Thank you, church family, for adopting Stephen Ministry as a lay-ministry program in 1999. Developed twenty-four years earlier by the Lutheran pastor and clinical psychologist, the Rev. Dr. Kenneth Haugk and his wife Joan, a psychiatric nurse and social worker, this ministry now helps 13,000 congregations of many denominations around the world.
Recently, through the church’s Stephen Ministry budget and gifts to Stephen Ministry, we Stephen Leaders have purchased the new 2020 curriculum materials to use with our current trainees. These new resources are based upon the latest research in giving Christ-centered care, provide expanded discussion opportunities, and include more engaging spiritual growth activities.
Before the Covid crisis necessitated suspending training in March, the group had studied the first five learning modules. On October 1st. during our first Zoom session in six months, we will review the former units’ key concepts and add newly provided supplemental ideas.
Training on Zoom will be an adventure, for sure, through which Karen Widin is willing to guide us Stephen Leaders and trainees. Thank goodness! “We live in a different world now. There’s probably never been a crisis in our lifetime that’s affected the emotional and spiritual well-being of so many people at once,” writes Dr. Haugk.
You and your loved ones may be facing losses, big and small. If you need someone to listen and bring God’s Love to you, please contact Sue Kuhn, referrals coordinator, who will match you with a Stephen Minister.
NOTE: In Stephen Ministry, women give care to women, and men minister to men. Over twenty years our church has been blessed with exceptional men bringing their spiritual gifts to Stephen Ministry. Our sole male Stephen Minister is David Frech now. Men, think about joining Stephen Ministry in the future. The training is an enjoyable, enriching experience, and Stephen Ministers experience tremendous growth as they serve. Ask any Stephen Minister.
—Sue Kuhn, Stephen Leader