Stephen MinistryStephen Ministry is a ministry in our congregation in which trained and supervised lay person, called "Stephen Ministers," they provide one-to-one Christian care to individuals facing life challenges or difficulties. Stephen Ministers are caring Christian friends who listen, understand, accept, keep confidentiality and pray for and with care receivers who are working through a crisis or a tough time. Stephen Ministry has been around since 1975, when Kenneth Haugk, a pastor and clinical psychologist, began it to multiply the care giving in his congregation in St. Louis, Missouri. We have had Stephen Ministry at Asbury since commissioning our first class in May, 2004. There are more than 7,000 Stephen Ministry congregations from more than 90 denominations. Stephen Ministries St. Louis, the organization behind this international ministry, is headquartered in Missouri. Who Is Involved?Stephen Leaders are the ones who oversee and direct our Stephen Ministry. They recruit, select, train, organize, and supervise our Stephen Ministers, identify people in need of care, and match them with a Stephen Minister. We have two Stephen Leaders. They are: Rosario Cartwright and Linda Loeser. Stephen Ministers are the caregivers who walk beside a care receiver who needs a Christian friend, like a Stephen Minister. Care receivers are persons:Needing someone to care for them Who need someone they can trust Needing someone to be there with regular visits during times of crisis Who need someone who listens and cares/shares Christ's love Needing someone who does not "do for" but is "there for" Homebound/alone Hospitalized/recently discharged Facing serious or terminal illness Experiencing major adjustments to jobs/careers/residences Residents of long-term care facilities Facing decisions on future care of aging parents/spouses Experiencing absence of family members due to death, school, military assignment, marriage, divorce, etc. Persons adjusting to becoming single parents How does the Referrals Process Work?A person - either you, a relative, or a friend - is in need of Christian care. The Stephen Ministry Referrals Coordinator/Stephen Leader learns about this need from you or someone you have given permission to speak on your behalf (i.e. pastor, friend, etc.). The Referrals Coordinator meets with the person to talk about Stephen Ministry. With the person's permission, the Referrals Coordinator assigns a Stephen Minister to meet on a weekly basis with the person. The Stephen Minister continues to provide distinctively Christian care for the person with strict confidentiality. ConfidentialityConfidentiality is a cornerstone of Stephen Ministry because it is absolutely essential for building safe, healing, caring relationships. What a care receiver says to his or her Stephen Minister is kept in strictest confidence. Even the identify of a care receiver is kept secret (unless the care receiver chooses to tell someone). How Can I Receive A Stephen Minister?Please call the church office at Asbury United Methodist Church 256-837-0365 and ask to speak to one of our pastors. Also, a Stephen Leader can be reached by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Someone will be in touch as soon as possible. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest .” (Matthew 11:28) |
