 In
2007, Middlebrook Pike UMC began a Stephen Ministry
to provide one-to-one caring to others in time of
need. Through this program, MPUMC lay members
receive extensive training to become skilled
caregivers who are equipped to bring Christ’s healing love to people
who are grieving, in crisis, or experiencing other
stresses in life. These caregivers are an extension to, not a
replacement of pastoral care.
This web site answers the following questions you may have about our Stephen Ministry Program:
What is the Stephen Ministry
Program?
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, volunteer lay ministers around the
world have completed the intensive training required
to provide this free, confidential, caring ministry
to those experiencing a wide range of life needs or
crises.
If you are experiencing
difficulties that you would like to discuss with
someone, you may request that a Stephen Minister
through a pastor or the Stephen Ministry
Coordinator.
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Who is a Stephen Minister?
Anyone can serve as a Stephen Minister. They are
dedicated lay people who have received extensive
training to:
- Provide one-to-one caring,
in-depth ministry to their assigned care receiver(s)
- Extend the hand of Christian friendship
- Visit weekly, or as needed
- Care enough to commit to a caring
relationship as long as the need exists
- Listen empathetically and retain care receiver confidentiality
- Help a person work through problems
- Encourage a care receiver to take
positive steps
- Use Christian resources such as
scripture and prayer
Stephen Ministers are
not professional counselors, psychologists, social
workers, or care-giving experts. Stephen Ministers
are trained to be caring Christian friends who can
help hurting individuals identify options. They do
not give advice or provide solutions.
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What training do they have?
Stephen Ministers receive an initial 50 hours of
training to ensure they understand how to:
- Listen effectively and without
criticism
- Deal openly with feelings
- Be professional and confidential
- Express honesty, warmth, and care
- Help in times of crisis
- Minister to those dealing with
grief, divorce, death, depression, illness, and many
other areas
In addition to the intensive initial training, Stephen
Ministers meet bi-monthly to receive peer
supervision and continuing education. Here, they
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?
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 at all
times.
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What types of problems do
Stephen Ministers address?
There are no restrictions on what you may want to
talk about with a Stephen Minister. If you are
experiencing grief, loneliness, divorce, hospitalization,
disability, job loss, relocation, or other stressful
changes or difficulties in your life and need a good
listener that is not directly involved, a Stephen
Minister can help. While not limited to the
following items, Stephen Ministers are often
requested for:
- Crisis care, such as
hospitalization, terminal illness, death of a loved
one, unemployment, divorce, natural disaster, severe
financial setback, etc.
- Follow-up care, such as support
during after-shocks following the initial crisis
- Chronic care for long-term
problems such as chronic illness or suffering,
disability, age-related issues, homebound
individuals, degenerative diseases, loneliness
- Preventive care to help people
anticipate and prepare for potentially difficult
events, such as the approach of retirement, marriage
in the near future, college students away from home,
women expecting their first child
- Supportive care for care-givers,
such as a spouse caring for a dying wife, persons
placing an senior in a long-term facility, parents
of a special-needs child, children supporting a
grieving parent, a parent supporting a child facing
divorce
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How do I get a Stephen Minister?
Simply call the Middlebrook Pike United Methodist
Church office at 865-690-8641 and ask to speak to one of our pastors. Once they
are aware of your need, they can discuss with you
the assignment of a Stephen Minister. Should you
decide to proceed, the pastor will involve one of
our Stephen Minister Coordinators to match your
needs with one of our trained Stephen Ministers.
As an alternative, you may contact one of the
Stephen Minister Coordinators directly to discuss
your desire for a Stephen Minister. Bob Ruth can be
reached by phone at 588-8458 or by e-mail at
bobruth@knology.net. Lynne Harr
can be reached by phone at
584-1624 or by e-mail at
LynneHarr@comcast.net.
As soon as you have been
matched to a Stephen Minister, that individual will
initiate contact with you to begin meeting
confidentially on a weekly, or as-needed, basis.
This relationship will continue until you choose to
discontinue it.
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How do I become a Stephen
Minister?
If you feel the Lord is calling you to be a part of
Stephen Ministry, please call the church office at
865-690-8641. Or, you can contact one of the Stephen
Minister Coordinators directly. Bob Ruth can be
reached by phone at 588-8458 or by e-mail at
bobruth@knology.net. Lynne Harr
can be reached by phone at 584-1624 or by e-mail at
LynneHarr@comcast.net.
When there is an
appropriate number of volunteers, the Coordinators
will schedule the required 50 hours of specialized
training in Christian care-giving that is required
to prepare Stephen Ministers to provide
confidential, one-to-one Christian care to people in
need.
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