What is Stephen Ministries?
The Stephen Ministries’ ministers focus on listening, understanding and empathizing with Carroll Lutheran Village residents who need support with life challenges including:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Loneliness
- Family loss
- Health concerns
Stephen Ministries ministers are careful to remember they are not therapists and avoid trying to fix residents’ problems. They are caregivers and not cure givers. If a resident needs more support than a Stephen Ministries’ minister can offer, a referral is made to an outside professional or mental health specialist.
Confidentiality is Top Priority
Everyone involved in Stephen Ministries strictly observes confidentiality. From the selection of candidates to the supervision of sessions, the names of residents are never revealed nor are the identifying case details ever discussed.
Receiving Support
Residents can be of any faith or spiritual persuasion to receive support from Stephen Ministries. They can self-refer or be referred. Referrals can come from the Stephen Ministries’ leaders and ministers, residents, family members and team members.
After determining, from an initial evaluation, that Stephen Ministries fits a resident’s need(s) and the resident agrees to participate in the program, a Stephen Minister is assigned to him/her. Both meet weekly for about an hour.
Learn more about Stephen Ministries.
Help Others
Stephen Minister training is a Christ-centered experience that equips volunteers with essential caring and relating skills. Volunteers learn how to listen to, care for and walk with those going through difficult times in life. The training received equips them to provide high-quality care to people who are hurting.
