Duke Memorial | Stephen Ministry
|
Stephen Ministry is alive, vibrant and ready to serve those going through a challenging period in their life. Stephen Ministry was started in Duke Memorial by Ann Smith, aka Ann Stallings, in 1994. Please click on the graphic hot spots on this page to learn more about Stephen Ministry.
If you would like to discuss the possibility of having a Stephen Minister care for you, please contact Thomas Crichlow (919) 280-3615. If you would like to learn more about Stephen Ministry and perhaps about becoming a Stephen Minister, please contact either Thomas Crichlow (919) 280-3615 or Blaine Butterworth (919) 683-3285. We welcome the opportunity to talk with you about Stephen Ministry. |
|
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 Leaders direct the overall ministry in the congregation. They establish and direct Stephen Ministry in a congregation.
People learn to serve as Stephen Leaders by attending a Leader’s Training Course—a one-week conference that introduces the resources used to lead Stephen Ministry, develops key skills, and gets people excited about this caring ministry. Most congregations begin with two to four Stephen Leaders, typically including a pastor, possibly another church staff person, and one or more lay leaders.
- 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
People learn to serve as Stephen Leaders by attending a Leader’s Training Course—a one-week conference that introduces the resources used to lead Stephen Ministry, develops key skills, and gets people excited about this caring ministry. Most congregations begin with two to four Stephen Leaders, typically including a pastor, possibly another church staff person, and one or more lay leaders.
Stephen MinistersStephen Ministers are lay persons trained to provide one-to-one care to people experiencing a difficult time in life, such as grief, divorce, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, relocation, or separation due to military deployment. Stephen Ministers come from all walks of life. Their commonality? A passion for bringing Christ’s love and care to people during a time of need. Since 1975, more than 600,000 people from more than 11,000 congregations and other organizations have been trained as Stephen Ministers. Find out more about what a Stephen Minister is.
|
|
Care Receivers
Care Receivers are congregation members and others in the community going through tough times who are being cared for by Stephen Ministers. Watch videos with stories from care receivers. These are people struggling through a difficult time in life—experiencing grief, divorce, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, or some other life crisis.
|
|
|
|