Social Ministries

Good News Jail & Prison Ministry

FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR 2006

What happened on the inside:

• There has been a total of 250 bibles handed out
• 13 Christian church services and 48 bible studies
• 42 inmates have accepted Jesus as Lord
• 29 inmates have rededicated their life to Jesus

Christ Lutheran hosted Prison Video Conferences between inmates on the mainland and their families here on Big Island every quarter.

Hi’ilani Infant/Toddler Center at CHRIST LUTHERAN CHURCH

   The center is provided for the GRADS program of Hilo High and Waiakea schools. GRADS (Graduation Reality And Dual-Role Skills) is a program that helps teen parents, both mothers and fathers, to continue their education and move towards graduation, to develop positive parenting skills, and to obtain necessary skills to become a contributing member of society.  Hi’ilani Center is licensed to care for 12 children, infants or toddlers ages 6 months - 2 years old.

THE STEPHEN SERIES is a complete system for training and organizing laypersons for caring ministry in and around the congregation.

The Stephen Series provides congregations with the structure, training, and resources to set up and administer a complete system for lay caring ministry (called Stephen Ministry) in the congregation.  In Stephen Ministry congregations, lay caregivers (called Stephen Ministers) provide one-to-one Christian care to the bereaved, hospitalized, terminally ill, separated, divorced, unemployed, relocated, and others facing a crisis or life challenge.  Stephen Ministry helps pastors and congregations provide quality caring ministry for as long as people need it.

How It Works – A congregation member is recruited, selected, trained and commissioned, and supervised by Stephen Leaders to provide one-to-one Christian care to persons in need on behalf of the congregation.  Stephen Ministries typically are assigned one care receiver at a time and meet with that person for about one hour each week.  Stephen Ministries usually serve for two years, which includes an initial 50 hours of training followed by twice-monthly supervision and continuing education session.