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In
an effort to help churches forge closer partnerships with
recovery groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and other support
groups, the
California-Pacific Conference's Office of New Ministries will
sponsor a three-day workshop to train clergy and laity to
support individuals and their families battling alcohol and
other drug addictions in their congregations and communities.
The
workshop, “The Courage to Change: Building Bridges Between the
Church & Recovery Communities,” will be held on October 14
– 16, at South Pasadena United Methodist Church and First
United Methodist Church of Bishop.
The
workshop is organized in collaboration with The United Methodist
Special Program on Substance Abuse and Related Violence (SPSARV),
a denomination-wide initiative that addresses substance abuse
issues through prevention, intervention, treatment, recovery,
and advocacy. SPSARV is housed at the General Board of Global
Ministries.
Workshop
topics will include:
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Building
Effective Partnerships with Recovery Groups in your
Community
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Spiritual
Caregiving for People with Addictions & their Families
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Violence
Related to Substance Abuse
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Developing
a Recovery Worship Celebration
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Focus
Conversations with Cal-Pac Churches engaged in Recovery
Ministries
Teams
will embark on a special site visit to a successful project of a
SPSARV-grant recipient in Bishop, CA. Participants will also
view a film screening of the critically-acclaimed documentary Lost
in Woonsocket, which takes viewers on a poignant journey
into the lives of two homeless alcoholics, Mark (last name
withheld) and Normand Cartier, who struggle to survive in a
backwoods tent in Woonsocket, Rhode Island.
“This equipping experience is timely because it will enable
congregations in Cal-Pac to re-think and re-tool for more
innovative and comprehensive ministries with people in recovery,
their families and friends,” said Kelvin Sauls. “Hosting
recovery groups is one aspect of endless possibilities!”
“SPSARV
is so pleased to collaborate with Cal-Pac conference to build
stronger partnerships with local churches and recovery
communities," said Antonietta Wilson, executive secretary
of SPSARV.
“Many
local churches host support recovery groups like Alcohol
Anonymous or Al-Anon
somewhere in the quiet areas of their buildings, but their
congregational ministries often don't deal with issues of
addiction – although often parishioners are struggling with
this issue in isolation. The congregations and recovery support
groups don't necessarily intersect. We hope this workshop will
work to change that," said Wilson.
Since
1992, SPSARV has coordinated a global response to alcohol, other
drugs and related violence by raising awareness and equipping
church leaders and faith partners to be informed and
compassionate responders to the needs of individuals and
families impacted by the disease of addiction.
To
achieve this, SPSARV provides trainings, financial assistance
and ministry resources to congregations. Additionally, the
initiative works with the General Board of Church and Society on
public policy and advocacy efforts around substance abuse
issues.
Its
reach extends across the globe and includes a United Methodist
European Board on Drug and Alcohol Concerns and Africa Task
Force to tackle substance abuse in Europe and Africa.
For
more information on the workshop, please visit www.cal-pac.org.
To learn more about SPSARV, please visit www.umspsarv.org.
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