Celebrating their victories in recovery
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on July 5, 2017 5:23 PM
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Leadership for the Celebrate Recovery group at St. Luke United Methodist Church, from left, Sandy Jackson, Ken Faison, Hazel Adams, Larry Gerrard, pastor Dan Baer and Dr. Lee Adams. The ministry, a confidential support group, meets every Monday at 6 p.m.
Ken Faison is not proud of his past, but he has overcome the shame and stigma because he knows the benefits of sharing it.
From an abusive childhood and substance abuse issues that included alcohol, opiates and cocaine to a stint in prison, you name it, he's probably experienced it, he said.
Likewise, he "tried everything" to kick the habits along the way.
Nothing worked, he said, until he showed up for a Celebrate Recovery meeting at St. Luke United Methodist Church.
"That's when I found Christ," he said. "I found the other things I backslid on, this place gave me security.
"Not only that, it helped me stop abusing drugs and alcohol."
The weekly support group combined with a faith setting was like a breath of fresh air, he said.
There was no pressure to adopt their beliefs, no requirement to join the church, he pointed out -- just a safe place to fall and no judgment.
"You've got your accountability partners," Faison said. "It's like a close-knit family. You care about each other."
Caring is a big part of it, says Hazel Adams, one of the program's leadership.
"We believe Christianity is lived in community," she said. "This is a safe place for us to come together and share our stories and know that it's confidential and grow in faith from hearing in each other's stress."
It is a structured program, a model similar to 12-step programs but with a biblical component.
"Basically, it's for everybody who has hurts, habits and hang-ups," says Dr. Lee Adams.
Pastor Dan Baer said the public is welcome, regardless of church affiliation or belief. There is also no stipulation that their issue be related to alcohol or drugs, he pointed out.
"It's just an opportunity for them to come and find a group of people going though similar circumstances, that they'll be loved here," he said.
Larry Gerrard was a big proponent for introducing Celebrate Recovery at his church eight years ago, after becoming familiar with it elsewhere.
It also resonated with him since, like Faison, he had previously battled his own demons.
"About 25 to 30 years before I'd walked in the same shoes that some of these others have," he says now. "I lived a double life -- daytime I had a responsible job; nighttime I did what I wanted to do."
Alcohol was his drug of choice, as is the case for many, he said.
Until it became a problem that he was unable to solve on his own.
"One day I got to the bottom. It's like a puzzle you can't get to fit," he said, adding, "Keep in mind I was teaching a Sunday school class at church at the time."
He credits God with taking the desire away. So when the opportunity came along for his church to offer the faith-based recovery program, he supported it.
"There's restoration," Faison said. "I lost everything -- my wife and my home, I hit rock bottom. I was down in the pits, homeless. But now there is restoration that comes from this group, staying at it, working the steps.
"Thanks be to God, everything was restored. You don't have to stay in the mess you're in."
Faison's testimony reflects the success of the program for those who work it, the leadership says.
"We shine the light on Ken" as such an example, Mrs. Adams said.
The potential to help others is what keeps the group faithful in opening the church doors to those in need of the support.
"There's somebody out there that needs us," Faison said. "There's times when there may only be a few, but somebody will walk through that door.
"That's what keeps you coming. There's going to be somebody coming through that door that needs your help."
Pastor Baer likens it to the biblical parable about the lost sheep, where Jesus talks about the shepherd who left his flock of 99 to find the one lost sheep and bring it back to the fold.
"If somebody comes in here, it makes the program worth it," he said. "This is about relationship-building, so that they know that there's people there to care for them."
Celebrate Recovery meets consistently every Monday night at the church, even if it falls on a holiday.
The session starts at 6 p.m. with a light meal, followed by the evening's program, which starts around 6:30.
"It's a structured program each week that's conducive to people talking about themselves," said member Sandy Jackson. "Some of us have given our testimony or we may have a speaker or a lesson. If there's enough, we'll break up into groups of men and women."
For more information on Celebrate Recovery, visit the church website at www.stlukegoldbsoro.org or call 919-734-7714.