“The OLP Stephen Ministry is important to Our Lady of the Pines Parish as it contributes to the overall mission, culture, and focus to bear the burdens of one another,” Rosemary says. “Just think of how different we would be should our focus be other than to address and support the needs of others. That is who we are and who we like being. We are blessed!” Led by Servant Leader Mike Fortner and the other three small group leaders, they facilitate monthly meetings, recruit and train others to become ministers, and match care receivers to ministers of the same gender. “As part of the OLP Stephen Ministry, I am privileged to work with some of the most loving and caring individuals I have ever encountered, including Stephen Ministry Team members, Servant Leader Mike Fortner, our parish staff, and leaders from other parishes, the community, etc.,” Rosemary says. Typically, a Member of the OLP Stephen Ministry team and care receiver (the individual undergoing challenges) meet once per week. The OLP Stephen Ministry team member seeks to provide “help, hope, and healing” to the recipient. The goal is not to solve problems, rather to be there as a support for the individual.
A typical meeting may include praying together, listening, empathizing for the person’s struggles, providing emotional and spiritual support, and connecting with the individual.
“The skills learned in Stephen Ministry training can change the world," says Michele Gaudreault, one of the OLP Stephen Ministry Small Group Leaders. "Just imagine if everyone took the time to really listen to one another and had empathy for their situations? Stephen Ministry has enabled me to provide much-needed support to people going through difficult times. It has changed and improved my personal relationships. "It is important to the parish community because it provides a crucial, caring need for hurting parish members, providing an additional layer of crisis care and ongoing care through well-trained, well-supervised, reliable members of the parish family," Michele adds. OLP Stephen Ministers must attend 50 hours of training, typically provided by OLP Servant Leader Mike Fortner and his team over the course of a few months. Some of the key elements of the training include learning to trust and listen to God. Once complete, the ministers typically spend an hour with their care receiver, as well as attend supervision meetings twice a month. The total commitment is about eight hours throughout the month.
The ministry is well-integrated into our parish’s mission of stewardship, providing opportunities for giving of time, talent, and treasure.
“Talents — these are the gifts the Spirit blesses us with, to journey with our care receivers," says OLP Servant Leader Mike Fortner. "Each of our caregivers have special talents that are constantly being molded to match the individual needs of a particular care receiver. God is the one in charge here, along with the Holy Spirit. He matches the caregiver, with the care receiver perfectly, and all we are called to do is listen in prayer, all of the talents will be given, as he sees fit. We just say 'yes' to the call.”
For more information about the Stephen Ministry, visit ourladyofthepines.org/stephen-ministry or email stephenministry@ourladyofthepines.org.
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