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Ministries: Stephen Ministry

Ministries: Stephen MinistryStephen Ministry is a program of our congregation that equips lay persons to provide distinctively Christian, one-to-one care to those who are experiencing all kinds of life needs and circumstances, both in our congregation and community.

“Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galations 6:2

Stephen Ministry is a confidential ministry: those receiving care can be sure that their identity and what goes on in the caring relationship will remain private.

Augsburg Stephen Ministry Leaders:

Fred Newman – Team Coordinator
Don Eppert/Pastor Shirley R. Harrison - Referrals Coordinators
E. B. Hiatt – Recruiting/Training Coordinator & Continuing Education
Kathy Daniel – Supervision Coordinator
Pastor Ronald Rinn

The congregation recognizes and appreciates Stephen Ministers for the service they give the congregation.

Please contact Kathy Daniel, Fred Newman, Don Eppert, E. B. Hiatt or Pastor Harrison for more information.

Questions and Answers about Serving as a Stephen Minister

Question: How much of my time will it really involve? There are 50 hours of training scheduled as needed – usually twice per year. As a Stephen Minister you will visit about once a week (for about one-hour) with the person you are caring for. You will also attend two meetings per month for supervision and continuing education.

Question: How much money will this cost? The Augsburg Lutheran Church operating budget includes funds approved by the congregation to pick up the cost of training Stephen Ministers.

Question: Will I have to spend money on the person I am caring for? No, you are not expected to spend any money whatsoever on the care receiver. You are also not expected to personally provide any other specific services for a care receiver, such as transportation or baby-sitting, for example. As a Stephen Minister, you may at times assist in arranging for such services.

Question: Will my phone be ringing constantly? No. You will care for one care receiver at a time. If the care receiver were to begin calling too often, you will learn to respond to too many phone calls or excessive demands in a loving, assertive manner. It probably won’t arise, though.

Question: Will our pastor still help and counsel people? Most definitely! Stephen Ministers complement the pastors’ ministry and provide even more care to those who need it.

Question: What if I get in over my head, with people who need more care than I can provide? First of all, you will never be knowingly assigned to people who might be in those situations. The Stephen Ministry training also helps you to know exactly when and how to help your care receiver get professional help when necessary. The Supervision Group, the Stephen Leader, and the pastors are also there to help you make such decisions.

Question: How will I personally benefit from this experience? You will learn many skills that will be valuable in your personal life as well as in your Stephen Ministry. Also, the satisfaction of helping another person is a wonderful blessing.

Question: Do I have to stop being a Stephen Minister after two years? No, many people decide to continue as Stephen Ministers after two years. You and your Stephen Leader will make that decision when the time comes.

Question: Who will be the care receivers? Members of this congregation who are experiencing times of special need and other people within our community who may turn to us for help. Thus, Stephen Ministry is also a way to reach out to others as well as to our own members.

Question: Will the care receiver really want my care? Yes. A pastor of Stephen Leader will meet first with the care receiver. Only after the care receiver understands Stephen Ministry and has agreed to meet with a Stephen Minister will you be contacted.

Question: Are other people as scared as I seem to be about this undertaking? Probably so! But the training will eliminate much of this fear because you will not only learn what to say but also, and more importantly, how to listen.

Question: How do I apply? Fill out the application form that is available on the Stephen Ministry Bulletin Board outside the Family Life Center. You will then have an opportunity to meet with Stephen Leaders to ask any questions and make your final decision.

Stephen Minister Job Description

Stephen Ministers are congregation members who are recruited, selected, trained, and commissioned to provide one-to-one lay caring ministry to persons in crisis or with other needs for care. They participate in Supervision Group twice a month. They initially commit to serve for two years including training and may renew their commitment.

What Stephen Ministers Do

A defined cluster of activities make up a Stephen Minister's job description.

Pray

Stephen Ministers pray daily for their care receivers and strive to worship God always in word and deed. They reveal the love of God to those who most need to see it.

Care for the Care Receiver

Stephen Ministers are assigned to care receivers-people in crisis who need caring support. Stephen Ministers care for those in moderate difficulties. The Stephen Minister's care helps the care receiver resolve the difficulty and achieve growth.

Most Stephen Ministers meet once a week with their care receivers for about an hour at a time. They may also check in with the care receiver by telephone, particularly when the care receiver is going through a difficult time.

Stephen Ministers use special skills to care for their care receivers. Among the most important are the following:

Listening. Most care receivers need someone simply to listen-really listen-as they talk through their difficulties.

Dealing with feelings. Stephen Ministers reflect the care receiver's content, feelings, and ideas and ask open-ended questions to help the care receiver recognize, express, and accept his or her feelings.

Sharing distinctively Christian caring resources. Stephen Ministers may share a prayer, a Bible verse or story, or other caring gestures that the care receiver would welcome.

Remaining process-oriented. Stephen Ministers do not try to fix the care receiver or his or her problems; they focus on the process of caregiving and rely on God to achieve results.

Relating assertively. Stephen Ministers respect both the needs of the care receiver and their own needs as well.

Maintaining boundaries. Stephen Ministers set appropriate boundaries in the caring relationship, helping the care receiver remain as independent as possible while being there for the care receiver as needed.

Recommending professional care when necessary. Stephen Ministers are not trained to care for those who are suicidal, severely depressed, abusive, or homicidal, or who are abusing drugs or alcohol. If Stephen Ministers recognize that their care receiver's needs exceed the care they are able to provide, they see that the care receiver receives professional care.

Maintain Confidentiality

Stephen Ministers understand that confidentiality is crucial in any caring relationship. The care receiver needs to know that what he or she says to the Stephen Minister will remain in confidence. Stephen Ministers maintain confidentiality and encourage other Stephen Ministers to do the same.

Help Identify People in Need of Stephen Ministry

Stephen Ministers act as ministers of referral, helping to find people who would benefit from the care of a Stephen Minister.

Participate in Twice-Monthly Supervision and Continuing Education Sessions

Stephen Ministers participate faithfully in Small Group Peer Supervision and continuing education, coming prepared to every supervision session unless illness or emergency makes attendance impossible. Supervision provides Stephen Ministers with support, guidance, and accountability for their caring relationships. There are no unsupervised Stephen Ministers.

Help the Congregation Understand and Appreciate Stephen Ministry

Through their service, Stephen Ministers help the congregation appreciate Stephen Ministry and encourage members to become ministers of referral who help those in crisis receive the care they need.

How the Congregation Supports the Stephen Minister

The Stephen Minister has responsibilities, and so does the congregation.

Training

Through its trained Stephen Leaders, the congregation supplies Stephen Ministers 50 hours of training for this ministry before they are assigned a care receiver, and further supplies continuing education twice monthly as long as the Stephen Ministers serve. The training is comprehensive, and Stephen Ministers can feel confident in their skills for this ministry.

Commissioning

The congregation formally commissions Stephen Ministers at one or more worship services. This allows the community to recognize their efforts, affirm and support their ministry, and pray for them as they begin their caring ministry.

Supervision

Small Group Peer Supervision provides Stephen Ministers with encouragement and assures that no Stephen Minister will ever have to carry the responsibility for his or her care receiver all alone.

Prayers

Stephen Ministers rely on the prayers of the congregation for keeping God's presence foremost in their caring ministry. Sometimes the going will be tough for both caregivers and their care receivers; the Stephen Ministers will need the additional support of knowing that others are lifting their needs as caregivers to God in prayer.

Stephen Leaders

By accepting Stephen Ministry as part of its overall ministry, a congregation agrees to supply the resources that allow for the training of Stephen Leaders. These Stephen Leaders in turn provide guidance for Stephen Ministers. They train them and ensure that the Supervision and continuing education sessions progress smoothly. They are available to consult with Stephen Ministers when they have questions, face challenges, or suspect that the care receiver's needs exceed the care they are able to give. Stephen Leaders offer support, advice, and affirmation to the Stephen Ministers and ensure the smooth operation of Stephen Ministry in the congregation.

Recognition and Appreciation

The congregation recognizes and appreciates Stephen Ministers for the service they give the congregation.

Please contact Fred Newman, Robi Brath, Kitty Walker, Don Eppert, E. B. Hiatt or Pastor Harrison for more information.

Referral Process

Referral is the process of identifying people who need care and matching them with a Stephen Minister who can provide the necessary care.

I. Identifying Care Receivers

Any member of the congregation can make a referral for potential care. Referrals are encouraged to be made by Pastors, Family Life Minister, Stephen Leaders, Stephen Ministers, Council Members, Sunday School teachers; i.e. any church leader.

In order to maintain confidentiality it is critical for the person making the referral to first obtain permission from the person needing the care.

Referrals are made to our pastors (Rinn or Harrison ) and/or the referrals coordinator, Don Eppert. To insure confidentiality, referrals must be made directly to these individuals.

Pastors and/or Don Eppert may be contacted by phone at church (722-8144) or in person.

There are five kinds of needs for which Stephen Ministers are equipped for care.

Crisis care includes those dealing with hospitalization, a terminal illness, death of a loved one, divorce, unemployment or a severe financial setback.
Follow-up care is for individuals who need care as they recover from a major life crisis.
Chronic care needs include people who are disabled, aged, in nursing homes, experiencing chronic pain and /or living with degenerative diseases.
Preventive care helps people anticipate and prepare for potentially difficult upcoming events such as first time childbirth, retirement, relocation and entrance into college or the military.
Supportive care includes examples like a spouse caring for a dying mate, a son or daughter considering placing an elderly parent in a long- term care facility or supporting a parent through the death and funeral of the other parent.

II. Preparing Interview and Matching to Stephen Minster

Once a referral is made, a preparation interview is conducted by Pastor Harrison or Don Eppert to assess the individual’s need and if Stephen Ministry is appropriate. After obtaining his/her permission, the care receiver is matched to a Stephen Minister and the program begins.

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