Stephen 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, one-to-one, Christ-centered care to people in the congregation and the community experiencing life difficulties.

Plymouth's first group of Stephen Ministers was commissioned on May 16, 2021. (Read more here.)

If you would like trained Stephen Ministry care due to a personal crisis or illness in your life or the life of a loved one, use the form at the bottom of this page.

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Terminology associated with Stephen Ministry:

• Stephen Leaders are the lay leaders, church staff members, and pastors who are equipped to direct Stephen Ministry in their congregation. Stephen Leaders have gifts and skills in areas such as leadership, teaching, and organizing people, along with a heart for caring ministry.
  
• Stephen Ministers are lay congregation members trained to provide one-to-one Christ-centered care. They have a compassionate heart for those who are hurting, and they’ve been equipped with caring ministry skills by their congregation’s Stephen Leaders. A Stephen Minister typically has one care receiver at a time and meets with that person once a week to listen, care, pray, encourage, and offer emotional and spiritual support. Video
• A care receiver is an individual in time of need who receives care from a Stephen Minister.  For example they companion them through their job changes, grief, illness, birth of child, and other life transitions.