident that you are well equipped to do this ministry. We begin our next training class on October 19. Classes are held Mondays from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the First Floor Lounge.
And, once you are trained and commissioned, we want that confidence to continue, so we ask that all Stephen Ministers participate in Supervisory Meetings twice a month. These are designed to provide support to the Stephen Ministers. A facilitator leads the group, and it is during these meetings that the Stephen Ministers can share concerns, struggles, etc., and receive the answers and support they need, in addition to continuing education.
Confidentiality is of utmost importance, so all Stephen Ministers are trained in this regard, and the system of care that we use is set up in such a way to promote this in every area - from record keeping to the bi-weekly Supervisory meetings. We can’t stress enough the importance that this program places on confidentiality. In order for care receivers to participate, they must feel that they can trust this lay-oriented system, so we will do all in our power to generate a system worthy of their trust.
Length of Service We ask Stephen Ministers to serve for two years, which begins with the training classes.
After People Stephen Ministers are “After People.” Click here to learn more about what that means.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: How much of my time will it really involve?
Answer: There are 50 hours of training, which may include a retreat.
As a Stephen Minister you will visit about once a week (for about one hour) with the person you are caring for. You will also attend two meetings per month for supervision and continuing education.
Question: How much money will this cost?
Answer: The church will absorb 50% of the cost, asking that you pay $24.95 for the Stephen Minister Kit, which includes your training manual and all books that you are required to read during your training.
Question: Will I have to spend money on the person I am caring for (the care receiver)?
Answer: No, you are not expected to spend any money whatsoever on the care receiver. You are also not expected to personally provide any other specific services for a care receiver, such as transportation or baby-sitting, for example. As a Stephen Minister, you may at times assist in arranging for such services.
Question: Will my phone be ringing constantly?
Answer: No. You will care for one care receiver at a time. If the care receiver were to begin calling too often, you will learn to respond to too many phone calls or excessive demands in a loving, assertive manner. It probably won’t arise, though.
Question: Will our pastor still help and counsel people?
Answer: Most definitely! Stephen Ministers complement the pastor’s ministry and provide even more care to those who need it.
Question: What if I get in over my head, with people who need more care than I can provide?
Answer: First of all, you will never be knowingly assigned to people who might be in those situations. The Stephen Ministry training also helps you to know exactly when and how to help your care receiver get professional help when necessary. The Supervision Group, our Stephen Leaders, and the pastor are also there to help you to make such decision.
Question: How will I personally benefit from this experience?
Answer: You will learn many skills that will be valuable in your personal life as well as in your Stephen Ministry. Also, the satisfaction of helping another person is a wonderful blessing.
Question: Do I have to stop being a Stephen Minister after two years?
Answer: No, many people decide to continue as Stephen Ministers after two years. You and your Stephen Leader will make that decision when the time comes.
Question: Who will be the care receivers?
Answer: Members of this congregation who are experiencing times of special need and other people within our community who may turn to us for help. Thus, Stephen Ministry is also a way to reach out to others as well as to our own members.
Question: Will the care receiver really want my care?
Answer: Yes. One of our Stephen Leaders will meet first with the care receiver. Only after the care receiver understands Stephen Ministry and has agreed to meet with a Stephen Minister will you be contacted.
Question: Are other people as scared as I seem to be about this undertaking?
Answer: Probably so! But the training will eliminate much of this fear because you will not only learn what to say but also, and more importantly, how to listen.
Question: I’d like to pursue this. What’s my next step?
Answer: Contact one of our Stephen Leaders:
Sharon Fink (593-3977 ext. 11) fink@firstumcathens.org.
Dick Schelat (541-3223)
Mary Jo Yeakel (593-3977, ext.15)
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