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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.

The Rev. Barbara Ballenger

Associate Rector

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(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.

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.

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.



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Care Prayer List Sacraments Visitation Stephen Ministry Spiritual Direction Recovery Groups

Calendar

Tuesday, 3/2 at 7:00 PM
Zoom Stephen Ministry Peer Supervision and CE
Tuesday, 3/2 at 7:00 PM
Zoom Stephen Ministry CE and Peer Supervision
Tuesday, 3/2 at 7:30 PM
Wellspring spiritual companion group
Tuesday, 3/2 at 8:00 PM
A.A. Meeting
Wednesday, 3/3 at 7:30 AM
Morning Prayer via Zoom (SM)
Wednesday, 3/3 at 6:30 PM
Parent Group on Zoom
Wednesday, 3/3 at 6:30 PM
Live-Stream Lenten Compline
Wednesday, 3/3 at 7:00 PM
Community Conversation: Salvation

Zoom Stephen Ministry Peer Supervision and CE

Tuesday, March 2, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Click here to view on Google Calendar.

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Zoom Stephen Ministry CE and Peer Supervision

Tuesday, March 2, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Staff Member is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/851013177?pwd=cHl1enU3UUVoNG10cDQ3ekNQYll4dz09 Meeting ID: 851 013 177 Password: 009415 One tap mobile +16465588656,,851013177# US (New York) +13126266799,,851013177# US (Chicago) Dial by your location +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US +1 301 715 8592 US +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 851 013 177 Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/aL28mNohe

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Wellspring spiritual companion group

Tuesday, March 2, 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM

This small group meets for prayer and sharing on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 7:30 p.m. on zoom. To join this group contact Scott Robinson at [email protected] .

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A.A. Meeting

Tuesday, March 2, 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Click here to view on Google Calendar.

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Morning Prayer via Zoom (SM)

Wednesday, March 3, 7:30 AM - 8:00 AM

Join Zoom Meeting See your Field Notes email for the Zoom link. Call in only: +16465588656,,856472224# US (New York) Meeting ID: 856 472 224 One tap mobile

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Parent Group on Zoom

Wednesday, March 3, 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Click here to view on Google Calendar.

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Live-Stream Lenten Compline

Wednesday, March 3, 6:30 PM - 7:00 PM

6:30 Lenten Compline to end your day and reflect. Streamed live to YouTube, Facebook and https://stmartinec.org/live

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Community Conversation: Salvation

Wednesday, March 3, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Learn more at https://www.stmartinec.org/community-conversations/
 


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Sermons

  • Feb 21 | The Rev. Jarrett Kerbel
    Squirrelly
  • Feb 14 | The Rev. Carol Duncan
    Our Call Through Blessed Absalom Jones
  • Feb 7 | The Rev. Barbara Ballenger
    Our Real Presence on Sunday
  • Jan 31 | Barbara Dundon
    Ten Years of Ministry with the Rev. Jarrett Kerbel
  • Jan 24 | The Rev. Jarrett Kerbel
    Pilot or Passenger?

© 2021 St. Martin-in-the-Fields
8000 St. Martin's Lane · Philadelphia, PA 19118
215.247.7466
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Service Times

Join us online for Sunday morning worship!

  • 8:00 a.m. Traditional spoken Holy Eucharist with sermon - live streamed.
  • 9:15 a.m. Family Worship - a lively service for preschool through older elementary children and their families - live streamed.
  • 10:30 a.m. Traditional Holy Eucharist with music and sermon - live streamed.

StMartinEC.org/live

Location

St. Martin-in-the-Fields
8000 St. Martin's Lane
Philadelphia, PA 19118

Contact Us
215.247.7466

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