Stephen Ministry

Holy Cross is a Stephen Ministry Caring Congregation.

Stephen Ministers are members of Holy Cross who have gone through 50 hours of training in providing high-quality Christian care to individuals experiencing a crisis or challenge. Stephen Ministers are each assigned a care receiver and meet with that care receiver for about an hour a week. This caring relationship will last for as long as the care receiver needs it.

Common situations where a Stephen Minister can help are:

1. •Loneliness
   

2. •Loss of a spouse
   

3. •Retirement changes
   

4. •Unemployment
   

5. •Despair
   

6. •Childbirth
   

7. •Hospitalization
   

8. •Separation & Divorce
   

9. •Grief
   

10. •Terminal illness
    

11. •Being shut-in
    

12. •Most of life's struggles
    

It extends the caring ministry of our our pastors to trained, caring lay-ministers who have responded to Christ's call to:

1. "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."  Galatians 6:2
   

Stephen Ministry is grounded in Jesus' command to love one another. Through one-to-one caring and confidential relationships, those who are hurting receive the love and care they need to support them.

A Stephen Minister is not a counsellor or therapist, a problem solver or a casual visitor, but instead a child of God who walks beside a hurting person and a caring Christian friend who really listens.

Become a Stephen Minister

Do you have the gift of mercy, encouragement, or intercession?  If so, you may consider God's direction as to whether you should become a Stephen Minister.  You can apply anytiime. The next training session will begin September 2011. Information on becoming a Stephen Minister, including the training schedule and application can be found HERE.

A Stephen Minister at work