Stephen Ministry

Stephen Ministry is grounded in Jesus' command to love one another. Through one-to-one caring relationships, those who are hurting receive the love and care they need to support them.

Is life more than you can handle alone right now?

Are your health, your attitude, or your relationships suffering?

Are you adjusting to a new job, change in marital status, a serious illness, the death of a loved one, or a recent move?

Would you like to have someone in your life who really cares and will provide distinctively Christian and strictly confidential care?

A Stephen Minister is a caring, Christian friend who takes the time to really listen.  A Stephen Minister is a lay person who has received 50 hours of training in how to provide distinctively Christian care.  They are not counselors or therapists, problems-solvers, or just a casual visitor.  We bear one another's burdens, and in that way we fulfill the law of Christ.  God is the Caregiver . . . "Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you." (Psalm 53:22). 

Stephen Ministers are caregivers.

We invite you to contact our Associate Pastor, Rev. Paul Calkin, at Edmond First United Methodist Church by phone (341-0107 x124) or E-mail.  He can answer your questions and direct your interests, whether it be TO RECEIVE care or GIVE care.   

2004 Charge Conference Report

We currently have nine active Stephen Ministers.  Five presently have care receivers and four are between care receivers.  Eight persons have received care this year.  Approximately, 180 hours have been spent with our care receivers, listening, caring, praying, supporting and encouraging.

In April Rob Scholl was sent to Stephen Leadership Training in St. Louis, MO.  We look forward to his leadership.  This training was paid for by our semi-annual Rib Sale.  We plan to sell the ribs again this November to replenish our fund.

We are currently in the process of recruiting new Stephen ministers, and hope to get a new class started soon.

Stephen Ministry thanks the congregation for their support, and the opportunity to serve others.

Clara Alexander, Sue Ellis, Rob Scholl
Stephen Leaders

2003 Charge Conference Report

This is the fourth year for Stephen Ministry, a confidential one-on-one caring ministry at Edmond First United Methodist Church.  We currently have nine active Stephen Ministers.  Seven currently have care receivers.  During the past year, eleven persons received care from our ministry.  The dedication and commitment of these laypersons to their care receivers and ministry fulfills a vital need for our congregation.

We meet on the first and third Thursday nights of each month for supervision and continuing education.

In September (2003) we attended a Stephen Ministry Festival at the McFarlin United Methodist Church, Norman, Oklahoma.  There we heard Dr. Kenneth C. Haugh, founder and executive director of Stephen Ministry.  We heard topics relating to our ministry including servanthood vs. servitude, how to care for and relate to those who are serving, and grief reflections.  Ten Stephen Ministers from our church attended.

In addition to giving care to hurting persons we are planning to have our semi-annual Rib Sale in November.  Proceeds from the sale will go towards our fund to send another person or persons to leadership training.

Stephen Ministry would like to thank the congregation for its continuing support, and the opportunity to serve others.