MISSING PEACE ministry of First Presbyterian Church of Edmond, Oklahoma was initially conceived in February 2013 although the principles did not know they would give birth to a new ministry at the time. It was then that five members of the church attended their first training program lead by Austin-based FAITH PARTNERS, INC. Drew Brooks […]
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Faith Partners ministries have been integral to my congregational experience for several years. Of course, the pivotal tasks involving set up, initiation, constitution (in the United Methodist church) and kick off always create a sense of satisfaction and mission accomplished. Often when I talk to new participants in Faith Partners, who weren’t part of the
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Early on, with the formation of a Faith Partners team within or congregation, I encountered an unusual dilemma. When I announced the team being developed, giving “pitches” to attendees at three separate services, I was surprised at how many responded as interested. I culled about 16 likely parties, with a mix of long and short
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October 14, 2012 was a milestone event for the church and community served by the Safe Harbour Recovery Ministry of Bay Harbour United Methodist Church in League City, Texas. The church’s fifth annual Recovery Sunday featured a speaker who had formerly served on the church’s staff even as she became addicted to alcohol and prescription
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Our stories have power — to offer hope to the millions of Americans who have yet to find recovery — and to convince elected officials to invest in recovery. With a generous contribution from an anonymous donor, when you give to Faces and Voices of Recovery this season, your contribution will be matched dollar for dollar until
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Does this sound familiar? Perhaps you are clergy, a certified substance abuse counselor, an adult child of an alcoholic, or simply the neighbor of someone who is struggling to make the right decision about a husband, child, or other family member. The typical responses are often a complicated mix of fight or take flight or
All were astounded and greatly confused, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others jeered at the speakers, saying, “They are drunk on new wine!” (Acts 2:12-13) Recently, I had a conversation with a long-time church friend regarding the nature of AA and other 12 step meetings. He had some exposure to AA
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Do younger addicts and alcoholics respond to the need for treatment in ways similar to other groups? Are there unique differences in circumstance? Are their prospects for recovery better or worse than other groups? Film producer Jack Sinclair has a genuine passion to document the experience of a younger population in need of and accepting
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Exposure to the science and treatment of alcohol and addiction related problems can lead not just to understanding, but also to profound changes in the direction of lives. Take for example Jonathan Tripplet, a gifted athlete and director of a collegiate sports and recreation program. After enrolling in a two-week program covering the fundamentals of alcoholism,
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The Faith Partners ministry from Martinez United Methodist Church (Martinez, CA) has recently received a Proclamation from the City of Martinez, acknowledging their work in support of recovery efforts. The team represents the Cal-Nev Conference of the United Methodist Church and the recognition was made in conjunction with National Recovery Month.View the official Martinez Proclamation.
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