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 13,000 congregations and other organizations have been trained as Stephen Ministers.
Church members complete an application and are interviewed before being accepted into the training program.
Here’s what Stephen Ministers frequently say about their training:
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Stephen Minister training teaches principles and skills that equip you to provide high-quality, Christ-centered emotional and spiritual care to others.
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You gain insight into the thoughts, feelings, and actions of people who are hurting.
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You develop relational and caring skills you can apply to all aspects of your life.
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You deepen your faith as the Holy Spirit fashions you into a Christ-centered caregiver.
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You feel a special bond with those in your class—experiencing real Christian community.
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Stephen Minister training is a lot of fun!
How and Where Training Happens:
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takes place at our church
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is led by our Stephen Leaders, Linda and Fr. Don
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is typically taught in 20 weekly sessions along with a weekend retreat (50 hours total)
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combines pre-class reading, devotions, lecture, video presentation, discussion, and skill practice
To request more information, email Fr. Don Hutchens at StephenMinistry@ptcanglican.org