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REFERRALS
One suggestion
that came from one of our networking churches:
Train the entire pastoral staff and your
“welcome” visitation team to make referrals.
The pastoral staff tells people with whom they
are in contact that Stephen Ministry is a normal
part of pastoral care service offered to all in
the congregation. As a result, you will find
referrals will definitely increase!
BIBLE COLLECTIBLES
Another suggestion
is to collect favorite Bible verses from all
your Stephen Ministers and print them on index
cards put together with ring binders. A picture
of your church or your church’s logo or the
Stephen Ministry logo can be used as a cover
card. These are handy to hand out to hurting
individuals in the church and to Care Receivers
when it seems appropriate.
DEVOTIONALS
One church in the
Austin area has their Stephen Ministers sign up
to give the devotional before each training,
supervision, and continuing education class.
Every devotion, after it has been presented, is
collected and at Christmas the entire collection
is printed and bound into booklets that serve as
gifts to the Stephen Ministers and their Care
Receivers!
SUGGESTIONS TO STEPHEN MINISTERS FROM A CARE
RECEIVER
“WHEN YOU COME TO
HELP ME…there are some things I do not want from
you:
Do not tell me you
know how I feel.
Do not tell me
what I need to do.
Do not tell me I’m
wrong.
Do not rush me,
because you don’t know where I’m going.
Do not take my
burden from me
There are some
things that I do want from you:
I want you to call
me and let me know I exist.
Tell me you are
there and that you care.
Ask me how I feel
and then let me tell you how I feel.
Let me express my
anger and loneliness, and let me cry if I need
to.
Ask me if I want
to be touched with a hug or a prayer , and then
let me decide.
When I
say no, accept it.
When I
say yes, do it.
Hear me, not only
with your ears, but also with your eyes, touch,
and your heart.
Let me feel your
humanness, and please be honest with me.
I need to trust
you. Care for me and let God cure me. If you
try to do these things for me, we will both
grow. And when I’m healed and whole again, you
must let me go.
- Anon |
