20 19
M AR C H
FI R ST BA PTIST CHURCH / JEF F ERSON C ITY, MO
Have you noticed? The final weeks of winter are
- Stephen Ministers grow in their love, their
sometimes the most difficult. Gray skies, cold
ministry skills, their trust in God and their
weather, sickness and cabin fever all take their
prayer lives.
toll. During this difficult season, I’m thankful that
- Stephen Ministers get to witness firsthand the
our pastoral team is not alone in our attempts to
power of loving, non-judgmental relationships,
offer care to lonely and isolated souls.
with each other and with their care receivers. - Stephen Ministers are required to take part in
One of the most effective offerings of our
continuing education, assuring that they are
church is Stephen Ministry. This is a nationwide
growing in their own walk with the Lord. (By
program, requiring at least 50 hours of training
the way, Stephen Ministers are committed
for lay persons to qualify as a Stephen Minister.
to confidentiality, never sharing the names
These servants connect for a brief season—a
of their care receivers, even during their
few months, perhaps a year—with a person
continuing ed work with other Stephen
experiencing loss or major life-change. This
Ministers).
one-on-one connection provides regular check-ins, conversation and prayerful
All our trained Stephen Ministers are currently
friendship.
paired up with care receivers, which points out the need for more trained, committed
After recently attending a dinner with our
volunteers. If you are interested in this kind of
current team of SMs, I jotted down some of the
service, contact me. It is not an “automatic.”
blessings of Stephen Ministry:
There is an application and vetting process,
- It practices the New Testament concept of
followed by intensive but very rewarding
trained and engaged laity, versus the model of
training here locally.
only ordained clergy attempting to cover every need.
Grace, Doyle
UPCOMING March 6
Ash Wednesday
March 10
Becoming Like Christ Begins
March 15-17
DNOW Weekend
April 7 Blessing the Dust
April 24
Quarterly Business Meeting
April 28
Mission JC
May 5
Combined 10:45a Worship Service