Bethany Community
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, both in our congregation and community.
Meets the Needs of People
There are times when each of us needs the care of another person, a Christian friend, a Stephen Minister! These needs include but are not limited to:
- The hospitalized
- The terminally ill and their families
- People new to the community
- Those grieving a death or serious loss
- The homebound
- Those with a job crisis
- The aging and elderly
- Those with disabilities and their families
- The separated and divorced
- Those in spiritual crisis
Stephen Ministry is confidential ministry: those receiving care can be sure that their identity and what goes on in the caring relationship will remain private.
Multiplies our Christian Caregiving and Outreach
Our Stephen Ministers work together with our pastors to reach more people with Christian care than pastors can reach by themselves.
People who receive care from a Stephen Minister…
- Receive quality Christian care
- Deepen their relationship with their Lord
- Grow in their desire to participate in Christian community
- Come to value ministry from another lay person while continuing contact with the pastor
Stephen Ministry enhances our outreach by…
- Creating a “caring ministry explosion” where many instead of a few are offering God’s love and care in intentional, systematic ways.
- Enabling our entire congregation to grow as a warm, loving, nurturing community where people are cherished and cared for in Jesus Christ.
- Identifying our congregation to our community as a place where people’s needs are taken seriously.
Contact: Pastor Ruth Ann Loughry
Phone: (303) 758-2820
E-Mail: ruthann@bethany-denver.org
In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus asked: “Which of these three, do you think was a neighbor…?” The response was, “The one who showed mercy.” Jesus said, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:25-37)
The Caring Visitor serves as a “church link” and will be “neighbor” to the home-centered / homebound Bethany member, and their loved ones, who may be confronted with challenges including illness, loneliness, lack of transportation, and other health related issues, in order to witness to the life and spirit of Bethany Lutheran Church and its Lord.
The Caring Visitor’s primary service is to bring scripture, prayer and communion and to be a listener, friend, and confidant. By bringing the care and service of the church it helps to keep all members and their loved ones in the center of the family life of Bethany.
If you are in need of a Caring Visitor or would like to learn how you can help, please contact one of our representatives.
Contacts: Pastor Ruth Ann Loughry
Phone: (303) 758-2820
E-Mail: ruthann@bethany-denver.org
… that there should be no division in the body, but that all members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. (1 Corinthians 12:25)
The Pastoral Care Team monitors some of the pastoral care needs of Bethany. This is a confidential caring ministry which functions as a sort of “triage” to identify and track Bethany’s care needs. Volunteers meet twice monthly to identify members with special needs (hospitalization, death in the family, etc.). Care Team members make phone contact or send cards from the Care Team, and may recommend referrals to the various caring ministries (such as Parish Nurses, Caring Visitors, Stephen Ministry, Senior Center, and others). A member of the pastoral staff can then follow up on these referrals. This allows the pastors to better minister to congregational needs, and provides congregation members with opportunities to care for and support each other with their time and talents.
Contact: Pastor Ruth Ann Loughry
Phone: (303) 758-2820
E-Mail: ruthann@bethany-denver.org
RAINBOWS is …
a peer support program for children in kindergarten through 8th grade who have experienced a loss due to death, divorce, separation, or other painful transition.
RAINBOWS participants meet in small, age-level support groups with others in similar circumstances. A trained, caring adult guides them in understanding their feelings and learning to cope in healthy ways. They learn to talk about feelings, sort through confusion and anger, and begin the process of healing. Children are bound by confidentiality, which fosters trust and provides a safe atmosphere.
SPECTRUM is …
a peer support program for high school youth to help teens share feelings and
thoughts about their loss with others their own age. All conversations are kept confidential.
Adolescents face many difficult obstacles as they begin to learn their place in the world. For many teens, one of the most distressing challenges can be the changes that occur in their families through death, divorce, or other painful transitions. Young adults need a chance to express their feelings, positive and negative. Yet, they may be too unsure of themselves to take the risk. Like adults, they fear rejection or lack of understanding. SPECTRUM provides the opportunity for teens to be with others their age who are walking the same journey. Sensitive, caring, trained adults act as facilitators who help teens put their feelings into words, work through their grief, build a stronger sense of self-esteem, and begin to accept what has taken place in their lives.
PRISM is …
a support group program for single parents, stepparents, and for parents whose children are in the Rainbows program. The purpose of Prism is for the parents to understand and process their own grief and to become more attuned to their child’s grief. PRISM is not therapy or a program to teach parenting skills. It is designed to have you take an honest look at the person you are today and the parent you are to your children. Because of the personal nature of the sharing and supportive structure of the group, all sessions are confidential and the size of the group is limited. The exercises and activities included are for you and you alone. There will be times for discussion as well as times of reflection. We ask only that you be open to listening to the others who share in your group. Many times the wisdom and insights that we gain in life come from the others who have lived through the same pain and struggles that we have.
A trained facilitator guides each group meeting. This person has offered to give their time and self to help us rebuild our families. Just by being in a PRISM group means that others support you. Know that the questions and struggles you may look at and discuss are done in an atmosphere of concern, care, and confidentiality. We need this commitment from one another for the success of our time together.
Registered Directors:
Joanne Bayless, 303-369-5204,
Email: joannecarlson@centura.org
Rit Vogel, 303-639-4349,
Email: rit@bethany-denver.org
For more information about RAINBOWS:
www.rainbows.org
