The Stephen Ministry: Touching Hearts with God’s Healing Mercy
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Ministerio Esteban:
Tocando Corazones con la Misericordia Sanadora de Dios
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n September 25, 2018, Miles l 25 de septiembre de 2018, Smith began his journey with the Miles Smith comenzó su paso Stephen Ministry, and it has been a por el Ministerio Esteban y ha beautiful experience of stewardship sido una hermosa experiencia de ever since. corresponsabilidad desde entonces. “I wanted to join in order to stay “Quería unirme para permanecer active in the parish and continue activo en la parroquia y seguir working with people,” Miles says. “I trabajando con personas,” dice Miles. have a special memory of meeting my “Tengo un recuerdo especial de very first care receiver and getting to cuando conocí a mi primer recibidor de know him. Although I no longer work cuidados y llega a conocerle. Aunque with this care receiver in the Stephen ya no trabajo con él en el Ministerio Ministry, we have become incredibly Esteban, hemos sido excelentes good friends since then.” amigos desde entonces.” Miles is currently serving as Miles ahora sirve como líder del the leader of the Stephen Ministry, Ministerio Esteban. Un servicio que which is an outreach that provides provee ministros que cuidan y ayudan care ministers who listen to anyone a cualquier persona que enfrenta with problems and issues, in a caring problemas y circunstancias, de and non-judgmental way. They help manera cuidadosa y sin pasar juicio. people of various faith traditions and Ayudan a distintas tradiciones de fe y In 2018, Miles Smith began his journey walks of life. estilos de vida. with the Stephen Ministry, and it Throughout the past year, Durante el pasado año, el Ministerio has been a beautiful experience of the Stephen Ministry has kept Esteban ha continuado operando, a stewardship ever since. up and running, despite the pesar de los múltiples obstáculos de la major obstacles imposed by the pandemia por el coronavirus. coronavirus pandemic. “Cuando golpeó el COVID, muchos ministros empezaron “When COVID hit, many ministers began meeting with a reunirse con sus clientes por Zoom o por teléfono, y no en their care receivers via Zoom or by telephone, instead of persona,” dice Miles. “Seguimos teniendo nuestras reuniones in person,” Miles says. “We continue having our bi-monthly bimensuales de supervisión por Zoom.” team supervision meetings with Zoom, as well.” Como sabemos, nadie le gana a Dios en generosidad, As the saying goes, God cannot ever be outdone in y siempre recompensa a quien comparte Su amor con los generosity, and He always rewards those who share His demás. Los ministros Esteban, encuentran que participar love with others. Stephen Ministers such as Miles find that en este esfuerzo ha traído gran alegría a su corazón y les ha participating in this outreach has brought them great joy of ayudado en su relación con Cristo. heart and helped them grow in their relationship with Christ. “Disfruto interactuando con mis compañeros de equipo, “I enjoy interacting with my fellow team members, así como con nuestros receptores de cuidado,” dice Miles. as well as with our care receivers,” Miles says. “Spiritual “El crecimiento espiritual generalmente proviene de tener growth usually comes from having genuine compassion compasión genuina por los demás, así como el deseo de for others, as well as a desire to actively help them. It is ayudarlos activamente. Es importante que los Católicos important for Catholics to remain grounded in their faith permanezcan arraigados en su fe y mantengan un deseo and to maintain a sincere desire to help people.” sincero de ayudar a la gente.” Ultimately, the Stephen Ministry lends us an ideal Finalmente, el Ministerio Esteban provee un reflection of the stewardship vision. It unites our reflejo ideal de la misión corresponsable, une nuestra parish community and shows that we genuinely care comunidad parroquial, y muestra como nos cuidamos continued on back cover
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