Care Companion Network
A Synod-wide Network of Lay Pastoral Care Providers
The development of this synod-wide Care Companion Network, made up of volunteer lay pastoral care providers trained through either BeFriender Ministry or Stephen Ministry, was made possible by a $30,000 grant from the Siebert Lutheran Foundation to help underwrite 75% of training costs for network leaders and ongoing support.
Newly trained Care Companions will receive pastoral care training through BeFriender Ministry, a national, ecumenical non-profit organization that provides leadership training and ongoing support for a listening ministry of care and support in churches, hospitals, senior living communities, and other organizations. Visit befrienderministry.org to learn more about the training organization. Those with prior training in Stephen Ministry are also welcome to join the Care Companion Network.
Care Companion Leadership Applications and Nominations are open now!
Care Companion Leaders will participate in Foundations for BeFriender Ministry Training which includes the standard BeFriender Ministry training program as well as leadership structures to implement in your congregations and throughout the synod.
Some of these leaders will then become trainers of BeFriender Ministry to further equip others across the synod. You do not need to have prior experience to apply to be a Care Companion Leader, but you do need to be willing to commit time to attend the training and participate in monthly and/or quarterly group gatherings as well as being committed to learning, listening, collaborating, and sharing with others,
These trainings will be underwritten 75% by a grant from the Siebert Lutheran Foundation for the first 30 participants, making the final cost to participate $200.
We have three leadership cohort groups scheduled. All training sessions will be only with others from the La Crosse Area Synod so that we can form relationships and develop a network structure that works for us across congregations.
Note: You must apply through the synod’s application process. Do not apply through the BeFriender Ministry website, as the synod’s training sessions are not listed publicly.
Next Cohort: Two Tuesdays and Two Saturdays - January 21, 25, 28, and February 1
How the Care Companion Network Came to Be
In response to requests from pastors and lay leaders across our synod to respond to our changing world and meet the pastoral care needs of our congregations and communities, the La Crosse Area Synod is excited to announce the launch of a Synod Care Companion Network to be made up of trained lay pastoral care providers.
Thanks to a generous $30,000 grant from the Lutheran Siebert Foundation, we have partnered with BeFriender Ministry to provide quality pastoral care training for lay people throughout this synod and develop a network between care providers in the synod. This network will equip lay leaders to respond to the needs of the community, claim ownership of the caring ministries of the church in partnership with pastors, and build relationships within and between congregations as we mutually seek to care for God's people.
Trained pastoral care leaders will be known as "Care Companions" across the synod. While our granted program partners with BeFriender Ministry for newly trained Care Companions, as the network of Care Companions is developed, those currently serving in congregations with training through Stephen Ministry will also be heartily welcomed into gatherings and network opportunities as well in the months to come.
We are now accepting applications for training of up to 30 Care Companion leaders as we form this synod-wide network. Please note: You must apply through the synod's application form rather than through the BeFriender Ministry website.
If you are interested in participating, please fill out the application form at this link. There are several reflection questions included, so you may wish to answer the questions in a Word document and paste them into the online form once you are ready, since answers cannot be saved in the form and returned to later. You can view a sample PDF of the application here. Please apply for the January 2025 cohort group by December 15th.
Additionally, if you would like to nominate someone else to participate in the Care Companion leadership training (which includes the BeFriender training program), you may nominate them using this nomination form by December 12. After nominations are received, the nominee will be invited to submit an application.
If you have any questions, please contact Pastor Dione Stepanek at the synod office for more information.