Today was a joyous occastion at St. Matthias. At our 9:30 am service, lay people from the congregation were commissioned into the special ministry of care and concern, as Stephen Ministers.
The rite of commissioning culminates five months of extensive training and preparation for caring ministry through the Stephen Series, a program 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, confidentiality, and numerous other topics, to prepare them to help people who are experiencing problems in their lives.
Now that they are commissioned, each will be assigned to mininster 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 number of difficulties people face in daily living.
The Stephen Ministers commissioned are: Cinday Hunt, Kim Hunt, Noel Kirton, Glen Martin, Tracy Morelli and Courtenay Ryan.
We thank God for their gifts of caring and listening and their willingness to serve. Their ministries will greatly increase the overall ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ at St. Matthias.
