“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
Galatians 6:2
If you or a loved one is having a hard time and needs assistance with food, housing, or care- here is a list of resources:
Care giving available at the church level:
Brighton United Methodist Church Stephen Ministers are trained and supervised volunteers providing one-to-one distinctively Christian caregiving to individuals in a difficult time because of life circumstances. This might be grief, divorce, unemployment, illness, and many other things. The most important thing that Stephen Ministers do is to be a listening presence during a difficult time. Stephen Ministers faithfully meet with their care receivers regularly, hold their care receivers in prayer, and respect complete confidentiality. The care receiver and the Stephen Minister determine how long the caring relationship will last.
How do I know if a Stephen Minister is for me?
Stephen Ministry is appropriate for anyone whose basic coping skills are intact but could use another’s caring presence to assist them as they journey through life’s transitions and challenges such as:
- If you are chronically or terminally ill
- Recently hospitalized and in need of support while recovering at home or in a nursing home
- Grieving the death of a loved one
- Disabled or caring for someone who is disabled
- Dealing with separation or divorce
- Lonely or discouraged
- Facing a life transition
- Experiencing a spiritual crisis
- Countless other life challenges
How do I refer someone or ask for help?
- A person – maybe you, a relative or friend is hurting and in need of Christian care.
- The Stephen Ministry Referrals Coordinator or Pastor Joel, learns about this need for care from you, a friend or from the person in need of care and only after the person in need has granted permission.
- The Referrals Coordinator meets with the person to talk about Stephen Ministry.
- With the person’s permission, the Referrals Coordinator assigns a Stephen Minister to meet on a weekly basis with the person.
- The Stephen Minister provides distinctively Christian and strictly confidential care.
Rev. Joel Kershaw -BUMC, Clergy
Sue Slaughter – Stephen Leader-303-498-0181
Martha Bradfield – Stephen Leader-720-230-8178
If you would like more information on the referral process or Stephen Ministry at Brighton United Methodist Church, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Pastor Joel at 303-659-2022.
Helpful links:
The stories of care receivers.
Grief Support
We all find ourselves struggling to cope with loss at some point in our lives. God does not expect us to cope alone.
If you are grieving a loss of any kind (death, job, marriage, etc) consider joining our Grief Support Group. We are a community gathered for mutual support and fellowship to help those who mourn find comfort.
We will meet in-person at the church, but also offer Zoom if you let us know you’d like to join online.
Please contact Rev. Joel for more information- 720-947-9399.