Stephen Ministry comes to an end at PMC

This is an update on the Stephen Ministry from the Stephen Ministry Discernment Group. With the feedback received from former Stephen Ministers & Leaders, our discernment group discussions, and in connection with PMC staff and the Table, we've come to a decision. 

The basics are that the group recommends closing the Stephen Ministry program.
We affirmed that the program has been wonderful in many ways and a gift to the congregation, but that we are unable to continue it. The main reason for closing is that we do not have the volunteer capacity to meet the high time and administrative demands of this program.

To be clear, PMC will still have many types of congregational & pastoral care available for those who need it. We have worked to build up some of our other care options and will continue to find ways to fill any gaps that we find.

This recommendation has been affirmed by the Table. In the future, we hope to do some more assessment of needs in the congregation and work at finding ways to meet those needs that fit our volunteer capacity –  hopefully this can begin during our pastoral transition process and then with the help of our new Lead Pastor.

​If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Pastor Kristen or anyone in the SM Discernment Group (Joleen Jensen-Classen, Harold Nussbaum, Karen Hartmann, LaVonne Blowers, and Susan Lanford).

read more about the process of ending Stephen Ministry