Celebrate Recovery Fellowship

One of the benefits of offering fellowship is to create a place where we can develop healthy relationships.  I couldn't help but remember my first steps interacting with others, in a social setting; sober... I felt so intimidated.  CR fellowship gave me a safe place to practice being social.  Eventually my CR fellowship began to extend outside the ministry. I started attending church, joined a bible study and went to all kinds of different events with my CR friends.

Offering a BBQ and Solid Rock Café encourages individuals to meet either before or after or both as they develop new healthy relationships. Eventually these relationships will grow into a support team of sponsors and accountability partners.   

At the CR model we charge for dinner and desserts.  The charge is based on our cost. We never make a profit but strive to break even.  Even with charging we sometimes end up in the red.  The only free item we offer is our fabulous church coffee and entry to our Solid Rock Café.  This way no one will ever feel left out from attending fellowship after Open Share group time.  In any event, if you have not been charging and now find yourself in a situation where your budget can no longer cover your food expenses here is a suggested transition from free to fee.

During your large group announcements, make a general announcement saying, “to help cover our dinner costs, we have created a new menu price list.”  Another option is, “We are committed to offering a safe place for fellowship, to help us continue to offer dinner and desserts, we have created a new menu price list” Provide a bulletin insert with your menu and prices.  After your initial announcement you would not necessarily have to make another announcement the following week because the newcomer does not know there was a charge.  However, if someone who has not attended your CR for a while shows up for dinner and has no money, consider giving him/her a free dinner just for that night.  Another case to consider giving out a free meal is to a newcomer who was unaware that there was a cost and does not have money to pay for the meal.    

For participants who attend on a weekly basis who cannot afford to purchase dinner, keep in mind that what you do for one you must be prepared to do for everyone.  Don’t forget why you needed to start charging in the first place. 

One last thought, volunteers who serve your dinner should not expect to eat for free.  If they are eating for free they are not serving.  To this day, for the past 20 years, Pastor John Baker has paid for every meal and every dessert he has ever eaten at CR.  He’s so awesome!

I hope this helps you decide what is best for your CR Group.

Tina Davis

National Training Coach

What to consider when someone is intoxicated

Keeping Fellowship Safe

As Ministry leaders, we are responsible for ensuring that all participants are safe.  More often we think about keeping our groups safe; but what about our time of fellowship?  Celebrate Recovery is unique in that we offer “issue specific” groups for all areas of recovery.  For some, CR fellowship may be the only reprieve he/she has from living with an active drug addict or alcoholic.  The last thing we want is for someone to come, grab a hamburger at the CR barbeque, and have to sit next to an individual who is under the influence. 

We also want to ensure that the individual, who is under the influence, is safe.  This person could trip; fall down a set of stairs, etc… Additionally, having knowledge that someone is intoxicated and then allowing them to stay on campus may be a potential liability to your church.

Here are a few safety tips to use when you become aware that an individual is under the influence.

Ensure two people are tending to the individual.  These two people must be of the same gender as the intoxicated individual.  Do your best to avoid causing a scene.

• Anyone intoxicated should be calmly escorted away from the mainstream area.
• If necessary, inform your campus security. Campus security is often trained in this area and will be a helpful resource.
• If possible, acquire the individual’s car keys. 
• Offer to call a family member/friend to come pick them up.
• Call for a taxi.
• Offer a cup of coffee and wait with them.
• Get their phone number and give them a call the next day and invite them back to CR.  Recovery is not just about ensuring our CR Group is safe, but also to reach out and welcome others who are hurting.

 In the case the person does not relinquish their car keys:

• If possible, obtain their license plate #.
• Let the individual know you will need to inform the police that a driver, you believe to be under the influence, is operating a vehicle. Hopefully this will deter him/her from driving away. 

Keeping the Chemical Addiction Open Share Group Safe

In the case that an individual is already in a meeting, you may consider allowing her/him to stay.  But they should not be permitted to share.  During the guidelines, make this statement, “if anyone has had anything to drink or use today, to keep the group safe, we ask that you not share this evening.  If he/she is being disruptive, your co-leader should calmly escort him/her out of the group.  (Follow safety tips above)

Keeping mix issue group safe 

Our step studies are mixed area of recovery.  How are those trying to focus on workbook questions, going to feel sitting next to someone who is under the influence?  Here again, how safe does someone feel sitting next to someone who is under the influence?  How will an addict in recovery feel?  Will they feel distracted or have the urge to relapse?  In the case of mixed issue groups, have your co-leader calmly escort the individual outside the group.  (Follow Safety tips above.) 

As you’re deciding on the best way to handle the situation, ask yourself, “Is this current situation helping others feel safe?”   

Bonus Question:

“We have a participant attending CR who is struggling with alcohol. For the last 2 months or so they have found help in another area of recovery, however they relapsed two weeks ago and began drinking again. Recently as a leadership, we have decided to ask those struggling with substance abuse to stay with the substance abuse open share until they have had one year sobriety. Is that appropriate?” 

 REPLY:

Asking participants to attend another group is inappropriate.  CR Participants are free to attend whatever meeting they choose.  It is not our role, as a ministry, to dictate what group we think he/she needs to attend.  However, if a participant asks a leader what group he/she recommends he/she should attend, then by all means, a leader may respond honestly based on their experience.  Hopefully, as in all cases, as individuals are ready, he/she will choose the best group.  In this case, the good news is, this individual is attending CR!

Tina Davis

National Training Coach

Celebrate Recovery and Fellowship

Many Ministry Leaders have expressed concern over the temptations individuals in recovery from food addiction and eating disorders may experience during your coffee shop time. We experienced the same concerns at our Celebrate Recovery and tried many different ways to resolve it. We knew with each idea that didn’t work, the most successful solution was just around the corner…and it was.

Here is what's working for the CR Model:

We use individual bowls, fill them with a variety of raw vegetables, and provide a low calorie dip. We also fill individual bowls with pre-cut bit size fruit pieces (i.e. items from Costco). We set up our serving tables buffet style and place the veggie bowls and fruit bowls first, and then from there we place the dessert plates.

Ironically, the vegetable and fruit bowls sell out before the desserts every time! We have also found that individuals who struggle with food addiction/eating disorders are not the only ones who choose these healthy snacks!

If you split the fellowship from those with eating disorders, you would also need to split men and women with love and relationship addiction and sexual addiction. At Celebrate Recovery we do not treat areas of recovery differently; instead, we create an environment where people have the opportunity to fellowship together in healthier ways.

Think about this: Celebrate Recovery is the safest place to exercise the tools that the 8 principles supply each and every one of us. It's also a place filled with sponsors and accountability partners. What better place to exercise boundaries and self-discipline than with others who get it?

Be encouraged!

Celebrate Recovery and Fellowship

Many Celebrate Recovery Ministry Leaders have expressed concern over the temptations individuals in recovery from food addiction and eating disorders may experience during your coffee shop time. We experienced the same concerns at our Celebrate Recovery and tried many different ways to resolve it. We knew with each idea that didn’t work, the most successful solution was just around the corner…and it was.

Here is what's working for the CR Model:

We use individual bowls, fill them with a variety of raw vegetables, and provide a low calorie dip. We also fill individual bowls with pre-cut bit size fruit pieces (i.e. items from Costco). We set up our serving tables buffet style and place the veggie bowls and fruit bowls first, and then from there we place the dessert plates.

Ironically, the vegetable and fruit bowls sell out before the desserts every time! We have also found that individuals who struggle with food addiction/eating disorders are not the only ones who choose these healthy snacks!

If you split the fellowship from those with eating disorders, you would also need to split men and women with love and relationship addiction and sexual addiction. At Celebrate Recovery we do not treat areas of recovery differently; instead, we create an environment where people have the opportunity to fellowship together in healthier ways.

Think about this: Celebrate Recovery is the safest place to exercise the tools that the 8 principles supply each and every one of us. It's also a place filled with sponsors and accountability partners. What better place to exercise boundaries and self-discipline than with others who get it?

Be encouraged!