Diocese to sponsor leadership training for BeFriender Ministry

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
April 26, 2007

Sometimes when people are going through a crisis situation or a life transition, what they may need more than anything is someone to listen to them.

With this in mind, back in the mid-1990s the Office of Adult and Family Ministries in the Diocese of Sioux City began offering resources and provided a training session for parishes to start the BeFriender Ministry. The ministry is centered on training volunteers to serve as a listening presence.

It's been some time since the diocese hosted a training session so this fall they are pooling resources with the Archdiocese of Dubuque to provide training for ministry team leaders from parishes and clusters.

"This training is designed for people who want to be the coordinator of the BeFriender Ministry for their parish or cluster," noted Vera Ludwig, director of family programs for the diocese.

Foundations for BeFriender Ministry will be presented by Julie Berg and Wayne Luebbert from the BeFriender Ministry National Office in Bloomington, Minn.

This training session was organized by Bev Hurni, former director of the Adult and Family Ministries Office of the Diocese of Sioux City and Sister Marci Blum in the Archdiocese of Dubuque.

"It was something we discussed for a couple of years because they had the BeFriender Ministry in their archdiocese. The training is more cost-effective if we can co-sponsor it," noted Hurni.

Because this training is a four-day session and there is some cost involved, the Office of Adult and Family Ministries wanted to get the word out in advance about this opportunity. This way parishes and/or clusters to investigate this ministry to see if it is something they want to commit to and it allows time for them to budget the training expense.

"We are hoping that the diocese, the parishes and the individuals who go to the training can work together to pay for the training," noted Hurni.

Ludwig mentioned that there may be assistance available to help pay for the training through the Partners in Empowering Fund. Individuals would have to apply for these scholarship funds by Aug. 15 through the diocese. These funds could pay up to one-half of the registration fee. In addition, the Office of Adult and Family Ministries will pay for one of the three nights of lodging via Centennial Campaign funds.

Hurni has hopes that parishes and clusters who are unfamiliar with this ministry check it out.

"I have a strong faith and trust in the BeFriender Ministry organization and program because I took the training myself in 1996 and implemented the program in Cherokee," she said. "It was not only one of the best programs for the people who receive the benefit of the ministry but also for the BeFrienders themselves who had tremendous spiritual growth."

Those who attend the training session will train other lay people in their parish and cluster so that they develop compassionate and caring listening skills so they can be a caring presence of God. Individuals who are BeFriended may have lost a loved one, lost a job or are going through a difficult family situation.

Foundations of BeFriender Ministry will be held Nov. 1-4 in Webster City, which is located about 20 miles east of Fort Dodge. The cost is $649 for the first registrant from a parish or cluster and $499 for each additional registrant from the same church or organization. Lunch will be provided each day as well as morning and afternoon snacks. Lodging and evening meals are not included.

Payment must be made in full by Oct. 11.

A registration form is available on the diocese's updated Web site - www.scdiocese.org.

If people are seeking more information about this ministry, they may contact Ludwig at (712) 233-7532 or for information specific to the workshop, they may check out the BeFriender Ministry National Office's Web site at www.befrienderministry.org and click on Foundations Workshop.