Stephen Ministry
Stephen Ministry is St. Martin’s one-on-one ministry of pastoral listening and care for people going through difficult times.
Stephen Ministers are parish and community volunteers trained to offer compassionate and prayerful support to people who are experiencing challenges such as job loss, grief, divorce, illness, caregiving or other life transitions. A Stephen Minister and his or her care receiver typically meet once a week for about an hour. Men are matched with male Stephen Ministers and women with women. A Stephen Ministry relationship might last a few months or more than a year, depending on the care receiver’s needs.
Stephen Ministry
Stephen Ministers meet one-on-one.
Do you or someone you know need care?
Even with the support of family and friends, enduring difficulties and losses can feel like a pretty lonely walk. Stephen Ministers provide regular, dependable care that is faith-based and confidential. To learn more about how a Stephen Minister might offer compassionate support for you or someone you care about, please contact the Rev. Barbara Ballenger. She’ll arrange a meeting to explain Stephen Ministry and discuss our intake process.
Are you called to be a Stephen Minister?
A Stephen Minister has a calming presence and is comfortable with a process of care that involves listening, prayer and supportive feedback as her or his care receiver walks through difficulty or crisis. Stephen Ministry is not professional therapy, pastoral counseling, or spiritual direction.
A 50-hour training course is required of all Stephen Ministers before they can begin offering care. The training involves weekly sessions of about two-and-a-half hours and will extend through part of the summer.
Once trained, Stephen Ministers sign on for a two-year commitment, though they are free to continue longer with the ministry. The basic time requirement includes meeting once a week for about an hour with a care receiver, as well as meeting twice a month for lengthier peer supervision and continuing education sessions. For more information about becoming a Stephen Minister, contact the Rev. Barbara Ballenger.
Who are St. Martin’s Stephen Ministers?
St. Martin’s has 12 active Stephen Ministers. The program is facilitated by four Stephen Leaders, who oversee recruitment, intake, training, supervision and continuing education. For more information please contact the Rev. Barbara Ballenger.
Stephen Ministry is part of a nationally recognized program.
Associate Rector (215) 247-7466 ext. 102 Barbara (she/her) joined St.
Martin’s in 2014. In June
Barbara’s family moved from State College to Philadelphia, where her husband
works at Drexel University. They’re excited to be a part of St. Martin’s
vibrant faith community. Barbara’s family includes her husband, Jess, adult
son, Jesse, and high school-aged daughter, Hannah. Non-human family members
include Tara the rat and Oakley the dog. Barb began
seminary in the fall of 2017. Read more here. In June 2019, Barb was ordained a Deacon in the Episcopal Church,
on her path to full priestly ordination later in the year. Read more about becoming a deacon here. On Friday, December 13, 2019, Barbara was ordained to the Priesthood at St. Martin's.The Rev. Barbara Ballenger
Barbara hales originally from northeast Ohio, where she grew up and went to
school. She received a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Kent State
University and a master’s degree in pastoral ministry from Ursuline College.
Barbara’s ministry background is based largely in the Roman Catholic Church
where she worked for more than 17 years in a variety of faith-based positions,
including parish faith formation director, campus minister, newspaper reporter
and program coordinator for Catholic Relief Services. She also worked for eight
years in a performing arts ministry as a retreat leader, songwriter and
storyteller.
Most recently Barbara worked for Episcopal Relief & Development as a
training coordinator in US Disaster Preparedness and Response. She joined the
Episcopal Church in 2010, with the long-term goal of priestly ordination.
Woven through her work in ministry is a passion for social, economic and
environmental justice. Over the years, Barbara has worked on issues of peace
and non-violence, cultural understanding, global and domestic poverty,
sustainability and environmental stewardship.
For fun Barbara loves to read, make music, and turn broken things into mosaics.
You’ll probably also see her riding her bike around West Mount Airy and
Chestnut Hill. She might even stop and ask you for directions.
