Celebrate Recovery Group Phone List

The best use of a group phone list

We recommend that group leaders maintain a phone list in both Open Share Group and Step Study Group. The phone list should consist of someone’s first name only and their phone number, email address as optional.

After your group has been meeting for a few weeks, pass out a blank master list and ask each participant to list their name and info. In Open Share Group this should be optional but encouraged. However, in Step Study Group each individual should be ready to take their recovery to the next level, by seeking accountability.

The only down fall of providing a phone list is that new participants don’t have to step out of their comfort zone to directly ask someone to exchange a phone number. However, the benefits far outweigh this. A phone list shows unity, and it’s convenient for group participants. It’s also a powerful tool to new participants who are learning to reach out to others. Leaders, be sure to announce that you have a phone list at the end of the meeting.

When using a phone list, I recommend noting a usage clause to avoid any misuses of the phone list. Remember, as leaders, the usage clause also applies to you! We must be held to the same standards as our group participants. Just as the 5 group guidelines apply to us so does how we use email.

Think about it:

In most cases emails that are sent out disclose the recipients’ email addresses. This really isn't a problem when the email is exclusive to group members about CR updates. The problem is when an email is not related to CR. For example, sending out a seasonal joke, a person may hit the forward button and send the email addresses attached to it to all of their friends and family. In addition, funny emails may not be funny to everyone. There could be a word with a negative connotation that could hurt someone deeply.

An email usage clause:

The proper usage for this phone list is for group leaders and members to connect with each other during the week. Do not share the list with those outside the group. Please do not use the group email list for resolving conflict, gaining business referrals, raising support, sending resources outside of CR, political messages, jokes, classifieds, urban legends, and chain letters. And please use discretion when you need to leave a voice mail message. Thank you for your cooperation.

Suggested scripture:

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 “Two are better off than one, because together they can work more effectively. If one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But, if someone is alone, there is no one to help him. Two men can resist an attack that would defeat one man alone.”