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Stephen Series
Congregation Snapshot

First United Methodist Church
Geneva, Florida

First United Methodist Church in Geneva, Florida, is a small church with a big vision--to use Stephen Ministers not only to care for members who are hurting, but also to reach out with Christ's love to people in the community who are experiencing tough times.

"Many people here are dealing with illness, death, loss of mobility, and other difficulties," said Stephen Leader Dean Paulus. "Our job is to minister to them and to follow Christ and his caregiving example. Stephen Ministry helps us do this by expanding the amount of care our congregation can provide.

"We're a loving congregation, so Stephen Ministry fits with the ideals of our members. It helps us fulfill Christ's Great Commission in Matthew 28 to go make disciples. And it's a big help to our pastor--a welcome extension of her ministry. Stephen Ministry has already made a huge contribution to our church, and we're just getting started. There's a lot of excitement here for Stephen Ministry."

Located in a rural cattle-ranching community about 25 miles outside Orlando, First UMC is a 128-year-old congregation with many third- and fourth-generation members. With worship attendance averaging 70, the congregation's decision to begin Stephen Ministry testifies to its members' commitment to carry out Christ's commands to love and serve.

How Stephen Ministry Began at First UMC

Just a few years ago, no one from First UMC knew anything about Stephen Ministry. Then Dean Paulus attended a Walk to Emmaus gathering. "My assistant table leader was a Stephen Minister, and I was impressed with his spirituality and his genuine concern for each person at our table. I thought to myself, 'That's how I want to be,'" said Dean.

The idea of Stephen Ministry drifted in his mind for a while. Then, when he met two other Stephen Ministers at another Emmaus weekend, he began to sense that God was calling him to Stephen Ministry.

"When I returned from that gathering, I talked with our pastor, Rev. Jeanine Spangenberg, about Stephen Ministry," said Dean. "She wasn't familiar with it either. So we began to research it together, and the more we saw, the more we liked it.

"We did a lot of planning and educating before we ever enrolled," Dean said. "We started by building a vision among the members of the congregation. We asked where they saw our church in ten, fifteen, twenty years. We asked what needs they saw and how our congregation could meet those needs--now and in the future. Since we're a very caring church, Stephen Ministry fit right into the vision." Soon key leaders were convinced that this ministry was right for the congregation.

The next steps were to enroll in the Stephen Series and to send participants to a Leader's Training Course (LTC) to be trained as Stephen Leaders. Congregation members donated money to cover the enrollment cost, but the church still needed funds to send someone to the LTC. So Dean Paulus and Rev. Spangenberg prayed every day for several weeks--and then received an e-mail from the pastor of another congregation that wanted to help with the costs of bringing Stephen Ministry to Geneva. Soon a check arrived to cover LTC expenses, and Dean attended the January 2004 conference in Orlando to become the congregation's initial Stephen Leader.

Once Dean returned from the LTC, the next step was to recruit Stephen Ministers. "Pastor Spangenberg and I talked to a lot of people in the church, held three open houses about Stephen Ministry, and found a number of people who were interested," said Dean. After interviewing and selecting the candidates, Dean began training the congregation's first class of five Stephen Ministers in September 2004. Rev. Spangenberg also participated in the class so she could gain a better understanding of Stephen Minister training.

As training went on, Dean and Rev. Spangenberg continued to educate the congregation about Stephen Ministry through bulletin announcements, letters, e-mails, newspaper articles, and four sermons centered on Christian care. Congregation members learned how it worked, whom to approach if they or someone they knew needed care, and the difference Stephen Ministry would make in the congregation's ministry in the years to come.

Stephen Minister training had a deep effect not only on the Stephen Minister trainees but also on Dean. "I've been a trainer for a long time, but Stephen Minister training was completely different from anything I had done before," he said. "It opened up a whole new area of life for me. I learned skills I use in every aspect of life. It's helped me grow closer to Christ than ever before. In every respect it's been a great experience for me. It has changed my outlook on life."

First UMC's initial class of Stephen Ministers was commissioned during a worship service on February 27, 2005, and the congregation hosted a reception afterward to show their thanks and support. Dean and Rev. Spangenberg then began matching the Stephen Ministers with people in the congregation and community who needed one-to-one, Christ-centered care.

Stephen Ministry and Smaller Congregations

First UMC of Geneva, like many other small congregations, disavows the myth that Stephen Ministry is only for large congregations. "Stephen Ministry is a wonderful ministry for small congregations," said Rev. Spangenberg. "As a solo pastor, I can't be everywhere at every time for everybody. Our Stephen Ministers expand and support my ministry by being where I can't be and by providing ongoing care, week after week, to their care receivers for as long as needed."

Dean offers this advice to small congregations looking to begin Stephen Ministry: "Help everyone in the congregation, from the top down, to understand what Stephen Ministry is, why it is needed, and what it will do for the congregation, so the entire congregation begins to see Stephen Ministry as a priority. In a small congregation it's especially important for the pastor to be behind Stephen Ministry. He or she needs to understand it, support it, and cast a vision for Stephen Ministry to everyone in the congregation. When congregation leaders and members see Stephen Ministry as a priority, they become willing to make the financial commitment to get it started.

"Choosing the right people to begin your Stephen Ministry is also crucial," said Dean. "Your Stephen Leaders will attend the LTC and then direct the ministry in your congregation. It's an important role, so don't choose just anyone--find people who have the gifts for leadership, a passion for caregiving, and a commitment to get things done."

Future Plans

First UMC in Geneva plans to train a second class of Stephen Ministers in the fall of 2006--and Rev. Spangenberg is looking forward to helping Dean with that training. She's also making plans to attend an LTC to help her understand Stephen Ministry backwards and forwards so she'll be able to see the many ways she can lend support and help make the ministry successful.

"The pastor's support is vital," says Rev. Spangenberg. "When the pastor is behind Stephen Ministry, lay people step forward to serve and people in need are more willing to accept care from a lay person. We live in a hurting world--and pastors can't do it all. God calls all Christians to care for those who are hurting. Stephen Ministry gives us a very effective way to equip and empower the laity to answer that call."

• Stephen Ministries holds six one-week Leader's Training Courses across the U.S. each year. For more about the LTC, click here.
• An important step in the Stephen Series system is to carefully select people who have the gifts, commitment, and caring attitude to be a Stephen Minister.
• Stephen Minister training is made up of 20 two-and-one-half-hour sessions. The Leader's Manual provides Stephen Leaders with lesson plans, scripted presentations, and classroom activities for each session. For more about Stephen Ministry training click here.
• The Leader's Manual provides Stephen Leaders with a wealth of ideas and resources for educating the congregation.

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