Ooltewah United Methodist Church celebrates one year of helping families and individuals overcome life-controlling issues and addictions through its Recovery at Ooltewah ministry.
The celebration will be held Thursday, Sept. 21, at 6:15 p.m. at Ooltewah United Methodist Church, 6131 Relocation Way. For more information call 238-9216 or visit www.oumclive.org.
Pastor Mark Beebe- the primary communicator for the Recovery Network- will be sharing live at the celebration. Stories of healing and hope will also be shared as examples of the life-change that is possible through participation in the R@O program.
While Recovery ministry is new to OUMC- it’s been years in the making as it began at Cokesbury UMC in Knoxville 14 years ago. Cokesbury’s recovery ministry was launched in April 2003 after a staff member saw an opportunity to put a fallen pastor to work. Gil Smith was living in a Sunday school room at Cokesbury, recovering from substance abuse after surrendering his ministerial credentials, when the Reverand Rebekah Fetzer suggested sending him for “Celebrate Recovery” training at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Ca.
Since fall 2012, this recovery ministry has expanded beyond its home base, establishing a franchise-like network of worship-and-small-group programs from Lebanon, Va., to Ringgold. Currently the Recovery Network is in 10 brick and mortar churches outside of Cokesbury. There are also ministry partners in the Knoxville and Nashville Rescue Missions, as well as three Tennessee prisons - Knox County, Roane County, and Morgan County. If including everyone who is joining online as well as within the partner locations, the number of weekly participants would reasonably be anywhere from 800-1,000 people.
Forty-eight percent of participants in the Recovery at Cokesbury Network struggle with alcohol and drug abuse, says the Reverend Beebe, director of Recovery at Cokesbury. The others are overcoming divorce, unemployment, grief, pornography, gambling “and a wide spectrum of pain and life challenges."
Reverend Beebe leads Recovery from an authentic place of personal pain and brokenness. Reverend Beebe had a marketing/sales background as well as success in starting a new church with a recovery program- so he knew how to grow organizations- but it was his personal experience dealing with his wife’s alcoholism, as well as his struggle with co-dependency that gives his messages a deep, personal resonance and reality.
The Recovery @ Ooltewah ministry incorporates his hope-filled messages with the power of Open Share groups to assist persons in the journey towards wholeness and freedom from life-controlling substances and behaviors, said officials.
The Recovery at Cokesbury Network offers help with recovery from a wide variety of issues. The program is based on the principles of the 12-steps, relevant teaching that has practical application, a community of like-minded individuals who support one another, and God's grace.
The RACN Principles are:
We love Jesus and have seen Jesus work miracles here. You can be the next miracle.
This is a safe place to share, ask questions or just come and hang out.
Recovery at Cokesbury is for anyone dealing with chemical addiction, compulsive behavior, loss, relationship or life change.
Scripture is the foundation of our teaching.
The 12 Steps of AA are derived from Scripture and are our daily tools for recovery.
We encourage participation with AA, NA and Al-anon.
The elements of a good program are:
Working the 12 Steps
Attending AA, NA and Al-Anon meetings
Working with a sponsor
Prayer and meditation
Scripture reading
Keeping a journal
Rigorous honesty
Spending time with others in recovery
Avoiding the people, places and things of your past
Avoiding "triggers"