Stephen Ministry Stephen Ministers are available to provide on-going, one-on-one care. Each Stephen Minister goes through an eight-month training course to provide four types of care: provide crisis care for people whose lives have been disrupted by changes provide follow-up care after a crisis provide support to those with ongoing or chronic needs provide preventive care before a predictable change. Stephen Ministers meet with people in a variety of informal settings, including homes, hospitals, cafes, and parks. Some Stephen Ministers are specially trained to reach out with care and encouragement to those who are home-bound or in an assisted-living situation. If you or someone you know might benefit from receiving this type of care, you can request a Stephen Minister by calling LOPC at (925) 283-9990. National Association The LOPC Stephen Ministry team is affiliated with the national Stephen Ministry Association. Stephen Ministry Training Training involves more than 80 hours of training over the course of eight months. The training is open to anyone interested in developing caring and relational skills. Becoming a commissioned Stephen Minister involves completing the training, being accepted into the program, a two year commitment to the ministry, and attending regular supervision and continuing education meetings. If you want to pursue becoming a Stephen Minister, please contact Gerald Chinen (gerald@lopc.org). Applications and class schedules are available for the next class. There is a fee for training materials.