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Do you need to talk to someone who knows how to listen?
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Would you like to talk with a qualified person about a personal situation
you are dealing with? Are you looking for a caring person to help
you through a crisis? The Stephen Ministry program is a free and confidential
service provided by St Paul
for its people in need of care.
The answers the following questions you might
have can be found below:
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What is the Stephen Ministry program? |
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Who is a Stephen Minister? |
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What training do they have? |
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How effective is it? |
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Am I assured of confidentiality? |
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How can I tell if I really need to talk? |
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What are some examples of problems Stephen Ministers
deal with? |
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How do I get a Stephen Minister? |
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Who are the Stephen Ministers? |
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Where can I go to learn more about Stephen Ministry? |
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What is the Stephen Ministry program?
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Stephen Ministry is a nationwide program named after Stephen,
the first of the deacons in the early church, commissioned by the apostles
to provide care and comfort for the needs of people in the Christian
community. Today, at ST Paul Lutheran Church and around the world, volunteer
lay ministers who have completed intensive training and participate
in on-going training, provide confidential, caring ministry to those
experiencing a wide range of life needs or crises. It is an extension,
not a replacement, of pastoral care. |
Who is a Stephen Minister?
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Stephen Ministers are dedicated lay people who:
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Provide one-to-one
caring, in-depth ministry to others in time of need |
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Extend the
hand of Christian friendship |
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Visit weekly,
or as needed |
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Care enough
to commit to a caring relationship as long as the need exists |
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Listen empathetically
and keep confidentiality |
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Help a person
work through problems |
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Encourage
a care receiver to take positive steps |
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Use Christian
resources such as scripture and prayer |
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What training do they have?
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Stephen Ministers receive extensive training which includes:
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How to listen |
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How to deal
with feelings |
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How to be
professional |
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How to express
honesty, warmth, and care |
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How to help
in times of crisis |
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How to minister
to those dealing with grief, divorce, death, depression, illness,
and many other areas |
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How effective is it?
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When people experience loss, grief, or other stressful changes in
their lives, there is a need for an empathetic listener. Family and
close friends are often too emotionally involved to meet this need.
Stephen Ministers are trained to be caring Christian friends who can
help hurting individuals sort out options. They do not give advice or
provide solutions. Stephen Ministers are not professional counselors,
psychologists, social workers, or experts in law, finance, church doctrine,
and so on, but neither are they merely superficial visitors. God is
viewed as providing the cure while Stephen Ministers provide
the care.
Stephen Ministers receive care themselves
when they attend required, monthly peer supervision and continuing
education meetings. Here, Stephen Ministers discuss their caring relationships
(maintaining complete anonymity of the care receivers, and staying
away from details of the care receiver's situation) and receive consultation
and support from other Stephen Ministers.
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Am I assured of confidentiality?
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Confidentiality is the basis of all Stephen Ministry relationships.
Anyone receiving care can be assured that his or her identity—and what
is shared in a caring relationship—will remain private. |
How can I tell if I really need to talk?
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Am I confused
about events in my life? |
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Do I feel
like I have lost control of my life and my problems? |
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Do I often
feel overwhelmed? |
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Do I doubt
God's presence and love for me? |
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Am I hurting? |
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Do my job
worries seem too great to handle? Are they getting me down? |
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Am I feeling
lonely? Do I often wish I had someone to share my thoughts with? |
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Have there
been changes in my life that have caused readjustments in my lifestyle? |
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Am I having
difficulty making decisions and finding answers? |
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Have I recently
suffered a loss? |
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Do I ever
feel like I just want someone to listen? |
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What are some examples of problems Stephen Ministers deal with?
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Those experiencing:
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Hospitalization |
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Declining
health, disability, or terminal illness |
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The illness
of a loved one |
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The death
of a loved one |
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Divorce or
separation from a spouse |
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Severe financial
setback |
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Difficulties associated with aging |
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Transition
to assisted living or nursing homes |
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Family or
domestic problems |
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Isolation |
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Loneliness |
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Depression |
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How do I get a Stephen Minister?
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Simply call the church office at 419-547-9225 and ask to speak to
the Stephen Ministry Referrals Coordinator.
When someone, such as yourself, a relative,
or a friend is hurting and in need of Christian care, please feel
free to call Pastor Gerry. Once he learns about a need, he can place
a call. All contacts are made only with the person's permission.
The Referrals Coordinator meets with the
person, explains how the Stephen Ministry works and then assigns a
Stephen Minister to meet on a weekly, or as-needed, basis with the
person.
The Stephen Minister continues to provide
distinctively Christian care for the person in strict confidentiality.
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Who are the Stephen Ministers?
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Active Stephen Minister Leaders are:
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- Pastor
Gerry
- John Glass
- Rosemary Pocock
- Bud Smith
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Active, trained Stephen Ministers are:
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- Bill
Hutchinson
- Naomi Conley
- Diane Dagg
- Jim Avery
- Walt Frasher
- Sherri Glass
- Judy Jones
- Sandy Kessler
- Carol Lobdell
- Paula Stiger
- Tom Watt
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