Stephen Ministry
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First Parish Church has a team of Stephen Leaders and Stephen Ministers ready to care for you through any crisis. People who are hurting have a compassionate companion — a caring Christian friend who provides emotional and spiritual support.
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First Parish Church, UCC is an active Stephen Ministry Church since 2006. |
If you or someone you know is need of confidential, loving care, please contact one of our Stephen Leaders:
Judy Edwards, 603-749-2130 or Dave Dickson, 603-781-9791
Judy Edwards, 603-749-2130 or Dave Dickson, 603-781-9791
What is Stephen Ministry?
Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2, NRSV).
Stephen Ministry is a one-to-one lay caring ministry that takes place in congregations that use the Stephen Series system.
Stephen Ministry congregations equip and empower lay caregivers — called Stephen Ministers — to provide high-quality, confidential, Christ-centered care to people who are hurting.
Stephen Ministry congregations equip and empower lay caregivers — called Stephen Ministers — to provide high-quality, confidential, Christ-centered care to people who are hurting.
How Stephen Ministry Works
The best way to understand how Stephen Ministry works is to learn about three groups of people involved in this ministry:
Stephen Leaders, Stephen Ministers, and care receivers.
Stephen Leaders, Stephen Ministers, and care receivers.
Stephen Leaders
Stephen Leaders establish and direct the Stephen Ministry in a congregation.
They:
Stephen Ministers are congregation members trained by Stephen Leaders to offer high-quality, one-to-one Christian care to people going through tough times. A Stephen Minister usually provides care to one person at a time, meeting with that person once a week for about an hour. Twice a month, Stephen Ministers gather with their peers for supervision and continuing education.
Care Receivers — People going through tough times who are being cared for by Stephen Ministers.
Care receivers are people — congregation members and others in the community—who receive care from a Stephen Minister. These are people struggling through a difficult time in life—experiencing grief, divorce, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, or some other life crisis. Some important guidelines for this caring relationship protect both the care receiver and the Stephen Minister:
They:
- build awareness of Stephen Ministry within the congregation and community
- recruit and train Stephen Ministers
- meet with potential care receivers to assess their needs
- match care receivers with Stephen Ministers
- provide Stephen Ministers with ongoing supervision and continuing education
Stephen Ministers are congregation members trained by Stephen Leaders to offer high-quality, one-to-one Christian care to people going through tough times. A Stephen Minister usually provides care to one person at a time, meeting with that person once a week for about an hour. Twice a month, Stephen Ministers gather with their peers for supervision and continuing education.
Care Receivers — People going through tough times who are being cared for by Stephen Ministers.
Care receivers are people — congregation members and others in the community—who receive care from a Stephen Minister. These are people struggling through a difficult time in life—experiencing grief, divorce, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, or some other life crisis. Some important guidelines for this caring relationship protect both the care receiver and the Stephen Minister:
- The relationship between a care receiver and a Stephen Minister is confidential.
- Men are matched with men; women with women.
- When a care receiver’s needs exceed what a Stephen Minister can provide, the Stephen Ministry team makes a referral to an appropriate mental health professional or other community resource.
