Parish Care Commission 

St. Michael’s Stephen Ministry: God’s Love in Action
How many members and church attendees do we have at St. Michael’s? How many are hurting and in need of someone to listen? In other words, how many may be struggling with anxiety, loneliness, grief, and need a caring Christian minister to be with them?

In contrast, how many priests do we have at St. Michael’s to care for all of us? That question is easier to answer: we have three full time clergy, and two assisting clergy. As our church continues to grow, we cannot expect our five clergy to meet all of our needs.

The apostles in the early church saw too that as disciples’ numbers increased, not all were receiving the care that they needed. The twelve therefore appointed Stephen, along with six others, to care for those neglected.

As we aim to follow the model of our early church, St. Michael’s does not want to see anyone neglected and slipping through the cracks. In response to our growing needs, we are now prepared to offer seven trained Stephen Ministers to give Christ centered care for a variety of needs. Our Stephen Ministers are trained: to visit regularly with those who cannot travel to church due to physical ailments and limitations; to meet with those suffering and grieving, such as those who have experienced the loss of a loved one or the loss of a job, relationship, or community; and, to minister to those experiencing loneliness, anxiety, and emotional / spiritual pain of many kinds.

Last July, 2008, St. Michael’s sent Elizabeth Cooper and myself, Gretchen Sosnowski (then Gretchen Kroncke), to Dallas, Texas, for a week of training as Stephen Leaders. We came back prepared and eager to begin training a group of seven Stephen Ministers: Julie Akers, Beverly Howell, Becky Lind, Eunice Logan, Jessica Marshall, Christine Meredith, and Meta Moore. We also had Jean and Stan Griggs join us from St. James for training courses; they are now serving as Stephen Ministers in their congregation.

These Stephen Ministers received fifty hours of training (over the course of six months, from September 2008 through March 2009) in listening, Christ-centered, care giving. Our group of Stephen Ministers was commissioned at the 10:30 service on March 22, 2009, and as well as being spiritually gifted, carefully selected, and thoroughly trained, they are individually burdened with the desire to minister to those in need. Our Stephen Ministers will also meet for continuing education twice a month, once they are assigned to a care receiver, so that their training will remain fresh, and to ensure that they receive support as they care for another person. Furthermore, it is important to know that all interaction with a Stephen Minister or Stephen Leader is confidential and will remain in confidence.

Of course, in order for Stephen Ministry to succeed in our congregation and meet the needs of those desiring Christian care, we must face our hesitation in regards to lay ministry. Many of us feel that only priests are able to care for parishioners. However, that is not what Jesus has taught us. For example, Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12, English Standard Version). Jesus calls every one of us to love and care for each other—priest and lay person alike.

If we are willing to not only believe in Jesus but to believe Him in this area, trusting one another to listen in confidence and minister, only by the power of the Holy Spirit, we will see Christ at work in us mightily as we obey his commandment . . . “For the body does not consist of one member but of many” (1 Corinthians 12:14, ESV).

In Ephesians 4, verses 11 and 12, Paul explains that God has given the church “the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (ESV). God has given us Stephen Ministry, which offers an organized way to equip those gifted for caring ministry, so that they can build up the body of Christ as they care for those experiencing difficult times.

If you would like more information about our Stephen Ministry at St. Michael’s, please contact Bob Lawrence, at 843-723-0603 / bob@stmichaelschurch.net, or me, at 843-371-0518 / gretchensoz@gmail.com. We are here to answer your questions and confidentially match Stephen Ministers with those in need of care. We also plan to offer another training course for those interested in becoming Stephen Ministers.

Thank you for your support and prayers for this ministry at St. Michael’s. ~ Gretchen Sosnowski

Prayer Corner
Please pray for St. Michael’s Church and our mission, which is to transform every heart and home, the Holy City, the Hurting Coast and the Hungering World through Jesus Christ. Pray specifically for the upcoming Triennial General Convention of the Episcopal Church, for its repentance, healing and renewal, and for our diocesan delegation including Wade Logan; for the Rt. Rev. Mark Lawrence and his family; for Hamilton Smith and his family and his new ministry at St. Michael’s beginning in August; for Peet Dickinson and his family and his new ministry at the Cathedral; for Edward Norman and his family and the beginning of his new ministry as our Organist/Choirmaster in July; for Douglas Born and his mission in Charleston; for Dallas and Janie Wilson and St. John’s Chapel; for Rob Dewey and Coastal Crisis Chaplaincy; for Tabitha Wang and her mission in China; for Simon Guillebaud and his mission in Burundi and the July mission to support his ministry; for Nathan Harper and his mission in Yemen; for Pastor Peter and the Church in Ukraine and the October mission to support his ministry; and for Rob Kunes and Tyler Prescott, our seminarians.

Prayers for Deployed Military
SSGT Jonathan G. Morrison, USAF, South Korea
(grandson of Marilyn Morrison)
COL Greg Kitchens, USMC, Iraq
MAJOR Beth Graboritz, USAF, Afghanistan

Parents-to-Be Prayer List
God said, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you.”
Tyler and Lanier Prescott (July 31, 2009)
Jennifer & Ashley Thiem (July 2009)
Meredith and Mike Myers (Sept 2009)
Jed & Anne Kelley (October 2009)
Jay & Natalie Madigan (October 2009)
Dave and Margaret Desaulniers (December 2009)
Dave and Laura Remrent (December 2009)
Joey & Jennifer Landstedt (January 2009)

Birth Announcements
Please email publications@stmichaelschurch.net

Prayers for Employment
“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today,..” Hebrews 3:13a
This new list for those needing employment includes names and recent employment skills.
Natasha Nichols – advertising sales
Ross Early – land surveyor

Study Groups meet at different times throughout the week. For more information, please contact Heidi - 723-0603.

Adult Bible Studies

Thursdays 7:00 pm - Holy Spirit in Action Study Group in room 201 in the Belser Building.

Men’s Bible Studies
Mondays 12:30 pm - Men meet for prayer and study over lunch in the Chapel of the Belser Building

Wednesdays 7:15 am - Men meet for prayer and Bible Study in the Ann Hester Willis Room.

Women’s Bible Studies
Wednesdays 11:00 am - Women meet for prayer and study. Having a Mary Spirit: Allowing God to Change Us From the Inside Out by Joanna Weaver. To sign up, please contact Patti Sosnowski at jsos11@yahoo.com or 559-1285 no later than June 5, so books can be ordered Bible study begins June 10 at 11AM in room 201.

 



 

 



 

 

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