Hurting? Struggling? Discouraged? Stressed? Confused? Broken? Stephen Ministers are ready to care.
“Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
“Love one another – as I have loved you.” John 13:34
Harrison’s Stephen Ministry equips lay people to provide confidential, one-to-one Christian care to individuals in our congregation and community who are experiencing difficulties in their lives.
What is Stephen Ministry? (Click here to view a video on Stephen Ministry)
- A CONFIDENTIAL lay caring ministry in which one person reaches out to another’s need
- A CONFIDENTIAL, ongoing, helping relationship focusing on the needs of the individual
- A congregational commitment to caring and supporting one another in response to Christ’s command “to love one another as I have loved you.”
- A complete system of training and organization used by many denominations in thousands of congregations throughout the world.
- A ministry named after St. Stephen, one of the first lay persons in the early church commissioned to care for the needs of others
Who are Stephen Ministers?
Some are educators, nurses, business persons, social workers, homemakers, retirees, engineers, and a variety of other vocations. All are trained, caring, supportive Christian lay people who are willing to be with you in times of transition, crisis or major change in your life.
What do they do?
A Stephen Minister meets for about an hour once a week to offer support through sharing, caring, providing resources and listening. Confidentiality is the cornerstone component of Stephen Ministry and is strictly observed. The Stephen Minister will meet with his or her care receiver to build and maintain the relationship for as long as it is needed.
Who can receive this special care?
Everyone goes through periods of difficulty and transition at times. Just to have someone who cares enough to listen and care can ease these experiences of confusion, stress and loneliness. No problem is too small or too insignificant to receive attention. Anyone who is a member of Harrison United Methodist Church or anyone in our community is eligible to receive care.
A Stephen Minister can help with many life transitions and experiences such as:
- Hospitalization
- Death in the family
- Loneliness or depression
- Spiritual crisis
- Birth or adoption of a child
- Job transition
- Separation or divorce
- Single parents
- Newcomers to the church or community
- Elderly persons
- Serious illness for you or your family
- Retirement issues
…and many more
A Stephen Minister is NOT…
- A professional counselor, psychologist or social worker
- A substitute for the pastor, but one who will supplement the ministry
of the pastor - A person who “cures”, but someone who “cares”
What is involved in becoming a Stephen Minister?
- A written application
- A personal interview
- A two-year commitment
- Fifty (50) hours of training
- Frequent contacts with the care receiver
- Twice a month supervision and continuing education
- A commitment to CONFIDENTIALITY
What role do church members have?
- Pray for the Stephen Ministry
- To be open to receiving care for ourselves from a Stephen Minister
- To be “minister of referral” to help someone receive care from a
Stephen Minister - Pray for all those to are receiving care through the Stephen Ministry
- To consider serving as a Stephen Ministry
For more information about becoming a Stephen Minister, please feel free to speak with any of the pastors or Stephen Leaders:
Bruce Ainslie, Laura Clark, Sue Luke, and Harrison Church staff at 704-541-3486: Sally Ainslie (ext. 208) and Pastor Gayle Montgomery (ext. 209).
