At West Vancouver United Church we offer a variety of ways you might receive care. We have people who make phone calls or friendly visits. We have a coordinator of care, Cindy MacLeod, who organizes the above plus she has a wealth of information about healthcare in our community. Our clergy offer care and support and we have trained people through a worldwide organization called Stephen Ministries. Here we are focusing on caring through Stephen Ministry.

Because the Stephen Ministry model is one on one care the focus is on adults 19+. Normally we match people in a same gender caring relationship. We are aware that there may be instances when matches may need a different approach.
-A person may or may not be part of our congregation
-You may or may not be Christian
-You need someone to walk with you and support you and to listen.

You might be grieving, lonely, sad, have had a significant life change, relocation, empty nest, divorce, loss of job, illness of yourself or someone close to you, hospitalization, a spiritual crisis, pandemic fatigue, the list goes on.

You can refer yourself to one of the Stephen Ministry Team Leaders by contacting us through a confidential email here or a phone call to the church @ 604-922-9171.  You can also talk to Rev. Philip, Rev. Simon or the Coordinator of Care, Cindy MacLeod. All your conversations and contacts are confidential.

You meet with a Stephen Leader for a conversation. You will be told more about the care given and how it works. You will have a conversation about you, and together with the Stephen Leader you will determine if Stephen Ministry is the right fit for you. If this is a good fit, the Stephen Leader will match you with a trained individual from our team. We call these people Stephen Ministers.

Stephen Ministry is the one-to-one caring that takes place in congregations that use the Stephen Series system. (http://www.stephenministries.org)
Stephen Ministry congregations equip and empower lay caregivers - called Stephen Ministers - to provide high-quality, confidential, Christ-centered care to people who are hurting.
Potential Stephen Ministry applicants go through an interview process. Together they and the Leaders discern the application. The Leaders will hold a 10 week training program for new Stephen Ministers.

We are not counsellors or therapists. We provide an opportunity for people to talk and be heard. Sometimes talking with family or friends is difficult. This is non-judgmental care and compassionate listening.

Stephen Ministry is the one-to-one lay caring ministry that takes place in congregations that use the Stephen Series system.
Stephen Ministry congregations equip and empower lay caregivers - called Stephen Ministers - to provide high-quality, confidential, Christ-centered care to people who are hurting.

The best way to understand how Stephen Ministry works is to learn about three groups of people involved in this ministry: Stephen Leaders, Stephen Ministers, and care receivers.

Stephen Leaders establish and direct Stephen Ministry in a congregation. They build awareness in congregations, recruit and train Stephen Ministers,and provide ongoing supervision and continuing education to Stephen Ministers. Leaders also meet with potential care receivers and match care receivers with Stephen Ministers.

Stephen Ministers are lay people trained to provide one-to-one, confidential care to people experiencing a difficult time in life. Stephen Ministers come from all walks of life. Their commonality? A passion for bringing Christ’s love and care to people during a time of need.

Care receivers are people—congregation members and others in the community—who receive care from a Stephen Minister. These are people struggling through a difficult time in life—experiencing grief, divorce, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, or some other life crisis.

Click here to go directly to the Stephen Ministry website.