Stephen Ministry

Stephen Ministry is a lay caring ministry that provides one-to-one care to people who are hurting. The name Stephen comes from St. Stephen, who was the first layperson commissioned by the Apostles to provide caring ministry to those in need (Acts 6). To date, our Stephen Ministry team has cared for 12 people at Messiah.

“My Stephen Minister was a crutch to me; she helped me get through a very difficult time.”

~ Messiah member

Our Stephen Leader is Paula Campagna, who attended a week-long training session to learn how to implement the Stephen Series at Messiah. Congregation members who have become Stephen Ministers have completed more than 50 hours of training in Christian caregiving, including topics such as listening, feelings, assertiveness, confidentiality, and ministering to people in specific situations such as divorce, terminal illness, grief, and childbirth. Stephen Ministers also are trained to recognize when a care receiver’s needs go beyond the care a Stephen Minister can provide and how to refer the care receiver for additional care.

“I would not be where I am now without the help I got from my Stephen Minister. This experience was a blessing that deepened my own prayer life.”

~Messiah member

Stephen Ministers are available to anyone who is carrying a burden and would like someone to walk beside them to help them carry it. At Stephen Ministry, we rely on God’s promises and the healing power of the Holy Spirit.

“It was such a blessing knowing that I was not alone, that every week I could share my feelings with someone who truly cared about me.”

~Messiah member

If you or someone you know is hurting, please let us know. You are not alone; we are here to help you, to be the means by which you experience God’s healing love. To learn more about this confidential care, please contact Paula Campagna at 610.363.7174.