Trinity UMC’s Stephen Ministry is a source of care and support

By Kelly Roberson
 
Part of our call to discipleship is to carry each other’s burdens as we fulfill Christ’s command to love God and love others. In times of overwhelming difficulty, having someone to walk alongside us in faith and prayer - to help carry our burdens - can make all the difference. 
 
This is the core principle behind Stephen Ministry, a one-to-one lay caring ministry deeply rooted in a biblical understanding of Jesus, His church, and His ministry.
 
Stephen Ministry offers a proven and effective way to organize, equip, and supervise a team of congregation members—called Stephen Ministers—to provide high-quality, Christ-centered care to people in the congregation and the community experiencing life difficulties.
 
Trinity United Methodist Church, located in the heart of downtown Savannah, began its Stephen Ministry in the Fall of 2023 with the commissioning of six Stephen Ministers.
 
A Stephen Minister is someone who walks alongside a hurting person as a caring Christian friend. They are not a counselor or therapist, nor are they there to solve problems. Instead, they offer compassionate listening and support, providing a safe space for individuals to share their thoughts and feelings.
 
“The goal of this ministry is to assist our pastor in providing one to one care for those going through a difficult time, those who are grieving, those who have received a diagnosis of illness, or those just needing someone to listen,” said Dr. Kelly Styles, chair of the Stephen Ministry team at Trinity UMC.
 
At its heart, Trinity’s Stephen Ministry aims to support individuals who possess normal coping skills but find themselves struggling during life's most challenging moments. This can include situations such as hospitalization, family crises, separation or divorce, terminal illness, bereavement or loss, job crises, relationship issues, life transitions such as becoming an “empty nester,” or relocating to a new area. Additionally, Stephen Ministers provide support to new members of the church or community, the home-bound, those experiencing loneliness, and individuals going through a spiritual crisis.
 
Dr. Styles has witnessed the profound impact of Stephen Ministry at Trinity firsthand. Following a significant tragedy experienced by a family within the church, Stephen Ministers devoted considerable time to engage with them through conversations, texts, and ensuring they felt God's presence and the support of the congregation. This level of support necessitated a deep understanding of the family's situation and the development of specific active listening skills to effectively minister to their needs.

The Rev. Dr. Ben Gosden, senior pastor of Trinity UMC, has also seen the significant impact the ministry is making in the life of the congregation.  
 
“Stephen Ministry leans into what the Church does best — loving others in life-giving ways,” said Dr. Gosden. “It’s so moving how this ministry is not only thriving in its own self, but it’s impacting the ways we bring care into all of our other ministries. It’s a very profound gift that continues to pay dividends in our congregational life.” 
 
Both Dr. Gosden and Dr. Styles see the Stephen Ministry as a catalyst for expanding Trinity’s reach into the community.
 
“We have merged all our care ministries - Stephen Ministry, prayer group, card writing, faith-partners, home communion - in order to ensure that those in need are identified and cared for. Our Care Ministry Team now serves as ‘lookouts’ as too many folks just will not contact us themselves (when in need),” said Dr. Styles.
 
Hoping to continue to grow this ministry, Dr. Styles has plans to offer another Stephen Minister training later this Spring. Stephen Ministers undergo extensive training, receiving 50 hours of instruction on how to provide distinctively Christian care. They are committed to their own spiritual growth and participate in regular supervision meetings to enhance their skills and effectiveness in providing care. 
 
Dr. Styles has found that individuals who are hurting truly appreciate an empathetic ear that is not a family member, pastor, or known friend. Additionally, he would encourage any church to consider this ministry both to assist an already busy pastor but also to build camaraderie among those who are serving as Stephen Ministers. 
 
“I knew no one in our class at the beginning and now we have become anchors for each other and key drivers to build all our ministries,” said Dr. Styles.  “I’m looking forward to expanding this affinity of discipleship to our entire Care Ministry team and the next Stephens’ class.”

Kelly Roberson is the Director of Communications/Conference Ministries for the South Georgia Conference.