Stephen Ministries
What is Stephen Ministry?
Our congregation’s Stephen Ministry equips laypeople to provide one-to-one Christian care to people in our congregation and community who are experiencing difficulties in their lives.
Stephen Ministry is a confidential ministry. The identity of those receiving care and everything they discuss with a Stephen Minister remains private.
Grace Lutheran’s Stephen Ministry History:
We have been a Stephen Ministry church since 2004. In the 16 years of service, we have helped many care receivers in our congregation and our community at large. It has truly been an honor and blessing to be Jesus’s heart and hands for this ministry.
A Stephen Minister is . . .
- A child of God who walks beside someone who is hurting.
- Carry each other’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2
- A congregation member who is carefully selected to serve in this role because of his or her caregiving gifts.
- A layperson with 50 hours of training in providing high-quality, distinctively Christian care.
- A caring Christian friend, of the same gender, who listens, cares, prays, supports, and encourages.
- Encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
- Someone who meets faithfully each week with his or her care receiver for as long as there is a need.
Stephen Ministers Care for People Facing Tough Times:
We all experience challenges in life—times when we could benefit from care and support.
Stephen Ministers can provide the emotional and spiritual care we need when faced with a crisis or difficulty such as –
- Loss of a loved one
- Hospitalization
- Divorce or separation
- Loneliness or discouragement
- Spiritual crisis
- Unemployment or a job crisis
- A terminal illness
- Incarceration
- Aging
- Birth, adoption, miscarriage, or infertility
- A chronic illness
- Relocation
- Recovery after an accident or disaster
- Many other life challenges
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 1 John 3:16
For more information regarding Stephen Ministry, please call our church office at 414-762-3655.
Brochures regarding Stephen Ministry can be found in each pew at church.