The Stephen Ministry at Pompey Community Church exists to equip people to use their spiritual gifts to provide confidential care and support to hurting people and to help them grow in their faith by bringing Christ’s healing love to them.
What is Stephen Ministry?
Our congregation’s Stephen Ministry equips laypeople to provide one-to-one Christian care to people in our congregation and community who are experiencing difficulties in their lives.
Stephen Ministry is a confidential ministry. The identity of those receiving care and everything they discuss with a Stephen Minister remain private.
A Stephen Minister is…
- A child of God who walks beside someone who is hurting.
- A congregation member who is carefully selected to serve in this role because of his or her caregiving gifts.
- A layperson with 50 hours of training in providing high-quality, distinctively Christian care.
- A caring Christian friend who listens, cares, prays, supports, and encourages.
- Someone who meets faithfully each week with his or her care receiver for as long as there’s a need.
Stephen Ministers Care for People Facing Tough Times
We all experience challenges in life – times when we could benefit from care and support. Stephen Ministers can provide the emotional and spiritual care we need when faced with a crisis or difficulty such as –
- Loss of a loved one
- Hospitalization
- Divorce or separation
- Loneliness or discouragement
- Spiritual crisis
- Unemployment or a job crisis
- A terminal illness
- Incarceration
- Aging
- Birth, adoption, miscarriage, or infertility
- A chronic illness
- Relocation
- Recovery after an accident or disaster
- Many other life challenges
Stephen Ministry is Your Ministry
You play an important role in our Stephen Ministry. Here’s what you can do:
- Pray for God to bring hope and healing to hurting people through our Stephen Ministry.
- Accept care from a Stephen Minister during your time of need. God doesn’t expect you to bear your burdens alone.
- Tell a friend, neighbor, coworker, or relative who is hurting about our Stephen Ministry.
- If you are a compassionate person and a good listener, prayerfully consider becoming a Stephen Minister.
If you are interested in more information on becoming a Stephen Minister, please email stephenministry@pompeychurch.org.