Stephen Ministries ~ Christ Caring for
People through People
Hurting? Struggling? Discouraged? Stressed? Confused? Broken?
STEPHEN MINISTERS ARE READY TO CARE
To contact a Stephen Ministry Leader from Good Shepherd,
email Lyn anlyfam@netscape.net or call (630) 204-2002
or Nancy at hortnjp@sbcglobal.net (630) 554-4622
What is Stephen Ministry?
Our congregation'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.
A Stephen Minister Is...
- A child of God who walks beside a person who is hurting
- A congregation member with gifts for caregiving, who was carefully selected to serve in this role
- A lay person who has received 50 hours of training in providing emotional and spiritual care
- A caring, Christian friend who listens, cares, prays, supports, and encourages
- Someone who will "be there" for his or her care receiver, meeting faithfully for about an hour each week, for as long as there's a need
"Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will
Stephen Ministers Care for People Facing Tough Times
We all experience challenges in life - times when we could benefit from the support of a caring Christan friend. Stephen Ministers are ready to provide the emotional and spiritual care we need when faced with a crisis or difficulty, such as-
- Loss of a loved one
- Hospitalization
- 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
-
And many more
Stephen Ministry is a confidential ministry: The identity of those receiving care and what takes place in each caring relationship remains private.