Stephen Ministries
Stephen Ministry is a one-to-one Christian caregiving ministry that Central UMC participates in with congregations from around the world. In our congregation, Stephen Ministers, laypeople who have gifts in care-giving and offering God’s love to hurting people, will be trained from September 2008 to February 2009 every Tuesday evening from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. They will be trained in active listening, offering resources, confidentiality and many other caregiving skills to be caregivers to others in our congregation and community who need a Christian friend to walk with them through crises such as job loss, death, retirement, birth or adoption, divorce and other life transitions.
Once the Stephen Ministers have been trained, they will be matched with a Care-Receiver and meet with them weekly for one hour. This care relationship is confidential focuses on the journey of the care-receiver as they move toward greater hope and healing.
Stephen Ministry at Central will be led and coordinated by our Stephen Leaders, persons who have been trained in this care-giving system and who will lead in teaching, recruiting, care-giving relationships and supervision. They are Rev. Amy Gearhart Sage, Connie Hartline, Roger Odneal, Bev Lindsey and Maggie Holley.
The following dates have been scheduled for the Start Up of Stephen Ministry this Fall:
July -- Applications accepted for the Fall class
July/August -- Interviews for Stephen Ministers
September 2 -- Orientation to Stephen Ministry
September 7 -- Stephen Ministry Kickoff Sunday
September 9 -- First Stephen Ministry Class
January 30-31 -- Stephen Ministry Retreat
February 1 -- Stephen Ministry Commissioning Sunday New Care-giving relationships assigned
I’D LIKE TO BE A STEPHEN MINISTER
Step 1: Visit www.stephenministries.org to learn more about this caregiving system.
Step 2: Download a Stephen Ministry application and return it to the church office.
Step 3: Contact the church office for a contact from a Stephen Leader who can answer more of your questions.
I’D LIKE TO RECEIVE CARE FROM A STEPHEN MINISTER
E-mail Rev. Amy at amy@centralcares.com with your request.
OR
Call the church office at 816-753-1844 for a confidential referral contact.
I’D LIKE TO REFER CARE FOR SOMEONE IN OUR CONGREGATION OR COMMUNITY
Email Rev. Amy at amy@centralcares.com with your referral.
OR
Call the church office at 816-753-1844 for a confidential referral contact.