Holy Trinity Church’s newly commissioned Stephen Ministry offers hurting parishioners willing and trained peers to lend an ear.
“You are there to provide emotional support, spiritual support and active listening. You are someone to walk with them as they go through a crisis,” said Terry Lesch, a long-time parishioner who helped start the ministry at Holy Trinity.
Stephen Ministries is a national Christian education non-profit that produces training resources covering topics such as caring ministry and grief support, according to its website. Since its founding in 1975, 13,000 parishes have started local chapters of the ministry, the website said.
The ministry trains lay people to provide one-on-one care to individuals in their parish who are experiencing a difficult time. A Stephen Minister plays a role in their “care receiver’s” life through prayer and accompaniment, said Lesch.
She, along with 13 others, have been through a five-month training process, and they were commissioned to serve Feb. 9 by Father Shayne Duvall, their pastor.
“I love the fact that it was an idea that came from the people. There was a need that the people in the pews saw,” said Father Duvall. “Once I realized the fruit it can bear, I wanted to support it.”
Lesch said that parishioners go through difficulties for all sorts of reasons — grief, divorce, illness, miscarriage, loneliness, isolation, spiritual crisis, death of a pet or recovery from an accident.
“It’s not therapy; you’re not a BFF who’ll go to the grocery for them. You are there to listen and to give feedback. Truly hearing helps them to make personal decisions,” said Lesch, noting that the ministry is confidential.
She said the idea to start a Stephen Ministry chapter was born out of a conversation about mental health with fellow parishioners. She’d heard of the ministry and thought that a parish the size of Holy Trinity — with 1,700 registered families — could use some extra support.
“We all want people to think we’re always doing great, but we’re all broken, wounded and lonely at times. The challenge is to be vulnerable and admit they’re not perfect, that they’re flawed and take that step.”
— Father Shayne Duvall
Father Duvall agreed.
“The larger the parish, the more isolated you can feel,” he said.
Father Duvall said it will take time and patience for the ministry to hit its stride.
“We all want people to think we’re always doing great, but we’re all broken, wounded and lonely at times,” he said, noting he wants his parishioners to seek help. “The challenge is to be vulnerable and admit they’re not perfect, that they’re flawed and take that step,” and ask for help.
When a Stephen Minister begins accompanying someone, they meet for an hour each week. Though the ministry is just two months old, at least two parishioners needing support have been identified already, Lesch said.
Having individuals, peers, in your own parish who can accompany you is a positive thing, Lesch added.
“You have something in common. You’re from the same community,” she said. “It gives you a sense of security that you share something to begin with — you share your faith.”
She noted that care is taken to avoid pairing ministers and care receivers who know each other well.
Father Duvall, who also serves as pastor of St. Frances of Rome Church, said he’s proud of the parishioners for taking this step.
“They’re committed. They want to be the face, hands, feet and voice of Christ,” he said. “We have a responsibility as the Body of Christ to take care of the Body of Christ.”
To learn more about Stephen Ministry, visit https://www.stephenministries.org/default.cfm.
