Church provides invitation to recovery
An Evans church is offering a little guidance along the road to recovery.
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Mosaic United Methodist Church provides spiritual support to those seeking help with addictions and similar problems through the Celebrate Recovery program.
"It is a fantastic program," said Ted Herlo, the ministry leader of the program, which is an outreach ministry of the church.
Mosaic is offering free information sessions about the program at 7 p.m. Fridays in August at Bean Baskette Coffee in the Columbia County Library in Evans.
"This may be a fit for you, and we hope it is," Herlo said. "But if it is not, at least come and see what it is about."
The program melds the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and the 12 Beatitudes from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in the book of Matthew.
"The 12-step group acknowledges a higher power," Herlo said. "We acknowledge Jesus Christ as that higher power. We are all testimony to the power of Christ to change lives."
The program, in its seventh year, is a spiritual-based support group for those with addictions or other personal issues. Participants meet biweekly for about six months.
One weekly meeting is a group worship followed by small, confidential group study sessions based on the issue, including anger management; codependency; depression re- covery; and recovery from abortion, depression, alcohol and drug abuse, pornography and sexual abuse.
The program also includes ongoing Friday night fellowship and group support sessions.
Celebrate Recovery will start the weekly sessions at the church Sept. 10.
The information sessions will include free coffee and acoustic music. "Anyone is welcome," Herlo said, "but understand that the principles that we teach are Biblical."
Herlo said he urges that leaders of other churches recommend the program to anyone in their congregation who may need it. Mosaic staff or volunteers will not encourage participants to join the church.
"We are not looking to grow our church membership," Herlo said. "We're looking to allow Christ to heal people."
Anyone wanting information about the information sessions or the program can contact Herlo at (706) 627-0994 or ted.herlo@hotmail.com. Mosaic can also be contacted at the church, (706) 650-9187 or www.mosaicumc.org.