• Stephen Ministers provide one-to-one Christian care to the bereaved, hospitalized, terminally ill, separated, divorced, unemployed, relocated, and others facing a crisis or life challenge. Stephen Ministry helps pastors and congregations provide quality caring ministry for as long as people need it.

• The name Stephen comes from St. Stephen, who was the first layperson commissioned by the apostles to provide caring ministry to those in need (as recorded in Acts 6).

• Stephen Ministry began in 1975.

• The Stephen Series is now in more than 10,000 congregations from more than 150 Christian denominations, in all 50 states, 10 Canadian provinces, and 23 other countries.

• More than 500,000 people have trained as Stephen Ministers in their congregations.

• More than a million people have received care from a Stephen Minister in a formal one-to-one Stephen Ministry caring relationship, and millions of others have received care from Stephen Ministers in informal ways. 

Stephen Ministry Update: The Stephen Ministers' continuing education for March was "Ministering To Those EXperiencing Losses Related to Aging". This worthwile ministry has been recieving calls. If you, or someone youknow is hurting and in need of support through a one-on-one relationship, please contact one of the co-ordinators through the church office at: 816-331-6444. Co-Ordinators: Glenda Dethloff & Debbie Laffoon

February 2009 News Release to Kansas City, Missouri Area: Stephen Ministers Confirmed:

Four members of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church completed their 17 week course on December 9, 2008 and were commissioned on December 14, 2008. Chris Tuttle, John Worman, Lori Allen and Marsha Buechler completed pre-class reading assignments, in class lectures, discussions, role playing and many prayers to prepare themselves as Stephen Ministers.

The role of a Stephen Minister is to provide care for those who are going through a crisis in their lives, such as divorce, death, loss of job, etc. Their primary role is to provide comfort, listen and maintain confidentiality. Continuing education is provided monthly on topics such as emotional health, aging, divorce, hospitalization, etc. Their expertise is shared with anyone needing assistance; you need not be a member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church.

For further information, please call St. Paul’s United Methodist Church at 816-331-6444

2008 News Release to Kansas City, Missouri Area:

Press Release: Two members of ST. Paul's United Methodist Church in Raymore were among over 400 pastors and congregation leaders at a Stephen Series Leader Training Course held from March 30th - April 5th, 2008 in St. Louis, MO. Glenda Dethloff and Debbie Laffoon attended the one-week training event hosted by the St. Louis-based Stephen Ministries organization. Participants came from across the U.S., Canada and Kenya to learn how to implement and direct Stephen Ministry, a system of Christian caregiving, in their congregations.

"Stephen Ministry gives St. Paul's United Methodist Church an effective way to train and organize members to provide one-to-one Christian care to individuals struggling with a crisis like grief, divorce, loneliness, relocation, hospitalization, a terminal illness or unemployment", said Pastor Gold. "The need for this type of care greatly exceeds what pastors alone can provide. All Christians are called to care for and love one another-It's not just the pastor's job. By equipping laypeople we can help them fulfill their calling as Christians and also expand the amount of caring ministry available through St. Paul's United methodist Church".

Glenda Dethloff and Debbie Laffoon were trained as Stephen Leaders at the event. One of their next steps will be to recruit, select and train members of St. Paul's to be Stephen Ministers, the ones who will provide one-to-one care. They will then match each Stephen Minister with an individual in need of care and provide the Stephen Ministers with ongoing supervision and continuing education.

Stephen Ministry began in 1975 when Dr. Kenneth C. Haugh, a pastor and clinical psychologist in St. Louis, Missouri, trained parishioners to help meet the needs for care in his congregation. The ministry was so successful that other congregations became interested, and Haugh founded the Stephen Ministries organization. Since then more than 10,000 congregations have become involved in Stephen Ministry. They represent over 150 Christian denominations and come from all 50 states, 10 Canadian provinces, and 21 other countries.

The Stephen Ministries organization annually hosts six Leader's Training Courses across the U.S. At these courses, more than 50,000 pastor and church leaders have been trained as Stephen Leaders. They in turn have trained more than 450,000 church members as Stephen Ministers. It is estimated that more than one million people have received the formal care of a Stephen Minister, and millions more have been touched in an informal way.

For more information about St. Paul's United Methodist Church's Stephen Ministry, call 816-331-6444.

Everyone Matters :

"Who I Am Makes A Difference"!
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Link to the National Stephen Ministry Site :

Stephen Ministry
www.stephenministries.org

John 21: 16b Jesus said,"take care of my sheep".
Romans 12:5 " So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others"

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