Stephen Ministries

The next time you are in church prior to the service starting, take a look around you.  Look at the person next to you. Don’t talk to them, just look. Look at the person behind you, in front of you.  Across the isle from you. In fact try to look at everyone in the sanctuary. 

By looking into each of these faces, can you tell what they are thinking or feeling.  Can you tell if they are happy, lonely, or feel depressed?  Are they unemployed, struggling with separation, divorce, or have a terminal illness?  Do they feel embarrassed or think that others have a bigger, more important problem then they do?
Maybe it’s their kids, grandchildren, husband or parents.  Maybe they just don’t know what the problem is.

AND THAT IS THE POINT.  We are all good at hiding our feelings.  We walk around with smiles on our face and respond to the question “How are you” with an answer of “Fine”.  Do you know what Fine really means?   Feelings I’m not expressing.

Thanks to a wonderful ministry you don’t have to go at it alone.   Stephen Ministry is a one to one confidential lay ministry. 

It is a ministry that you can talk to another person and that person will not judge you, will not criticize you, a person who will not gossip about you.

Stephen Ministers are not counselors, but trained caregivers. Their role is to listen and to care--not to counsel or advise. They are trained to make professional referrals when caregiver needs go beyond the scope of their ministry.

Stephen ministry is a supervised ministry. Stephen Ministers meet twice monthly for peer supervision and continuing education.

It is confidential ministry. Even in supervision, the names of care receivers and specific details are never discussed.

Stephen Ministers do not make cold calls. They are assigned only to care receivers who agree to receive the care of a Stephen Minister.

If you are one of those people who answer “FINE” to all the questions asked Think again.  We are here to help.
And if you are really fine, why not help someone else.
Become a Stephen Minister----classes are starting in January.  Talk to one of our Stephen Leaders and then you can help all those FINE people.

For more information on having a Stephen Minister that will not judge, criticize or gossip about you but will listen, walk and pray with you,  contact Louise Holtz (248-889-3040), Lou Prine (810-227-0535), or Kathy Eklov (248-887-1552)