All who are weary
Recently, we asked Care Receivers participating with Stephen Ministry to share what it has meant to them to have a Stephen Minister in their lives…
“Having a Stephen Minister to listen and offer different perspectives, to vent to, to laugh and cry with, and always to pray with has made my life so much richer. It has made my caregiver’s life easier and our relationship lighter.” ~Hillspring Stephen Minister Care Receiver
“Having someone to talk with helped to remind me that Jesus was in control. We would meet for coffee and he was always calm and understanding of what I was going through, and that brought me back closer to God and helped me to rely on him again. What started as a Stephen Ministry Relationship turned into a life-long friendship.” ~Hillspring Stephen Minister Care Receiver
What is Stephen Ministry?
When life becomes overwhelming, Stephen Ministers are there to restore a sense of peace, normalcy, and hope. They are often referred to as the 'after people'—the ones who step in after the diagnosis, the job loss, the breakup, the loss of a loved one, when everyone else has heard your story but you still need to talk. That’s when Stephen Ministers step in.
Who are Stephen Ministers?
Stephen Ministers are members of Hillspring who provide one-to-one Christian support and care to people experiencing one or more of life’s difficulties. Stephen Ministers are men and women from Hillspring who feel called by the Holy Spirit to care for those who are hurting. Stephen Ministry training equips these caring people to do an excellent job as a Stephen Minister as well as to improve the quality of all their relationships. Topics of the training include listening, confidentiality, boundaries, grief, feelings, empathy, and many more. The relationship between a Stephen Minister and their care receiver is confidential, and after their initial training the Stephen Minister benefits from attending monthly peer supervision and continuing education meetings.
How does Stephen Ministry work?
A Stephen Minister is paired with only one care receiver at a time and meets with the care receiver for about an hour each week to listen, empathize, encourage, and pray. The relationship is the most important thing, and focuses on what is going on, not in trying to “fix” the care receiver. A favorite motto in Stephen Ministry is, “we’re the care givers, God is the cure giver. Stephen Ministers always show up, even when the going has gotten tough, and they never give up on the care receiver.
How can I get connected?
If you are struggling, sad, or hurting and feel like you are burdening your friends or family with your pain and hurts, think about laying your burden on the strong shoulder of a trained Stephen Minister. For a referral, talk to a Pastor or one of the Stephen Leaders, just come to the front to pray with a Stephen Minister on Sunday. You can also email Hello@hillspringtc.org with “Stephen Ministry” in the subject line.
What if I’m interested in Stephen Ministry training?
Additionally, if you're interested in enhancing your listening skills, empathy, and becoming a Stephen Minister, we invite you to our upcoming training sessions. Starting from October 2nd, we'll offer training on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-9:30 at the Hillspring campus. Join us for a delicious dinner and stay for life-changing training! You can also learn more about the program at our booth during the fall kickoff on September 8th or the following week on September 15th.
Grace & Peace,
Hillspring Stephen Ministry Leaders