Several months ago our congregation decided to enroll in the Stephen Series system of lay caring ministry, developed by Stephen Ministries, a nonprofit religious and educational organization based in St. Louis, Missouri. We will be developing a lasting program of caring ministry through the Stephen Series system of training and organization. This model of ministry is already working in thousands of congregations throughout North America and is equipping laypeople to minister to others who are in need. We know of at least 10 churches in the Denver metro area that have and continue to be involved with Stephen Ministries.

Highlands Church will be preparing for this ministry in the months to come. Our very own Christi Theis and Karen Weitz have been undergoing training course in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and here in Denver. Through this training course, they are receiving the instruction and materials necessary to implement and sustain this program of lay caring ministry here at Highlands Church. We are all really looking forward to this opportunity.

Following training, a group of laypeople of our congregation will undertake training in Christian caring skills under Karen and Christi’s guidance. This training will prepare the participants to care for others, covering such areas as how to listen effectively, how to deal with feelings, how to use traditional Christian resources in caring, how to maintain confidentiality, how to deal with people experiencing crises, and many other areas of concern. A Christ-centered approach to caring and the need to care for the whole person will be stressed throughout the training.

Upon completion of Stephen Series training, these lay caregivers will be commissioned as “Stephen Ministers” and will become an important part of caring ministry here at Highlands Church. These Stephen Ministries will provide confidential, one-to-one Christian care for people experiencing challenges in their lives such as hospitalization, loss of a loved one, loneliness, divorce, un-employment, birth of a child, and many other life events for which a person could benefit from an effective helping and caring ministry.

This will be an exciting time for Highlands Church. The Stephen Series both multiplies the amount of caring ministry that goes on in our congregation and deepens the level of participation by laypeople in the loving and healing ministry of Jesus Christ. If you have questions about this new form of ministry our congregation is undertaking, please feel free to ask the pastoral staff, Karen or Christi. In the meantime, we would like you to keep Karen and Christi and our congregation in your thoughts and prayers as we prepare for this major step forward in our lay caring ministry.

In Christ’s love,

Pastor Mark Tidd

Pastor Jenny Morgan