Devotion for 5 June

A brief prayer is offered that you can add to your daily prayers this week. The scripture is from our Sunday Service Bulletin for today. The service today honors our Stephen Ministry program which you will find in congregations from more than 160 Christian denominations, across the U.S. and Canada and in 29 other countries. [Please see www.stephenminstries.org]

EPISTLE READING Acts 6:3-8 (English Standard Version)

Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. 6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. 8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people.

Devotion: Stephen Ministry

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. A Stephen Minister usually provides care to one person at a time, meeting with that person once a week for about an hour. People who are hurting have a compassionate companion—a caring Christian friend who provides emotional and spiritual support. Congregations receive a practical and powerful way to respond to Christ’s commandment: “Love one another as I have loved you

We pray: Lord thank you for Stephen Minsters and their Leaders   Amen