Loving Others in
Jesus' Name

Resurrection Lutheran Church has decided to enroll in the Stephen Series system of lay caring ministry, developed by Stephen Ministries, a nonprofit religious and educational organization based in St. Louis, Missouri. We will be developing a lasting program of caring ministry through the Stephen Series system of training an organization. This model of ministry is already working in thousands of congregation throughout North America and is equipping laypeople to minister to others that are in need.

From July 8-14, Kathy Westley, Beverly Townsley, Steve Scheld an myself will be attending a seven-day Stephen Series Leader's Training Course in Washington State. After this training course, we will receive the instruction an materials necessary to implement an sustain this program of lay caring ministry here at Resurrection Lutheran Church. We are really looking forward to this opportunity.

Following the seven-day Leader's Training System a group of laypeople of our congregation will undertake 50 hours of training in Christian caring skills under our guidance. This training will prepare the participants to care for others, covering such areas as how to listen effectively, how to deal with feelings, how to use traditional Christian resources in caring, how to maintain confidentiality, how to deal with people experiencing crises, and many other areas of concern. A Christ-centered approach to caring and the need to care for the whole person will be stressed throughout the training.

Upon completion of Stephen Series training, our lay Stephen Ministers will be commissioned into active caring ministries. These Stephen Ministers will work under supervision and will be available to care for people experiencing challenges in their lives such as hospitalization, grief over the loss of a loved one, loneliness, divorce, loss of a job, birth of child, and many other life events for which a person could benefit from an effective helping an caring ministry.

This will be an exciting time for Resurrection Lutheran Church. The Stephen Series both multiplies the amount of caring ministry that goes on in our congregation and deepens the level of participation by laypeople in the healing ministry of Jesus Christ. If you have questions about this new form of ministry our congregation is undertaking, pleas feel free to ask us. In the meantime, I would like you to keep Kathy, Bev, Steve and myself and our congregation in your thoughts and prayers as we prepare for this major step forward in our lay caring ministry.

"For where two or there are gathered in my name,
I am there among them."
Matthew 18:20 NRSV

Pastor Jim Bliss
April, 2001