Your Stephen
Ministry Team

Leadership Team Coordinator

Blair Sundquist
(504) 469-2019

Training Coordinator

Walter Dabbs

Continuing Education Coordinator

Marlene Cooke

Pastoral Liaison

Blair Sundquist
(504) 469-2019

Supervision and Referral Coordinators

Frances Bordelon
(504) 888-0348
Blair Sundquist
(504) 469-2019

Awareness Building Coordinator

Lois Sundquist
(504) 469-2019

Supervision Group Facilitators

Lois Sundquist
Walter Dabbs

What Exactly Is Stephen Ministry?

Stephen Ministry is a ministry in our congregation in which trained and supervised lay-persons, called Stephen Ministers, provide one-to-one Christian care to individuals facing life challenges or difficulties.

Why The Name Stephen?

The name Stephen comes from St. Stephen, who was the first lay person commissioned by the apostles to provide caring ministry to those in need as recorded in Acts 6.

Where Did It All Start?

Stephen Ministry originated in 1975, when Kenneth Haugk, a pastor and clinical psychologist, began this ministry in order to multiply the care giving within his congregation in St. Louis, Missouri. Parkway Presbyterian Church established its Stephen Ministry program in 1991. Parkway is one of more than 8,957 Stephen Ministry congregations from more than 108 denominations. Stephen Ministries St. Louis, headquartered in Missouri, is the organization behind this international ministry.

Who Is Involved?

Stephen Leaders are the ones who oversee and direct our Stephen Ministry. They recruit, select, train, organize, and supervise our Stephen Ministers; identify people in need of care; and match them with a Stephen Minister.

Stephen Ministers

Stephen Ministers are the caregivers. Each Stephen Minister completes 50 hours of training in Christian care giving. This includes general topics such as listening, feelings, boundaries, assertiveness, and using Christian resources in care giving. Their training also covers specialized topics such as ministering to the divorced, hospitalized, bereaved, and aging. Our currently active Stephen Ministers are Lois Sundquist, Blair Sundquist, Frances Bordelon, Marlene Cooke, Walt Dabbs, Betty Bankston, Jack Bauman, Winelle Beckwith, Carol Emmert, Jan Faust, Frances Rodgers, and Beverly Slaton.

What Do Stephen Ministers Do?

Stephen Ministers are caring Christian friends who listen, understand, accept, pray for and with care receivers who are working through a crisis or a tough time.

How Can Someone Receive Care From a Stephen Minister?

If you, or someone you know, could benefit from the care of a Stephen Minister, call the church office at (504) 733-1644. (If you want to talk about Stephen Ministry for someone else, make sure you get his or her permission first.)