The Caregiver's Compass

A compass points to true North.  From that we can get our bearings.  So, no matter which way we choose to travel, a compass helps us to stay on our path.  Reverend Groat often affirms “you can choose any road and any road you choose, Christ will walk with you.”  We often hear talk today about having a “moral compass” where our core values can drive our actions and relationships in all aspects of life – our faith, work, family, even politics.

The Caregiver’s Compass expresses those core values for the Stephen Minister and works well for anyone who wants those values infused into their life journey so that “Christ will walk with you.”

Christ Centered   At the center of the compass is the Chi Rho, the first two letters of “Christos”, Greek for Christ.  It is at the center from which all good things pour out for those who are Christ-centered.  When Stephen Ministers care, they bring Christ’s care to their care receivers. They never think their care receiver’s well-being depends on what they do, but on what Spirit does in and through them and the relationship.  Stephen Ministers work on staying Christ-centered so they will be able to bring God’s love to others.

Compassionate  Stephen Ministers (and all Christ-centered lives) are compassionate caregivers.  They share their care receiver’s pain and help them bear it.  They are often “wounded healers” themselves who can relate through their own experiences of loss or pain.  They listen without judgment, without preconceived notions about what “should be” or “needs to be” done.  They listen to the non-language of tone and mood.  We may be closest to God both when we laugh and when we cry together.  Just the sharing lightens the burden.

Full of Faith  By God’s grace, Stephen Ministers are full of faith.  They bring Christ’s care into the relationship and trust God to bring results.  They are the care giver. God is the cure giver. They are hopeful and optimistic and confident.  Stephen Ministers do not preach or try to coerce another into certain beliefs.  They are prayerful and trust in the process of faith building through relationship and sharing their own love, peace, hope and joy that faith has evoked in their own lives.

Trustworthy  Trust is the door into the safe house.  The Stephen Minister shows up, follows through, and demonstrates they are worthy of trust in their confidentiality.  They stand by their care receivers.  The world or life has in some way disappointed, even devastated the care receiver.  They need a bridge to a better place, a better way to be, to feel renewed and inspired (breathing in) again.  They need a hand reaching out to help pull themselves up.  The Stephen Minister is that trusting hand and the relationship is that bridge.

Skilled  Through their gifts and their training, Stephen Ministers are skilled caregivers.  They have learned skills in listening, dealing with feelings, maintaining boundaries and in recognizing when a different kind of care giving might be more appropriate such as a professional counselor.  Through supervision feedback, the Stephen Minister becomes skilled at paying attention to the relationship so it stays process focused and not trying to “fix” a problem.