Stephen Ministry Referrals

Who Is A Care Receiver?

In Stephen Ministry, a care receiver is someone who needs a Christian friend, a Stephen Minister.

Care receivers are individuals who are:

-  Homebound/alone
-  Hospitalized/recently discharged
-  Facing serious or terminal illness
-  Experiencing major adjustments to jobs/careers/residences
-  Residents of long-term care facilities
-  Facing decisions on future care of aging parents/spouses
-  Experiencing absence of family members due to death, school, military
   assignment, marriage, divorce, etc.
-  Persons adjusting to becoming single parents

Care receivers are persons:

-  Needing someone to care for them
-  Who need someone they can trust
-  Needing someone to be there with regular visits during times of crisis
-  Who need someone who listens and cares/shares Christ's love
-  Needing someone who does not "do for" but is "there for"

How does the Referrals Process Work?

-  A person - either you, a relative, or a friend - is in need of Christian care.
-  The Stephen Ministry Referrals Coordinator/Stephen Leader learns about
   this need from you or someone you have given permission to speak on
   your behalf (i.e. pastor, friend, etc.).
-  The Referrals Coordinator meets with the person to talk about
   Stephen Ministry.
-  With the person's permission, the Referrals Coordinator assigns a
   Stephen Minister to meet on a weekly basis with the person.
-  The Stephen Minister continues to provide distinctively Christian care
   for the person with strict confidentiality.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality is a cornerstone of Stephen Ministry because it is absolutely essential for building safe, healing, caring relationships. What a care receiver says to his or her Stephen Minister is kept in strictest confidence. Even the identify of a care receiver is kept secret (unless the care receiver chooses to tell someone).

How Can I Receive A Stephen Minister?

-  Please call the church office at Asbury United Methodist Church , 837-0365 and ask to speak to one of our pastors. Also, a Stephen Leader can be reached by sending an e-mail to: stephenministryreferrals@asburyumc.ws

-  Someone will be in touch within a week.

“ Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest .” (Matthew 11:28)

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phillip 4:7)