Meet our Stephen
Ministers
The Stephen Series:
One-to-One Christian Caregiving
The Congregational Church of New Canaan is fortunate to be certified to
train
lay pastoral ministers using the “Stephen Series” method of training.
The Stephen Series is a complete system for training and organizing
laypersons for caring ministry in and around the congregation. The Stephen
Series provides congregations with the structure, training and resources to set
up and administer a complete system for lay caring ministry (called Stephen
Ministry) in the congregation. In Stephen Ministry congregations, lay
caregivers (called Stephen Ministers) provide one-on-one Christian care to the
bereaved, hospitalized, terminally ill, separated, divorced, unemployed,
relocated, and others facing a crisis or life challenge. Stephen Ministry helps
pastors and congregations provide quality caring ministry for as long as people
need it.
Find
out more and view our Stephen Ministries BROCHURE by clicking HERE
Check out this recent PBS
"Religion and Ethics" segment on how
Stephen Ministry is changing lives:
Stephen Ministries
For more information please contact Debbie Chapman, Pastoral Care
Coordinator, at 203-966-2651, ext. 31 or
debbie@godsacre.org.
Meet Our Stephen Ministers
Please CLICK HERE to meet our Stephen Ministers: Put Faces to the Names!
Stephen Ministers complete 50 hours of training
in pastoral care. In addition, they attend regular supervision meetings offered
twice a month (these meeting started in January 2007.) Twelve of them meet
weekly or at least regularly with their care receivers. They have learned much
during training but one thing we stress among ourselves is that Stephen
Ministers are caregivers and God is the healer. Therefore, our ministry is
about listening, praying, and pointing people to God.
October 15, 2006 was a “red letter day” in the life of
this faith community! We
commissioned the following
people into Stephen Ministry: Gail Banigan, Larry Brown, Joanne
Burns, Michel Cornier, Levora D’Acosta, Josie Davies, Parry Grogan, Twee Haffner,
Kathy Johnston, Ginger Malachuk, Joan Lister, Dorie Pease, Johnny Potts, Nancy
Pullins, Diane Schaub, and Pat Stewart.
On February 13, 2011, we re-commissioned our entire
Stephen Ministry team, adding four new members: Jim Cole, Hermine Davies, Judy
Hyde, and Avril Sweeny. In addition, we recognized our Stephen Ministry
Leaders: Jim Cole, Avril Sweeny, and our Minister of Pastoral Care and Nurture,
the Rev. Chris M. Delmar.
What a privilege it is to be the embodiment of
God’s love and care and to minister to one another as we carry on the ministry
of Jesus Christ.
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