TLDR: We are experiencing a moment of transition in our Stephen Ministry Program, which means that this might be a great opportunity for you to join us. Please read below for more information.
Transitions present unique possibilities and risks. Retirement, for example, can offer the opportunity to work on hobbies, visit friends, participate in book studies, rest, and have leisure time. On the negative side, experts have documented a real danger of depression, anxiety, inactivity, isolation, and a sedentary life that can lead to weight gain, diabetes, and other medical conditions. Whether retirement leads to rest and leisure time to enjoy life, or to depression and anxiety, seems to be related to the level of physical activity in which the person is willing to engage. The same can be said about other transitions: Divorce, relocation to a new area, the loss of a spouse, the loss of a job, empty nesting, a serious medical diagnosis, etc. All of these can create opportunities for joy and spiritual growth, or they can lead to a serious decline in spiritual and physical health.
Therapy can be a crucial intervention in a person’s life at these moments of transition. Sharing our pain, hopes, and aspirations with someone who is trained to listen to us can make a huge difference. The problem is that therapy can be a scary proposition for many, it could be quite expensive, and it can feel cold and overly clinical. There are so many taboos associated with professional counseling that many people feel rightly intimidated about seeking help.
Many churches, including Saint Dunstan’s, have realized this problem: Many people in need of support will never engage in the therapy they need. To alleviate this problem, Stephen Ministry equips Christians within our congregations to participate in a ministry of listening and support. To be clear, Stephen Ministry does not replace the need for therapy, it just presents a supportive option for those have not yet made a decision about counseling. These Stephen Ministers receive over 50 hours of highly specialized training, continuing education and supervision every two weeks, and regular refresher courses. They are assigned to a “Care Receiver” to visit, listen to, pray with, and walk with during these difficult times of transition. They are NOT therapists and what they do cannot be seen as professional counseling. But they are an extension of the Pastor’s pastoral care ministry to parishioners who are undergoing one of these transitions described above. Their job is to listen without judgement, to elevate the person’s concerns and fears to God in prayer, and when appropriate and desired, to offer gentle feedback. They are not there to tell you what to do, to judge your homemaking skills, to hold you to account for not coming to church, or to take over executive decision-making functions in your life. Their job is to befriend, support, care for, and hold your hand during moments where the support of the community is necessary and welcome.
Many of the people I have befriended in Pastoral Care have a Stephen Minister, and some have stayed with their minister for years. By now, those relationships have become deep friendships that extend the love of the congregation to our beloved parishioners at times of hurt or transition. The conversations between the minister and the care receiver are absolutely confidential, with very few exceptions, and the service is completely free. As your Rector, I benefit greatly from the work of Stephen Ministries because they are usually the first to make a call to my office when a parishioner is in need of a clergy visit. They are my eyes and ears in the community and a liaison between the parishioner in need and the church. I have also witnessed a visible reduction in anxiety in just a few weeks after a Stephen Minister has been assigned to a parishioner in need. Life is better when it is lived in a community and isolation can become a real impediment to physical and emotional health.
We are experiencing a moment of transition in the program itself, which means that this might be a great opportunity to recruit new Stephen Ministers. After thirteen years of leadership, Jerre Bergeron and Evelyn Stokes have chosen to step down from leadership in the program. Jerre will continue to oversee all pastoral care programs as Director of Pastoral Care, but her role with Stephen Ministry becomes one of support, prayer, advocacy for the program, budgeting, etc. Evelyn will transition to other ministries she has wanted to engage in but hasn’t had the time to pursue. I invite all of you to celebrate a job well done and to extend your gratitude to both of these amazing ladies for all the years of sacrifice, love, and care. I also want you to join me in welcoming Tracy Santoro and Sandra Jamison as they assume responsibility for the program over the next few years. In the middle of July, we will have a thanksgiving service to celebrate Evelyn and Jerre’s ministry and to officially commission Tracy and Sandra. Please stay tuned for more information soon.
The goals of Stephen Ministry are to equip Christians for care ministries, to walk alongside people undergoing a difficult time in their lives, and to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the world through concrete actions that alleviate people’s suffering. I invite some of you who feel called to become a Stephen Minister to contact Tracy Santoro and Sandra Jamison. We will provide the training and supervision necessary. Likewise, if you have been a Stephen Minister in the past and feel a desire to return, please call us and we will provide a brief refresher course. We can really use you! You will find your life enriched through this incredible ministry.
I also invite anyone who may be going through a difficult transition to contact the Church for specific information about the program’s coordinators. You can also send us an email at and we will have one of our coordinators reach out to you to schedule a visit.
You don’t need to suffer alone. The Church is here for you. It will be our honor to walk alongside you during this difficult time. Please reach out to us.
May our Lord continue to bless you,
Fr. Roman+
