Contact Pastor David Eardley by email:
reveardley@hotmail.com

Stephen Ministry (St. Louis)

A.  The Stephen Ministry program equips lay people, who are trained and organized, to help provide Christian care giving to members of our congregation and community.

Q.  Why Stephen Ministry?

A.  We have many needs for care in our congregation and community: people experiencing a divorce, grief, a terminal illness, loss of a job, relocation, an empty nest, retirement, hospitalization, loneliness and many other stresses or challenges. Stephen Ministry expands the care that Frankenmuth United Methodist Church can offer and creates a larger pool of people with the gifts, skills and calling to bring Christ’s love and care to each of us when we need it most.

Q.  What Do Stephen Ministers do?

A.  They are caring Christian friends who listen, understand, accept and pray for or with a person who is working through a difficult time in his or her life (a Care Receiver). Stephen Ministers usually meet with their Care Receivers for about an hour a week for as long as the care receiver will benefit from the relationship.

Q.  Are Stephen Ministers counselors?

A.  They are not counselors; they are trained lay caregivers. Their role is to listen and care – not to give advice or counsel. Stephen Ministers are also trained to recognize when a Care Receiver’s need exceeds what they can provide. When that happens they work with care receivers to help them receive the level of care they really need.

Q.  Can I Trust a Stephen Minister?

A.  Trust is essential to a caring relationship, and Stephen Ministers are people you can trust. Confidentiality is one of the most important principles of Stephen Ministry, and what a care receiver shares is held in strictest confidence.