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5:30-6:15 Dinner/Barbecue
6:15-7:15 Large Group Worship
7:15-8:15 Open Share Groups
8:15-9:00 Solid Rock Cafe
Celebrate Recovery begins with a dinner or barbecue where participants share a meal and prepare for an inspirational evening of worship and sharing. Dinners will be served every Thursday evening for all participants including children of participants in need of childcare. Childcare is provided following the dinner portion of Celebrate Recovery.
After dinner, all CR participants will attend the Large Group time, which includes:
- An uplifting time of worship with praise music
- Announcements and reading of the 12 steps or 8 principles
- A personal testimony OR a teaching time based on the 12 steps (alternating weekly)
- The Serenity Prayer
- Dismissal to Open Share Groups or Newcomers 101 (a one-time class for first-time newcomers)
During Large Group, there is no obligation for anyone to share. Simply enjoy the presence of God with other grateful believers and hear inspiring testimonies or teachings.
Following the Large Group Experience, first-time participants will be dismissed to the one-time class introducing the concepts of Celebrate Recovery called Newcomers 101. All other participants will be dismissed to a more intimate Open Share Group. These same-sex groups include:
- Facilitation by a trained group leader and often a co-leader
- Gender-specific grouping
- Issue-specific recovery topics that can include Chemical Dependency, Codependency, Family Dysfunction, Depression,….and many others. The groups offered at Covenant will solely depend on the expressed need of participants of CR as well as the availability of committed leaders. “A-Z” groups are general groups for either participants who are waiting for an issue-specific group to form or for those trying to identify their areas of struggle. These groups will follow the Open Share format just as any other issue-specific recovery group.
- Sharing of struggles and victories (no-one will be pressured to share, as this is always voluntary) through answering a focus question based on the evening’s teaching or testimony
- Acknowledgement of sobriety and victories through awarding of success “chips”
- Encouragement of finding a sponsor or accountability partner for support within and outside of CR
- CONFIDENTIALITY & ANONYMITY ARE REQUIRED
All Open Share Groups will follow the Small Group Guidelines to ensure the consistency and safety among all small groups within CR.
After the Open Share Group, all CR participants are dismissed to the Solid Rock Café for a time of fellowship. Desserts and coffee will be served, and participants can meet and speak with CR leaders, potential sponsors or accountability partners, or other CR participants. An information table will also be available for those interested in purchasing the 12-step participant guides or Celebrate Recovery Bible. While the Solid Rock Cafe is a more flexible environment, there are still stipulations that must be followed in order to maintain confidentiality and safety. These are:
- No offensive language
- No talk about other participants or leaders
- No attempts to “solve” another’s problems or “fix” them
- No meeting with the intention of dating another participantInstead, our desire is that you be encouraging to others or be open to encouragement from others, gather information necessary to take your next step in recovery, and/or socialize or connect with other grateful believers.
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