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Finding Your Way to Say Goodbye
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Outreach Ministry Provides One-on-One Support
"There's a real need for this type of helping ministry, both in the church to help the clergy, but also for our commanders who can use special help with difficult situations they encounter day to day."
Col. William Murray
Director of the F-16 Management Directorate
By 2nd Lieutenant Caroline Wellman
Hilltop Times Staff
Hill Air Force Base, Utah
The Hill AFB chapel is one of only a handful of Air Force chapels that provides spiritual support to the base and community populations through a nationwide Christian outreach program.
In 1999, the Chapel adopted Stephen Ministry, a transdenominational Christian ministry program, after chaplains identified a need to provide more individual support to the Hill Chapel community.
The ministry is named for St. Stephen, one of seven deacons commissioned by the apostles to provide caring ministry that the apostles alone could not provide, as mentioned in Acts in the Bible. The ministry prepares laymen to provide emotional support and ministry to Christians experiencing trying situations.
"Our chaplains didn't think they were providing enough one-to-one support for Christians in need so the chapel staff started to explore means to fill in the gaps," explained Peggy Wasserlein, Hill's Stephen Ministry team coordinator. "They could only dedicate a certain amount of time to any individual before needing to assist another person. That's not the kind of ministry the chapel wanted to provide."
Exploring their options, the pastors determined that a Stephen Ministry was what they were looking for.
"We're here to help people get through difficult times. Sometimes it's a death that the individual is grieving; sometimes it's the absence of a deployed spouse; sometimes it's divorce," said Wasserlein. "Whatever kind of support the individual needs, our Stephen Ministers try to provide."
Since its adoption, the ministry has grown. Today, there are 21 Stephen Ministers working out of the chapel. Although it mainly serves those that attend the chapel, it does provide care to all, including individuals from the off-base community who turn to the base chapel's congregation for needed spiritual support.
Stephen Ministers and the individuals they support are matched in one-to-one, same-gender, confidential pairs. The Ministers commit to providing regular and dependable support, usually meeting at least one hour per week with the individual in need.
To become a Stephen Minister, individuals must complete more than 50 hours of initial training, five hours of continual monthly training, and must commit to two years in the ministry with educator and peer supervision. The training prepares them to assist individuals with a variety of situations, and to recognize situations requiring professional care.
Most involved in the program think that the time invested in the ministry has strong rewards, both for care receivers and care givers.
"It's really been a great feeling to reach out to these individuals," commented Mavis Harrell, a Stephen Minister who works from the chapel. "And it's comforting to care receivers to know that someone other than family is reaching out to them."
The ministry provides an opportunity for spiritual growth, as a congregation and as individuals.
"There's a real need for this type of helping ministry, both in the church to help the clergy, but also for our commanders who can use special help with difficult situations they encounter day to day. Stephen Ministry has been a real blessing in my life and helped me grow as a Christian," said Col. William Murray, director of the F-16 Management Directorate, who sees obvious benefits in his life and the lives of those helped by the Stephen Ministry program.
Stephen Ministers are trained to recognize the need for professional help and to aid in the search for it.
Stephen Ministers rely on the strength of the Lord, say most. And the ministry is simply a way for those with a real love of people and compassion for those who are hurting to help how they can, explained Williams.