D1Naz Celebrate Recovery

Recovery Re-Cap from our 12-18-25 Thursday night meeting held at Decatur First Church of the Nazarene, brought to you by your Ambassador Coach, Shan. There was a free meal of Sloppy Joe sandwiches, chips and drink served at 5 PM for the meet and greet. We thank all the helpers that had a hand in the dinner! We are lovingly reminding everyone that comes through the doors to stop at the welcome table and be sure to put on a name tag or if you have a permanent name tag to wear it and everyone will be able to feel safe to know who you are and make connections. We are trying to do the right thing and follow the structure of CR and set good examples to follow the rules and guidelines to keep the structure and function of CR safe. To the newcomers, remember to bring your punch card and present it to the welcome table. When it is filled up after six visits, you will get a permanent name tag!
In announcements, we want everyone to stay connected and lifting each other up. This is a stressful time of the season with holiday stresses and depression. Check out our resource table with items for sale and free CR information handouts for all to check out. Next Thursday is Christmas Day and there will be NO CR MEETING. Merry Christmas to all and remember to stay connected. Make a meeting by connection. The next meeting will be on New Year’s Day, January 1st.
If you are interested in checking out another registered Celebrate Recovery meeting near you, just go to: https://locator.crgroups.info/ There are free handouts on the resource table with meetings up to 100 miles from D1Naz if you would like to check any out.
Every 3rd Thursday of each month the Helping Hands Ministry will be open after groups for those that are in need for free food and clothing. We are Grateful for this ministry to serve and help others. We ask that everyone be blessed and grateful for this ministry and show respect to one another and help keep the entrance and exit door for Helping Hands clear to help keep traffic moving freely and safely.
As a loving reminder to keep our group a Safe Place, we are a no Cell Phone Zone. Please keep cell phones set to silent mode and put them away. This eliminates distractions and possibilities of having others feel unsafe. We have Grace for emergency situations and if a phone needs to be used, we ask that you step outside to help keep the meeting area safe. If you bring children to the meeting, we ask that you be with them the whole time until childcare class starts just before large group.
The Praise songs rocked out Again! We filled the room with a joyful noise and rocked out with Jesus! The songs were, “Holy Spirit Come,” “What a Friend,” and “Heart of the Father”. The altar is always open for those that want to come up and pray. There are leaders that will pray with you and share uplifting support. We had a lot of prayer, and you could feel God working in the room.
“Chip Time” is a celebration where we handed out some chips for victories in Recovery and Coins. Newcomers receive a Blue Chip with a Chip Chain to keep encouraging you to keep coming back and earn more chips to the Chip Chain while on the road to Recovery. We had three Newcomers make the meeting! See what God can do! We love to always put it out there to "Bring a Friend." We give out a wooden Nickel for those who “Brought a Friend” to CR. Always try to “Bring a Friend”. If anyone would love to serve in set-up, reading the 8-Principles, reading the 12-Steps, or reading the Serenity Prayer, helping in Chip Time, or breaking down at the end, feel free to contact Nicho or other leaders. Serving is helping in Recovery as well. Please keep hanging in there as the leaders are working hard to make this group work for everyone. SHANTA showed up again this year and gave everyone in the audience a gift and if they wanted the blessing of a gift they met with SHANTA right after large group and given the gift and a Merry Christmas. For 15 years he has given a gift to everyone. This year everyone received a scripture coin and scripture bracelet.
The main event was Lesson # 25, Seven Reasons We Get Stuck. Sometimes we get stuck while working recovery. We need to stay connected before a relapse happens. Here are the seven reasons that get us stuck. 1. You have not completely worked the previous principle. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25. 2. You have not completely surrendered your life and your will to the Lord. Proverbs 3: 5-6. Believe and seek. What are you still holding on to? What don’t you trust God with? 3. You have not accepted Jesus’ work on the cross for your forgiveness. 1 John 1:9, Ephesians 1:7 and Romans 8:1. All sins are forgiven. Forgive yourself. Power of Forgiveness! 4. You have not forgiven others who have harmed you. 1 Peter 5:10-11. Tug of war with issues can be won by simply letting go. Don’t hold on to the bitterness. 5. You are afraid of the risk in making the necessary change. Isaiah 41:10, Hebrews 13:6. Falling down doesn’t make you a failure, staying down does. Taking time and proper boundaries in your relationships. 6. You are not willing to “own” your responsibility. Psalm 139:23. You are responsible for your own recovery so do your part. 7. You have not developed effective support team. Proverbs 13:20, Galatians 5: 13 and Galatians 6:2. This is a daily commitment. Work, life and serve to the best that you can as sincerely as you can. Love each other, be joyful, patent and share victories and struggles with each other.

After Large Group is over then everyone breaks into gender specific Small Groups. There are two different small groups for ladies; “Other issues” held in room 122 and “Addictions” in room 123. There are two different small groups for the men; “Other issues” held in room 124 and “Addictions” in the Chapel.
Be sure to join us at the next meeting on January 1st for a Testimony night. Stay connected with your support team and connect often. Our goal is to build in every area of our Recovery while helping each other and preventing relapses. Recovery isn't just for you. Remember to pray for yourself and others. Recovery works if you work it, and you are worth it! Keep your smile on and keep coming back. "Bring a Friend".

News and updates by your D1Naz Ambassador Coach, Shan. Decatur area and followers! Are you struggling with Hurts, Hang-ups, or Habits? You are not alone. Check out CELEBRATE RECOVERY every Thursday night at the First Church of the Nazarene at 1177 W. Hickory Point Rd, Decatur, IL. Need a ride? There is a free shuttle service. Contact Theo James by text only: 217-620-0771. This is a safe support group for healing from the baggage of life issues while using Biblical tools from a Christ centered support group. Tonight, we will have a free meal and meet and greet each other at 5:15 with Large Group starting at 6 PM with announcements, praise and the main event will be a Testimony. Follow the signs from the driveway to the door. Childcare is provided for children from birth to 17. Every 3rd Thursday of each month the Helping Hands Ministry will be open after groups for those that are in need for free food and clothing. We are Grateful for this ministry to serve and help others. Come as you are “Share with a Friend”, “Tell a Friend”, and “Bring a Friend”. It’s Free! In-box me or call for more details or information. 217-412-3714.