what is stephen ministry?

Confidential help at no cost
The Village Church Stephen Ministry program pairs people who are experiencing difficulties in their lives with specially trained members of the church who are equipped to listen, care for, and provide emotional and spiritual support. This one-to-one Christian care is confidential and available to church members and the wider community at no cost.
 
After being paired together, the individual receiving care and the Stephen Minister meet together on a weekly basis. The caring relationship lasts as long as the need for care exists. Stephen Ministry is an international ministry, based in St. Louis, which has provided spiritual support to over 1.5 million people worldwide in over 13,000 congregations.
Are you or a friend facing a difficult time?  
Circumstances in our lives can pose challenges such as grief, loneliness, chronic or terminal illness, divorce, hospitalization, disability, job loss, COVID fatigue, or even the holidays and winter blues. The confidential care by a Stephen Minister may be helpful. ​

real comfort. real people.

Read testimonials of care receivers
A young woman who had ended an eight-year relationship and felt abandoned by her family who recently relocated, says, “My Stephen Minister did a wonderful job of creating a warm, caring space for me to process my emotions and work through my issues.”

A loving husband who served as primary caregiver for his ailing wife for over ten years tells how his Stephen Minister “listens to everything… He is not there to tell me what to do. He is there to let me talk until I can discover what is necessary. He is there to listen to the hard things and celebrate the successes.”
A divorcee speaks of the comfort of his Stephen Minister who walked beside him persistently “and refused to give up on him” during a painful two-year separation. As a result, he not only survived the loss of his marriage, but also felt the presence of God beside him carrying his burden, forever changing his life.​

Watch more testimonials in the video below.

contact us

Seeking care or thinking about becoming a Stephen Minister?
Contact Rev. Melanie Hardison if you are interested in being paired with a Stephen Minister to help you through life’s challenges, or if you are feeling that God might be calling you to explore becoming a Stephen Minister yourself: 913-671-2367 or melanie.hardison@villagepres.org. Applications to volunteer as a Stephen Minister are accepted year round.

Learn more about Stephen Ministry in the video below.
Rev. Melanie Hardison
Associate Pastor for Pastoral Care
913-671-2367
Email