Stephen Ministry at Rye Presbyterian Church
"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2

Stephen Ministry: A brief history

The name Stephen comes from St. Stephen, who was the first lay person commissioned by the apostles to provide caring ministry to those in need, as recorded in Act 6. Stephen Ministry was begun in 1975, when Kenneth Haugk, a St. Louis minister and clinical psychologist, began it to multiply the care giving in his church. It is the plan to train a new class of Stephen ministers at least once a year here at RPC. We are currently one of more than 8,500 congregations, representing 90 Christian denominations, providing Stephen Ministry care.

Stephen Ministry at Rye Presbyterian Church trains and supervises lay persons. They provide one-to-one Christian care to individuals facing life challenges or difficulties. Since its inception in 2004, RPC has trained over 50 Stephen Ministers with anotherclass beginning in the fall of 2009 .

Stephen Leaders are the ones who oversee and direct our Stephen Ministry. They recruit, select, train, organize and supervise our Stephen Ministers, identify people in need of care, and match them with a Stephen Minister. We currently have five active Stephen Leaders. They are Linda Goldstein, Carol Love, Pat McGunagle, Linda Otness and Tav Rogers. Both pastors work closely with Tav Rogers as Referral Coordinator. If you or someone you know is a potential Care Receiver or would like to know more about the Stephen Ministry program, please contact Tav Rogers or Dr. De Vries or Rev. Love.

The Stephen Ministry motto says, "Christ Caring for People through People." Stephen ministers are members of the congregation who are trained to give spiritual and pastoral care to those in need within the church community. They are not counselors; they are trained lay caregivers. Their role is to listen and care, not to give advice or counsel. Stephen ministers are also trained to recognize when a care receiver's needs exceed what they can provide. When that happens, the care receiver is given professional referrals. Confidentiality is one of the most important principles of Stephen Ministry, and what a care receiver tells his or her Stephen Minister is kept in strictest confidence.
Timely Topics from Your Stephen Ministry

Please mark your calendars because the Stephen Ministry is providing an opportunity for Continuing Education focusing on the issues and impact of our troubled economy on each of us, our marriages, our families and our neighbors. All sessions will take place in the Westminster Room at 7:00 pm. (NOTE: Mark your calendars is linked to upcoming dates)