Stephen Ministries

What is Stephen Ministry?

Stephen Ministry equips lay people to provide one-to-one Christian care to people in our Family of Parishes and community who are experiencing difficulties in their lives.

Stephen Ministry is a confidential ministry. The identity of those receiving care and everything they discuss with a Stephen Minister remain private.

A Stephen Minister Is...

A child of God who walks beside someone who is hurting.
A congregation member who is carefully selected to serve in this role because of his or her caregiving gifts.
A layperson with 50 hours of training in providing high-quality, distinctively Christian care.
A caring Christian friend who listens, cares, prays, supports, and encourages.
Someone who meets faithfully each week with his or her care receiver for as long as there's a need.

Stephen Ministers Care for People Facing Tough Times

We all experience challenges in life - times when we could benefit from care and support. Stephen Ministers can provide the emotional and spiritual care we need when faced with a crisis or difficulty such as:

Loss of a loved one
Hospitilization
Divorce or separation
Loneliness or discouragement
Spiritual crisis
Unemployment or a job crisis
A terminal illness
Incarceration
Aging
Birth, adoption, miscarriage, or infertility
A chronic illness
Relocation
Recovery after an accident or disaster
Many other life challenges

Stephen Ministry Is Your Ministry

You play an important role in our Stephen Ministry. Here's what you can do:

Pray for God to bring hope and healing to hurting people through our Stephen Ministry.
Accept care from a Stephen Minister during your time of need. God doesn't expect you to bear your burdens alone.
Tell a friend, neighbor, coworker, or relative who is hurting about our Stephen Ministry.