Stephen Ministry – The Intercom, January 2020

Happy New Year! Have you made a New Year’s resolution? With good intentions, a clean slate, and convenient denial of last year’s resolution fizzle-outs, we resolve to do more, do better, or do different(ly)! The fodder feeding our resolutions includes our judgments of what’s good, what’s bad, and what’s badly in need of a good fixin’. Bottom line: something or someone better change!

But judging, fixing, and changing are not what Stephen Ministers do. A recent Facebook meme sounded like it came right out of the Stephen Ministry training manual: “It’s not our job to fix people, change people, or judge people. It’s our job to love people. The rest is in God’s hands.” Here’s that same concept from the Stephen Ministry training manual: “Stephen Ministers are the caregivers; God is the cure-giver.”

On January 7, OSL’s Stephen Ministry Training Series will begin. Participants will attend 50 hours of training, revolving around the Stephen Minister Caregiver’s Compass. With Jesus at its center, the Compass’s quadrants are skilled, faith-filled, compassionate, and confidential. The training goal is to help participants reflect these characteristics as they provide quality Christian care to members experiencing difficult times.

If 2020 finds you still looking for a New Year’s resolution, here’s a suggestion: Pray for the Stephen Ministry Training Class participants during January, February, and March. And if 2020 brings difficult times or challenging life transitions, contact Pr. Tim Lemme (tlemme@oslchurch.com or 336-2942, ext. 19) or Deb Harlan (dharlan@oslchurch.com or 336-2942, ext. 48) to find a Stephen Minister to walk with you.