NEWCOMERS

Newcomers are the life blood of Celebrate Recovery here at Sycamore View Church of Christ. Many, many recovery programs are built on the newcomer. It is the newcomer that shows the members who have been in the program for a long time how they once were and how their lives have changed. The program is about life changes. God is about life changes. We all get tired of all of the baggage that comes with life and we get tired of trying to fix it all by ourselves.  

Sycamore View makes it our purpose to make the newcomer feel at home, comfortable and safe that their problems stay within the group. We provide a place where one can share the worst of the worst and go home feeling confident that their anonymity won’t be broken. It must be made clear that this could never be a guarantee; however our leaders will do all within their power to keep what is said in our rooms in our rooms. This is a place to fix your lives. A place that breeds hope and understand and a place where we can learn how to get that peace in our lives.  

We want to welcome you to our program just as Jesus welcomes you. Please feel free to go to any leader for even the smallest problem. Just as you are welcome to Celebrate Recovery you are more than welcome to attend our church services. I can promise that you will find the people at Sycamore View just as friendly and loving.

 

Celebrate Recovery Small Groups Can:

Provide you a safe place to share your experiences, strengths and hopes with others who are going through the "Principles" in a Christ-Centered recovery. ·        

Provide you a leader who has gone through a similar hurt, hang-up on habit that will facilitate the group as it focuses on a particular Step each week. The leader will also keep Celebrate Recovery's "FIVE RULES." ·        

Provide you with the opportunity to find an accountability partner or sponsor.

Encourage you to attend other recovery meetings held throughout the week, if available.

 

Celebrate Recovery Small Groups Will Not:      

Attempt to offer any professional clinical advice. Our leaders are not counselors. We will provide you with a list of approved counseling referrals.

Allow its members to attempt to fix one another.  

 

  Celebrate Recovery Is....................

A safe place to share. .... A refuge. .....  A place of belonging......· A place to care for others and be cared for. .....Where respect is given to each member...... Where confidentiality is highly regarded...... A place to learn......A place to demonstrate genuine love......A place to grow and become strong again.....A place for progress...... Where you can take off your mask and allow .....Others to know who you are..... A place for healthy challenges and healthy risks. A possible turning point in your life.

 

Celebrate Recovery Is Not...............

         A place for selfish control. ·         Therapy......A place for secrets...... A place to look for dating relationships...... A place to rescue or be rescued by others...... A place for perfection..... A long-term commitment...... A place to judge others. ..... A quick fix, never..    

 

Rules and Why We Have Them

 

Group Guidelines

Keep your sharing focused on your own thoughts and feelings. Please limit your sharing to 3-5 minutes. There will be no cross talk please. Cross talk is when 2 individuals engage in dialogue, excluding all others. Each person is free to express feelings without interruption. We are here to support one another. We will not attempt to "fix" another. Anonymity and confidentiality are basic requirements. What is shared in the group stays in the group! Offensive language has no place in a Christ-centered group.

Other Focus:

Concentrating on others needs and problems. Analyzing their motives and behavior. Asking questions of others. Telling stories about what he/she did.

          NEGATIVE RESULTS: Helps us avoid our own issues. Makes us observers, not participants. Puts a safe (and lonely) distance between ourselves and others.

          RULE 1: Keep your sharing focused on your own thoughts and feelings. Please limit your sharing to 3-5 minutes.

          RULE 2: We are here to support one another. We will not attempt to "fix" one another. ·       

          GOALS: Work on self. Share personal needs, feelings, ideas and problems. Allow time for all those who need to share.

 

Breaking Confidentiality:

Telling outsiders what was said or done in group. Gossip disguised as a prayer request. ·       

          NEGATIVE RESULTS: Violates trust and safety. Makes members afraid to share risky material.

          RULE 3: Anonymity and confidentiality are basic requirements. What is shared in the group stays in the group.

          GOALS: Celebrate Recovery is a safe place.

 

Cross-Talk:

Interrupting people, asking questions, having a dialogue with one other member of the group.