If you have gifts for caring, encouragement, and listening, please begin to prayerfully consider whether you might want to be part of this exciting ministry. If you think you might be interested, contact us.

Stephen Ministry is a distinctively Christian caring ministry in which clergy and laypeople work together to provide quality one-to-one care to meet the needs of people experiencing a wide range of life circumstances or crises. Stephen Ministers are laypeople who have been trained through the Stephen Series system, learning specific caring skills and the theology of Christian caring.

Stephen Ministers are selected and retained based on their ability to maintain confidentiality in their caring relationships. At St. Edward Church, Stephen Ministry is a key component of St. Edward Cares.

Stephen Ministers provide quality one-to-one ministry as trained, caring church members reaching out to others in time of need. They engage in a caregiving relationship that focuses on the unique needs of one person and that lasts as long as the need exists. They do this while maintaining strict confidentiality in their caring relationships. In turn, they receive support, guidance, and supervision from Stephen Leaders and from other Stephen Ministers to continue giving effective Christian care to others.

The Stephen Series benefits many others besides those who receive the care of their Stephen Ministers. The Stephen Ministers grow greatly as they learn about helping others while they learn about themselves. As the hurting members of a parish grow stronger through this caring ministry, the whole church is built up and made stronger.

We can all be assured in the knowledge that when the pains of life come our way, someone will always be there, ready to care for us, to bring God's love to us in a special, personal way. Perhaps God is calling you to be one of these caring, committed servants who offer Christ's love to those who are hurting.

Stephen Series is the overall ministry system - including training, resources, structure, and ongoing support - used by congregations to equip and empower a team of laypeople to provide one-to-one Christian care to hurting people in and around the congregation.

• Provide leadership in all aspects of the ministry.
• Share a vision and build a foundation for a lasting Stephen Ministry.
• Build awareness and ownership.
• Recruit and select caring people for Stephen Ministry training.
• Train those people to become Stephen Minister caregivers.
• Work with Father to identify people in need of care.
• Assign Stephen Ministers to provide care.
• Supervise the caregivers and serve as support people and mentors.
• Affirm the care given by Stephen Ministers.
• Evaluate and improve the caregiving ministry on an ongoing basis.

Stephen Ministries was founded in 1975 by Rev. Kenneth Haugk, Ph.D., a Lutheran pastor and clinical psychologist, who saw that a person's needs for care in his congregation and community exceeded what he could provide. He trained nine members of his St. Louis, Missouri, congregation to be the first Stephen Ministers.

Today, more than 13,000 congregations from 150 Christian denominations have Stephen Ministry— including more than 600 Roman Catholic parishes across the U.S. and Canada. In 1984, St. James Parish in Omaha became the first Catholic parish in Nebraska to have a Stephen Ministry. Sister Joan Houtekier, OSM, trained Stephen Ministers for the parish, and has been active in the ministry for over 25 years.

To learn more about the Stephen Ministry at St. Edward Church, contact the church office. You can also contact any of the St. Edward Stephen leaders

If you would like more information on the Stephen Ministry in general, go to the Stories section of the Stephen Ministry Website.

The logo Stephen Ministry congregations use consists of a cross and circle, together with a broken person and a whole person. The broken person stands behind the cross, symbolizing the brokenness in our lives as a result of our sin. The whole person stands in front of the cross because it is through the cross of Jesus that we are made whole again. The circle symbolizes both the wholeness we receive through Christ and God's unending love for us.

Caring ministry is not just the pastor's, the deacons', or even the Stephen Ministers' responsibility – caring ministry is the responsibility of all parishioners. "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34). "You did not choose me, but I chose you" (John 15:16).

Our Stephen Ministry enables us to live our Catholic faith by using our talents and resources to provide spiritual and emotional support and bring Christ's healing love to people in need.

Commitment to Christian Lay Ministry
God calls all of us to active ministry and to use our talents to serve those in need. We believe strongly in Ephesians 4:12, that the role of the pastor and other church teachers, including Stephen Leaders, is to "prepare God's people for works of service" through extensive training and preparation.

Confidential, Compassionate Care
We want St. Edward Church to be a place where hurting people can receive compassion, care, and Christ's healing love in a confidential setting.

Bearing One Another's Spiritual and Emotional Burdens
God does not want any of us to suffer alone, but wants us to love, encourage, and care for one another.

Recognizing that God is the Cure Giver
We rely on God to provide cure, healing, and growth in accordance to his holy will.

Stephen Ministers are not counselors. They are trained Christian caregivers. Their role is to listen and care—not counsel or advise. Although most Stephen Ministers are by nature very compassionate people, they aren't professional counselors and they don't always have the skills to minister to others. That's why Stephen Ministers receive 50 hours of initial training.

Their training covers topics such as listening skills, feelings, assertiveness, confidentiality, Christian caregiving, and prayer. Class sessions also include skill practice, role playing, and case scenarios. Stephen Ministers also are trained to recognize when a care receiver's needs go beyond the care a Stephen Minister can provide and how to refer the care receiver for additional care.

Spiritual gifts are gifts to give away. God gives them to us, and we use them to serve others. How are you using your gifts right now? Are you looking for a new way to use them? If your spiritual gifts include one or more of the following – faith, mercy, teaching the faith, encouragement, or knowing – consider Stephen Ministry, our parish's one-to-one caregiving ministry. This may be just what you've been looking for!

Many people find it much easier to give care than to receive it. Society generally encourages independence, praises the strong, and looks down on the weak. It is not a weakness to need care from others. God did not create us as independent beings: "It is not good for man to be alone" (Genesis 2:18). Rather God created us to care for and be cared for by others. Become willing to accept care from another should the need arise. "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

Stephen Ministers engage in twice-monthly supervision to ensure that they are providing the best-quality Christian care. Stephen Ministry is a confidential ministry. What a care receiver tells a Stephen Minister remains confidential. Even in supervision, the names of care receivers and specific details are never discussed. Stephen Ministers do not make cold calls. They are assigned only to people who agree to receive the care of a Stephen Minister.

People who are experiencing a crisis or struggling through life difficulties need to tell their stories and that's what Stephen Ministry is about. Everybody needs someone who will listen and care. The role of a Stephen Minister is to listen, care, pray, encourage, and walk with the person for the duration of the crisis.

As parishioners, you are the eyes and ears of our church. You play a key role in identifying people who need Jesus's love and care and you can connect them to our priest and Stephen Leaders.

Contact Father Rod. Alternately, you can call the church office at 419.289.7224 or email the church office.