What is a Stephen Minister?
Stephen Ministers are laypeople—Christian men and women—trained to provide one-to-one care to people experiencing a difficult time in life, such as grief, divorce, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, relocation, or separation due to military deployment.
Stephen Ministers come from all walks of life. Their commonality? A passion for bringing Christ’s love and care to people during a time of need.
Since 1975, more than 600,000 people from more than 11,000 congregations and other organizations have been trained as Stephen Ministers.
A Care Receiver Tells Her Story
A Stephen Minister comes alongside a hurting person and meets with that person on a weekly basis to listen, care, encourage, pray, and provide emotional and spiritual support. Men are paired with men; women with women.
Over the years, well over one-and-a-half million people have benefitted from the one-to-one, confidential, Christ-centered care of a Stephen Minister. In the link the follows, one lady tells how her Stephen Minister walked with her. My Walk with a Stephen Minister
Stephen Ministers encouraging the struggling
“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” – Romans 15:4
Max Lucado wrote: Encourage those who’re struggling? Don’t know what to say? Then, open your Bible. Are you a cancer survivor? Someone in the cancer ward needs to hear from you. Have you buried a spouse and lived to smile again? Then find the recently widowed and walk with them. Your experiences have deputized you! Paul said in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 that God is the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does He do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us!
Stephen Ministers are trained to reach out in caring service to all those who do not expect our help. Do you need some to listen and to walk with you in caring service?
Call one of our Stephen Leaders for more information, or to request a Stephen Minister:
Sharon Letzler 330-699-9794
Tom Letzler 330-699-9794
Ron Mitchell 330-633-4055
First Congregational Church of Tallmadge 