What’s New in Stephen Ministry at DUMC?

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• We have 17 active Stephen Ministers who are supporting their care-receivers through a wide variety of challenges.
• Stephen Leaders are Stephen Ministers who help lead our Stephen Ministry group.
  The DUMC Stephen Leaders and their areas of responsibility are: 

                           Lynne Byrd:       Referrals                                                         

                           Pat DeBolt:         Supervision/Awareness

                           Pete Hutchings:   Continuing Education

                           Kathy Vernay:     Oversight of Stephen Ministry Program

A STEPHEN MINISTER HELPS THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING ANY DIFFICULT SITUATION, INCLUDING:

• Loneliness
• Loss of a spouse
• Retirement changes
• Unemployment
• Discouragement
• Questions about God and faith
• Hospitalization
• Divorce
• Grief
• Terminal Illness
• Being shut-in
• Childbirth

STEPHEN MINISTERS RECEIVE 50 HOURS OF TRAINING THAT COVERS SUCH TOPICS AS:

• Listening
• Confidentiality
• Relationship building
• Assertiveness training
• Crisis theory and intervention
• Use of prayer and the Bible

STEPHEN MINISTERS CARE FOR PEOPLE FACING TOUGH TIMES

A Stephen Minister will listen, care and support you through a tough time, keeping all discussions confidential. A Stephen Minister will not tell you what to do, tell you what mistakes they think you made, tell you how to solve your problems or quote Scripture to you and force you to believe as they do.

A Stephen Minister is a child of God who walks beside a hurting person, a caring Christian friend who really listens, a lay person who is trained in providing Christian care. A Stephen Minister is not a counselor, a problem solver or a casual visitor.