Early March was supposed to be a time of celebration for six people who had just completed the Stephen Ministry training—and it was, but the celebration was different than expected. Instead of attending a one-day retreat with all of Faith’s Stephen Ministers, getting acquainted with others who are serving in this way, being refreshed and inspired by the messages and discussions, and getting plugged in to the ministry in the usual way, they celebrated apart from each
other and met the other Stephen Ministers on Zoom. Even so, they were ready to serve—and at a crucial time.
When the Coronavirus pandemic hit, it thrust us into a time of upheaval and uncertainty. Job loss, threat of sickness, a sudden shift to homeschooling, cancelled plans, concern for loved ones more vulnerable to the virus or working under constant exposure to the virus … all of these can cause myriad emotions including anxiety, fear, sadness, and grief, not to mention the feeling of isolation that comes with quarantine. What does one do with these feelings? What can be done to rise above the situation with hope and grace?
Stephen Ministers are compassionate people who have been trained to walk alongside people facing just this sort of thing. Through weekly times of study, prayer and training activities, they have developed skills for caring for others with grace-based acceptance, they have grown in their spiritual gifts, and most importantly, they have become more aware of their reliance on Jesus as the Cure-giver, the One who offers hope and healing. With the growing pandemic and the changes it brought to everyday life, our newest Stephen Ministers were ready to join the other Stephen Ministers in helping people stay grounded and find hope in this topsy-turvy time. As Rhona Weiss, one of our most recently trained Stephen Ministers, said, perhaps we have completed training “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14)—a timely response to a global pandemic.
What exactly are the Stephen Ministers doing? First of all, Stephen Ministers are working diligently to stay connected with the people they have been serving all along. Because they cannot meet face-to-face, they have been connecting by phone, FaceTime, and Zoom. Elizabeth Probasco got creative by playing bingo over the phone with her care receiver, a woman who lives alone. “It let us connect in a way that was enjoyable for both of us and gave her something to do after being stuck at home for weeks,” she explained. The important thing is “to remind those we care for that though we cannot give them our physical presence, they are present with us in our thoughts, prayers, and hearts.”
Secondly, Stephen Ministers have stepped forward to help people affected by the pandemic—people who are feeling scared, financially strapped, or alone. As people throughout the community have contacted Serve 6.8 or Faith for help, some have asked for spiritual or emotional support, and that’s where Stephen Ministers get involved – they call these folks to offer a listening ear, personal connection and prayer, always with the goal of bringing the light of Jesus into their world.
Making calls with no prior knowledge of the person or his needs can be a little daunting according to Melanie Fish. She felt “an utter dependence on the Holy Spirit to guide the conversation from both sides.” Before her first phone call, she asked the Holy Spirit to orchestrate every detail—the timing, the conversation, the attitudes and responses—and he did. The conversation was a beautiful thing. The Spirit brought questions and Scripture to mind and prompted Melanie to remind the woman, a believer who is currently not connected to a church, of God’s love for her and her identity in him. It was just what the woman needed. As the woman cried, Melanie was able to encourage her and pray for her, and afterward, the woman responded by saying, “That was the most beautiful prayer anyone has ever prayed for me.” Melanie gives all the credit to God and to the working of the Holy Spirit. I think all the Stephen Ministers can agree with Melanie when she says, “I am humbly privileged and joyfully blessed to be a Stephen Minister.”
Does this story resonate with you? Would you like to talk with a Stephen Minister? Would you like to have someone share your burden and support you in prayer? Or are you feeling called to serve others in this way? Would you like to have the rich and rewarding experience of serving as a Stephen Minister? In either case, contact stephenministry@faithchurchfc.org or visit our website at faithchurchfortcollins.org/care. [Note: A new training class begins in September.]
Janet Smith and her husband Dan have been members at Faith for 15 years.
After years of homeschooling their four children and leading a
homeschool group, she now works in the Faith office as Assistant to Care
Ministry. She serves in Stephen Ministry and in Women of the Word.
Outside of work and ministry, Janet enjoys baking, reading, hiking, crocheting, and spending time with her kids and grandkids.
After moving to Loveland from NYC, Ken Marshall and his wife Denise started attending Faith and have now been members for five years. Ken serves in various capacities within Stephen Ministry.
Ken is a project manager for a Tokyo-based water management company. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, fishing, river rafting and motorcycle riding across the country.