WELCOME TO RECOVERY CHURCH

Welcome to Recovery Church

Enabling people in, or seeking recovery from addiction to connect with our true feelings, with others in community, and with God (or our Higher Power)

Recovery Church offers a space of loving kindness; a place of belonging and solidarity with others.  We provide caring and compassionate communities and recognise that not all faith-based communities fully understand the nature of addiction or the associated impact of stigma, shame and isolation. Recovery Church embraces people of all faiths and none – whilst openly affirming its Christian ethos and tradition.

Recovery Church hosts weekly services in different locations, including a Sunday evening Zoom service.  Check the What’s on and Where? menu to see if there is a Recovery Church Inclusive Community near you.  Alternatively, contact Deacon Tracey Hume if you are interested in setting up your own Recovery Church Inclusive Community.  

Recovery Church Inclusive Communities are led by people in recovery and recovery allies.  We understand recovery as an ongoing, healing journey that has many pathways.  While our services lean on the principles of the 12 Steps of Recovery, we also draw on other sources of wisdom and spirituality to pursue recovery and flourish in life. 

Recovery Church works to provide trauma-aware environments that are facilitated by people with lived experience.  This is because many – although not all – people who are in or seeking recovery, have experienced traumatic life events, including adverse childhood experiences.

We hope you find what you are looking for here. If you would prefer to have a conversation, please get in touch – we would love to hear from you.

Our Values

Recovery Church Inclusive Communities have the following characteristics in common:

  • SAFEGUARDING:  All Services, activities and events are informed by safeguarding guidelines. R We work closely with regional denominational Safeguarding Leads and external agencies to agree risk assessments for activities and safeguarding contracts for individuals.

  • TRAUMA INFORMED:  Services, activities and events take place in a trauma-informed environment.  All leaders and facilitators receive trauma-informed training and have access to trauma informed counselling. 

  • LGBTQI+ AFFIRMING:  We use inclusive language, respect people's pronouns, and avoid assumptions about gender. We seek to offer supportive and creating safe spaces for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. 

  • PERSON-CENTRERED & HOLISTIC:  We seek to meet people where they are.  We recognise the necessary honest, inner work that is needed (what is wrong) for recovery and healing.  And we believe strength-based approaches (what is strong) are necessary to our recovery journey.  We have access to trauma informed counselling services for those individuals that would to work though deeper issues that need addressing as part of their recovery and healing.

  • FOR PEOPLE OF ALL FAITHS AND NONE:  Recovery Church Inclusive Communities hold people at different stages on their spiritual journey.  The language and rituals of services loosely reflect the 12 Steps & Spiritual Principles associated with Fellowship meetings such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous.  We seek to use language and rituals that are accessible to everyone irrespective of how they recognise their Higher Power, God, the Universe etc.

  • WELCOMING PEOPLE SEEKING AND IN, RECOVERY:  We recognise that there are many pathways to recovery, human flourishing and healing.  For example, some individuals may be following a harm reduction programme.

  • HOW FAITH IS HELD:  We do not tell people what to believe. We provide opportunities for people to connect with God or their Higher Power on their own terms and, we also offer structured bible study groups that explore recovery and spirituality.