Christ Caring for People through People ...
That's the motto of Stephen Ministry. The Stephen Minister's role is to bring God's love into the lives of people who are going through a difficult time or experiencing a crisis.
What do Stephen Ministers do? They listen to you, care for you, support and encourage you, and pray with and for you. And in the midst of this confidential, one-to-one, caring relationship, God's healing love comes pouring through.
If you or someone you know is facing a crisis—large or small—and could benefit from the caring presence of a Stephen Minister, talk to one of our Stephen Leaders or call our Church Office for contact information.
Our Stephen Ministers are ready to care for you!
All inquiries are strictly confidential.
An observation by a STEPHEN MINISTER:
"Since becoming a STEPHEN MINISTER, I have experienced a richness of God’s grace beyond anything I could have imagined."
STEPHEN MINISTERS USE THEIR EARS TO LISTEN: You must understand this, my beloved; let everyone be quick to LISTEN, slow to speak.
James 1:19a; USE THEIR HEARTS TO LOVE: A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. John 12:34;
RESPECT CONFIDENTIALITY: Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 12:18;
SHARE A CUP OF COLD WATER: Matthew 10:42;
SHAREFEELINGS: Jesus wept. John 11:35;
SHARE BURDENS: Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ…For all must carry their own loads. Galatians 6:2, 5.
The STEPHEN MINISTRY LOGO......can be seen on the banner hanging in the narthex. The most dominant feature is the cross of Jesus. It is a reminder that Christ is at the center of STEPHEN MINISTRY and all Stephen Ministry relationships.
The broken person behind the cross symbolizes how we are all broken people, broken by our own sin and imperfections.
The Logo is the story of a Care Receiver’s journey from brokenness to wholeness through the transforming power of the cross of Jesus. The circle is a symbol of God’s eternal and never-ending love for us. God’s love surrounds us, holds us, and heals us.
Our congregation has well-trained STEPHEN MINISTERS ready to give help, hope and healing to any member or person living in the surrounding communities. If you or anyone you know needs someone to talk to or more information, contact the Church Office. All contacts will remain confidential.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
On March 26th, four members of COS were commissioned as Stephen Ministers. These four will now join our other active Stephen Ministers and begin coming to Stephen Ministry’s monthly Peer Support Group meeting. One of the main components of our monthly meeting is continuing education. We will mention the subject of our continuing education in the Sunday bulletin and invite any member of COS to join this portion of our meeting if they are interested. We meet on the third Wednesday of each month at 1:00 p.m. in Room 107.
STEPHEN MINISTRY AND CHRISTMAS
We all see the ads on television depicting family gatherings, gift openings, and/or baking special sweets for the Christmas holiday. Hopefully, many of us experience these events, but at times this is not possible. If your family is not in town, or there is an unexpected illness, Christmas Day may be a day during which a person is all alone and feeling sad. Our Stephen Ministers are here to talk to at any time during this season; that is why we are here. We would love to be able to personally wish you a Merry Christmas and visit on the phone or in person. This season is special and all our members are special to us. Call one of the Stephen Ministry Leaders. We will visit confidentially and with gratitude.
