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(618) 537-6622 Fax (618) 537-4571 |
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We are a Stephen Ministry Church |
The
A
Stephen Minister is a congregation member who is
recruited, selected, trained, commissioned, and supervised by Stephen
Leaders
to provide one-to-one Christian care to persons in need on behalf of
the
congregation. Stephen Ministers typically are assigned one care
receiver at a
time and meet with that person for about one hour each week. Stephen
Ministers
usually serve for two years, which includes an initial 50 hours of
training
followed by twice-monthly supervision and continuing education sessions.
Stephen
Ministers are not counselors. They are trained Christian
caregivers. Their role is to listen and to care—not to
counsel or advise.
A Stephen Minister doesn’t replace the pastor, but augments the pastor by providing the someone that a care receiver can talk to regularly for as long as they need the Stephen Minister. A pastor can meet with someone once or twice for specific needs, but can’t possibly meet with each person in a congregation for an hour or so each week for months. That’s why our church chose to have Stephen Ministers.