Retiring Stephen Ministry Leader, Norma Moore
Celebration of her joyful, faithful caring happens Sunday, July 18, Hazel Dell and Messiah North campuses
Stephen Ministry has been an important part of Norma's life for the past 27 years. The organization began in 1975 to help pastors care for the hurting people within their congregations and surrounding communities. Norma first heard about Stephen Ministry in 1984 when she studied to become a Director of Christian Education and was doing her internship at a church in Kansas. Ten years later, when she and her husband Dave lived with their son in Korea, their pastor at the International Lutheran Church in Seoul gave Norma the exciting opportunity to train as a Stephen Minister (50 hours). Later that same year, she again followed God's call and did her training as a Stephen Leader (80 hours).Norma led Stephen Ministry at Lutheran churches in Lansing, MI, and Jackson, TN, before moving to Vancouver in 2005 and serving at Messiah. She has cared for numerous beautiful people who needed someone to listen carefully and receive their stories. She prayed for and with them and shared God's love. In addition, Norma taught 30 people how to serve in this lay ministry so they could also provide Christ-centered one-on-one care.
July 18 will also be the Stephen Leader commissioning date for Cathy Haywood. She has been a Stephen Minister for eight years and completed her training via Zoom during the pandemic. Cathy will join Dianne Dawson as a Stephen Leader. Pastor Kathy and Pastor Peter have also taken the Stephen Ministry Leadership training. Ginny Johnson and Nancy Hepp are our current Stephen Ministers. Several other trained Stephen Ministers are on sabbatical.
We invite you to join us in thanking Norma for her dedicated service to our congregation and Cathy for accepting the call to serve as Messiah's newest Stephen Leader.
New Stephen Leader, Cathy Haywood
