Our congregation’s Stephen Ministry equips lay people to provide confidential one-to-one care to individuals in our congregation and the community who are experiencing difficulties in their lives. It is

• A special ministry in which one Christian reaches to another in time of need.
• A structured program of training and preparation for a caring relationship.
• An opportunity to reach out to others - the lonely, the depressed, the inactive, the bereaved, those new in town, those hospitalized and convalescing, the divorced, the aged, those dealing with family issues or experiencing any other life difficulty.
• An ongoing, compassionate relationship where the care giver and care receiver meet with scheduled regularity.
• A relationship based on dependability and confidentiality.
• A meaningful way for our church to utilize more fully the many gifts of its members in sharing one another’s burdens and joys.

Stephen Ministers are:

• Lay men and women from our congregation who, through training, have developed their gifts for bringing the concern and care of Christ’s community to people in need.
• People who come from all walks of life, ages and backgrounds.
• Caring and sharing Christians desiring to offer help/support to others in time of need.
• Dedicated Christians - commissioned by our church to provide confidential indepth ministry.

 Stephen Ministry is not for people who cannot cope with the events in their lives; it is to make coping with those issues easier to confront and understand.

     THE PROCESS FOR BEGINNING A Stephen Ministry relationship is as follows:
The Individual

• Contacts one of the Pastors or Stephen Leaders
• Meets with the Pastor or Stephen Leader
• Stephen Leader prays for discernment before suggesting a particular Stephen Minister for the relationship
• Stephen Leader suggests a particular Stephen Minister to the Individual
• Stephen Leader and Individual mutually agree on the Stephen Minister
• Stephen Minister agreed upon contacts the Individual making the request