Frequently Asked Questions About Stephen Ministry

Who Can Benefit from Having a Stephen Minister?

Anyone who:

• is going through transition or crisis.
• has suffered the loss of a loved one, or job, or customary living situation.
• is facing a health crisis, or an emotional adjustment.
• is struggling with a relationship.

How Do I Get Linked with a Stephen Minister?

1. Call Pastor Jim Blades in the church office at 805. 543. 5451
2. One of them will explain to you the kind of support a Stephen Minister can offer and interview you to get a sense of who might be a good referral for you.
3. Next, if you decide you want a Stephen Minister, you will be given the name of a Stephen Minister who will contact you by telephone within a couple of days
4. Your Stephen Minister will arrange to meet with you weekly or whatever frequency best fits your situation
5. Stephen Ministers bind themselves to a covenant of absolute confidentiality. Only you, your Stephen Minister and your pastor will have information regarding your referral.

I Am Interested in Becoming a Stephen Minister

What are the benefits of being a Stephen Minister?
You will have the opportunity to make a difference in the life of someone who is hurting, by being a one-on-one confidential friend to that person. As you share God’s healing counsel and presence with others, you yourself will experience more of God’s reality in your own life. You will develop strong relationships of mutual caring and sharing with other Stephen Ministers on your team.
What training will I get?
You will receive thirty-five hours of initial training in listening and caring skills, in how to relate effectively to those going through many of the typical troubles and transitions of life like grief, hospitalization, divorce, terminal illness, spiritual crisis, job loss, etc.
When and where does the training take place?
Training is weekly Wednesdays, February through May, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. There is a concluding daylong retreat in May. Training is designed to be fun, fast-paced and packed with practical information to help you hone your caring skills.
What kind of time commitment will it be, once training is complete?
You will be assigned to one care receiver with whom you will meet, typically, for an hour weekly. You will meet with other Stephen Ministers for two hours monthly for continuing education and peer supervision.

What are essential aptitudes for being a Stephen Minister?

1. An intuitively caring disposition.
2. A desire to listening attentively and accurately.
3. A willingness to be with someone in their pain.
4. A maturity of faith that is not threatened by the doubts and questions of those who may be disappointed with God or life.
5. An experience of pain or distress in your own life that has equipped you to empathize with others who are going through the same thing.

How do I enroll?

You may indicate your initial interest by:

1. by calling the church office at 543.5451, or
2. talking to Pastor Jim Blades, or
3. marking the bulletin insert of your Sunday morning bulletin You will then be contacted by a Stephen Ministry leader for a telephone or in-person interview, to discuss your interest more fully. If Stephen Ministry is right for you at this time, and you wish to proceed, you will receive a confirmation letter with pertinent start-up information.