The Stephen Ministry in our Congregation….

 You don’t have to be alone. There are times when each of us needs support, and a group is great, but sometimes we just want to talk to one person, a Christian friend!   Stephen Ministry is a program of our congregation that equips lay persons to provide distinctively Christian one-to-one care to those who are experiencing all kinds of life needs and circumstances. These needs include but are not limited to the following:

            Loss of a loved one                         Hospitalization

            Divorce or separation                   Loneliness or discouragement

            Spiritual crises                                  Unemployment or a job crisis

            A terminal illness                            Incarceration

            Aging                                                    Birth, adoption, miscarriage, infertility

            A chronic illness                              Relocation

            Recovery after accident               And many more…

A Stephen Minister is a child of God who walks beside a person who is struggling and/or hurting. Stephen Ministers receive 50 hours of training in providing emotional and spiritual care. They are caring Christian friends who listen, pray, support and encourage. Your Stephen Minister will be someone who will “be there” for you, meeting faithfully for about an hour each week. 

 Confidentiality is a hallmark and faithful commitment of this ministry. Fremont currently has 6 (six) trained Stephen Ministers. If you have further questions about this Ministry or if you or someone you know could benefit from the care of a Stephen Minister, contact Charleen Gorrell at 631- 8616. 

 “Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” –Galatians 6:2.

Testimony from a Care Receiver in a California Presbyterian Community...

"When you first hear that diagnosis of cancer, you wonder if you're going to die," said the Rev. Dr. Linda Line.  "I needed someone to pray with me.   I needed someone to listen and care."

While Dr. Line had known of Stephen Ministry for 14 years and had always wanted to have this ministry in her congregation, she first experienced this one-to-one distinctively Christian care as a care receiver at First Presbyterian Church, Visalia, California.

"When I was in the hospital, my Stephen Minister came and visited me there.  When I went to sleep at night, I never knew whether I would wake up in my hospital bed or in heaven.  She got me through those difficult times.  She couldn't fix or change anything, but I knew I could share my fear, anxiety, and concern about life and death with her.  I always knew I could call her, that I wasn't alone."