photo Adele with her mother ( also a Stephen Minister) and her son, Kyle
February 28,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Wyckoff NJ, Adele Mimnaugh tells us in her own words how she found he own way to get involved in her local community and help others . Adele is an Occupational Therapist by trade and loves her work . Not content to stand on the sidelines Adele found a way to contribute in her own unique way. In her own words Adele tells her story:
I became involved in our Steven ministry program about two years ago. My mother was excited about the program and to start training; I inquired about it and felt it was definitely a calling for me. I was right !! I have always enjoyed helping others and I’m a big believer in paying it forward. Steven Ministry is a wonderful venue for laypeople trained in the congregation by their Steven leaders, to provide one to one Christ centered care to people who are hurting. The care receivers can be a member of the church or anyone in need in the community.
As a Stephen Minister I am able to work with anyone ( female ) who is going through a hard time such as death of a loved one, divorce, illness, loss of employment or anyone experiencing turmoil for any reason.I begin my caring relationship as a Stephen Minister when I am matched with someone experiencing a life crisis. I meet with the person usually on a weekly basis to listen, Care, encourage and provide emotional and spiritual support as needed. The ministry is highly confidential and no details are ever discussed among the ministry or with anyone for that matter.Trust is a huge component as it is in any relationship.
I have grown as a result of being a Stephen Minister in many ways. Not only do I enjoy my quality and prayerful time with my care receiver but I also enjoy the bimonthly supervision and continuing education meetings with my fellow Stephen ministers.
I am a big believer in being kind. Kindness is a natural thing and to see a smile on someone’s face can make my day. I feel so very blessed to be a part of my Grace United Methodist Church and Steven ministry family.”
What is Stephen Ministry all about?
The Stephen Series is a program overseen by Stephen Ministries St. Louis; that teaches and enables members of congregations all over the world to care for one another just as Jesus commands us to do. Stephen Ministers go through extensive training in their individual churches to learn how to care for people who are experiencing some type of loss in their lives; i.e. loss of a family member, a job, their dependence, their health, their self esteem, their faith… just to name a few. A Stephen Minister is paired in a relationship with one person and meets with him or her (men with men and women with women) one to one on a weekly basis for an hour or so to ‘walk alongside them,’ offering comfort and encouragement, extending the hand of Jesus. All of this is done without judgment and is completely confidential. Stephen Ministry has been here at Grace since early 2009. To be trained as a Stephen Minister one needs to be a member of GUMC but to receive care, one need not be a member of Grace or of any church. Stephen Ministry is a Christian Caring Ministry but will offer care to anyone, provided that the situation is appropriate. To inquire about receiving care from a Stephen Minister, or to inquire about training to become a Stephen Minister, please e-mail us at stephenministry@gumc.org. A new training class will be offered starting in the fall 2015 and will run for 20 weeks on Monday nights.
Grace United Methodist Church
555 Russell Ave
Wyckoff, New Jersey
(201) 891-4595