Outreach Programs

Outreach Opportunities of

Millian Memorial UMC

Millian reaches out into the community through the activities of the Stephen Ministers, United Methodist Men and the United Methodist Women. Millian also supports a missionary, Nan McCurdy, in Nicaragua. See below for further details on our missionary outreach.

Stephen Ministry

"We are the caregivers; Christ is the Curegiver"

Click here for a message from a Stephen Ministry Leader

Lay caring ministry at Millian is taking on a new emphasis. The first class of Stephen Minister Training began on May 1, 2004. The trainees participated in Saturday classes through the months of May and June. Some of the topics included in the course were: The Art of Listening, Assertiveness, Confidentiality, Ministering to Those in Grief, and Dealing with Depression. A Stephen Minister’s education continues far beyond this initial 50-hour course. Through bi-monthly Peer Supervision meetings they continue to receive many more hours of insight and skills that will aid them in helping others who are going through transitional life crises.

The Stephen Ministers are: Lynn Allen, Emelia Annum, Lily Boateng, Joe Fry, Carol Hall, Anne Matthews, Bill Matthews, Linda May, Bert Nelson, Joan Prothero, Linda Stathoplos, Chuck Thompson, and Nancy van der Walde.

The Stephen Leaders are: Jann Dalrymple, Connie Paulson, Pat Smyrk, and Marguerite Eimer.

More than a quarter-million people have gone through Stephen Ministry training in more
than 7,000 churches worldwide since the ministry began in 1975. It is exciting to be on the
brink of becoming a part of this global effort to extend the love of Jesus Christ to hurting people.

The Stephen Leaders wish to thank the Millian congregation for taking ownership for this new ministry by providing funds, enthusiastic interest and support, and prayers. The gifts of compassion and mercy that are vital for Christian caregivers are not given to everyone, but everyone can continue to support the effort of the Stephen Ministry and those who will be the lay ministers. Your prayers for each of the trainees and for the Stephen Leaders will be appreciated as they participate in this intensive eight-week course.

You can learn more about the broader program of Stephen Ministries on their website at http://www.stephenministries.org.

A Word About Stephen Ministry and Confidentiality Confidentiality is a strict rule that all Stephen Ministers must follow. Trust must develop between the care receivers and the caregivers. This can only happen if the care receiver knows that whatever is said and experienced between the two parties will be kept absolutely confidential. Loving concern abounds for one another throughout the Millian congregation so it will take some effort to abide by this very important concept of confidentiality. A person who agrees to have a Stephen Minister will never have his or her name divulged and the caregiver assigned to that person will not be known to anyone but the supervisory staff. Therefore, it will aid the Stephen Ministers if this strict rule of confidentiality is acknowledged by the congregation and the Stephen Ministers are not asked to give any information that concerns their caregiving assignments.

United Methodist Men

Millian United Methodist Men seek to continue their strong ministry in God, fellowship and community. When a man accepts Jesus Christ and joins the United Methodist Church he expresses his commitment to a new life. Our UMM group helps a man live out his commitment through a covenant relationship with other men in the church.

In these troubled times, old values are being challenged, and new ones have yet to be fully formed. Men are experiencing identity and personal crises, yet there aee few models of how a truely Christian man shall live in today's world. The call is for men to be bear witness to our Christian values. The UMM are called to share their spiritual journey in company with other men. In this way men will therefore find ways of using what God has entrusted to them to the betterment of their community.

The Millian UMM meet the second Saturday of each month during the "school year" at 8 A.M. in the Fellowship Hall for breakfest, fellowship and an educational program.

United Methodist Women

The organized unit of the United Methodist Women (UMW) shall be a community of women whose purpose is to know God, to experience freedom as whole persons through Jesus Christ, to develop a creative, supportive fellowship; and to expand concepts of mission through participation in global ministries of the Church.

The UMW of Millian are very active in all phases of our Church and community. The UMW has held meetings on "The church in the multicultural world", and has hosted a Chinese dinner and plan a Brazilian dinner. The UMW support the work done at Camp Joy, a scholarship fund, the Susanna Wesley House, and the Wesley Theological Seminary on the campus of American University in the District of Columbia.