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Next Stephen Ministry Class
scheduled for Nov. 2009.
Stephen Ministry is a system through
which members of the United Church of Marco are trained and organized to help
provide Christian care giving to members of our congregation and community.
Pastoral care here is multiplied by a whole team of skilled caregivers who are
equipped to bring Christ's healing love to people who are grieving, in crisis,
or experiencing other stresses in life.
Stephen Ministry is based on the understanding
that all Christians are ministers. The responsibility for passing on God's
love is for all of us, not just a chosen few. All, of us have been given
gifts, and Stephen Ministry is a place where people with special gifts for
caring ministry can put them to effective use with people in need.
We have many needs for care in our congregation
and community: people experiencing grief, prolonged or terminal illness,
relocation, loss of a job, loss of a spouse, family alienation,
hospitalization and many other stresses and challenges. Often people with
needs like these suffer silently and do not receive the level of care they
really need. At United Church, a well trained and organized group of people
with the gifts, skills, and calling bring Christ's love and care, on a long
term basis, to folks who need it.
Stephen Ministers are members of United Church
of Marco with basic caring skills who have gone through 50 hours of training
in providing high quality Christian care to individuals experiencing crisis or
challenge. They are assigned one on one to a care receiver and meet with that
person for about an hour each week. This relationship will last for as long as
the care receiver needs it. In addition, Stephen Ministers also meet briefly
twice a month with a trained leader to review the process, and if necessary,
options for additional resources. No one, except the Stephen Minister, the
care receiver, and our Senior Pastor knows who is assigned to who, nor
possible sensitive details of the situation.
Potential care receivers initially meet with
our senior pastor, Rev. Richard Adair, who will assess the appropriateness
of the Ministry and the availability of a Stephen Minister, and explain the
process to the person. He will then match the person to an available Stephen Minister, and with full permission of the
care receiver, provide the background and contact information to the
Stephen Minister to go ahead and set up a time and place for meetings.
Everything a Stephen Minister sees, hears or
concludes regarding these meetings is kept confidential. The Stephen Minister
doesn't try to solve problems, rather he or she listens actively, cares, prays
(with the care receiver or alone), and helps the person find his or her own
path to healing and wholeness.
Stephen Ministers volunteer two years of this
service to our church family in exchange for the training. Some then “retire”, go on
sabbatical, or continue on an indefinite basis.
To become a Stephen Minister or to receive a
Stephen Minister's care please contact The Reverend Richard Adair or the current
Stephen Ministry Leaders, Pat and Russ Rainey.
Current and retired SM
met to hear upcoming plans.
Russ Rainey announces next class to begin in Nov. 2009
Stephen Leader Pris Penn discusses leadership and teaching schedules
with Rev. Adair
To become a Stephen Minister or
to receive a Stephen Minister's care please contact The Reverend
Richard Adair or the current Stephen Ministry Leaders, Pat and Russ Rainey.
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