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Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church |
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Offering Christ to Frederick County and the World |
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Stephen Ministries
Two-thousand-two was an exciting year for the Stephen Ministry Program. Good Shepherd enrolled as a Stephen Ministry congregation in 1998 and held the first training session that fall. We now have 11 active trained Stephen Ministers, two Stephen Leaders, and two Stephen Leaders who have recently transferred to Good Shepherd.
In the fall of 2002, we began two more classes of trainees, including a daytime class for the first time. This spring we expect to commission 12 more Stephen Ministers.
Stephen Ministry is a system through which members of Good Shepherd are trained and organized to help provide Christian caregiving to members of our congregation and community. This multiplies the amount of caring ministry Good Shepherd can provide by giving us a whole team of skilled caregivers who are equipped to bring Christ’s healing love to people who are grieving, in crisis, or experiencing other stresses in life.
We have many needs for care in our congregation and community: people experiencing divorce, grief, a terminal illness, loss of a job, relocation, an empty nest, retirement, hospitalization, loneliness, and many other stresses or challenges. Often people with needs suffer silently or do not request or receive the level of care they really need. With only two pastors for a congregation of more than 700 members, you can quickly see why it would be impossible for our pastors to meet every single need of every single person. Stephen Ministry expands the care Good Shepherd can offer by equipping and organizing members to provide Christian care. This gives us a larger pool of people with the gifts, skills, and calling to bring Christ’s love and care to those who need it most.
In Galatians 6, Paul tells us to “carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Our Stephen Ministers have been trained and organized to do just that. They provide one-to-one care, prayer, and support to those who are going through a difficult time. If you would like more information on our Stephen Ministry, please call Pastor Gary or Loretta Covert at the church office (301-663-3344).
STEPHENMINISTRIES.ORG *******************************************************
Stephen Ministries Commissioned
At the 11:00 Service on May 4th, eleven lay people from our congregation were commissioned into a special ministry of care and concern for others as Stephen Ministers. This rite of commissioning culminates a period of extensive training and preparation for caring ministry through the Stephen Series, a program for lay caring ministry developed and administered by Stephen Ministries St. Louis. Our Stephen Ministers have studied and practiced skills in such areas as dealing with feelings, crisis intervention, asserting oneself with gentleness and firmness, and many other topics to prepare them to help people who are experiencing problems in their lives.
After the commissioning, these Stephen Ministers will be assigned to minister in our congregation and community, working with people who are experiencing such life crises as hospitalization, retirement, financial setback, the loss of a loved one, or any of a number of other difficulties people face in daily living.
The Stephen Ministers commissioned were Peggy Beers, Catherine Didas, Dorothy Godman, Michele Kimmel, Jim Lester, Don Sommerfeldt, Barbara Underwood, Pat Ward, Bev Winegardner, Gary Winegardner, and Nancy Zeim. They join current Stephen Ministers Sharon Campbell, Paul Evans, Michele Hildebrand, Doris Magaha, Barbara Salt, Don Salt, Lisa Sommerfeldt, Ginny Strader, Donna Willoughby, Carolyn Fishack, and Julie Bilbie. Our Stephen Leaders are Pastor Gary Bilbie, Loretta Covert, Nicky Cojocari, and Gertrude Peterson.
We thank God for their gifts of caring and listening. Their ministries will increase greatly the overall ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ at Good Shepherd. Please keep these people in your prayers as they carry the love of Christ to their care receivers.
For more information about Stephen Ministry, please call Pastor Gary or Loretta at 301-663-3344.
