Connecting Points Magazine Winter 2018

CONNECTING POINTS | WINTER 2018
WHEN RECOVERY CHURCH CALLS
BY KERI VERMEULEN
When he first felt drawn to Recovery Church and its ministry
to love and serve people coming out of addiction, it was
shortly after Glenn Dumontel attended a CLA men’s retreat
last year. At the retreat, he noticed a group of men from a
residential recovery program sitting together at a table, and
felt the inclination to join them.
“I went out my way to go and sit at their table, and ask
them to tell me their stories. I think it encouraged them, but
it really encouraged me,” shares Glenn, a 30-year Christian
who now makes a point of connecting with men in addictions
recovery when he can, including attending Recovery
Church, the Sunday night service at CLA.
“There’s something very unusual that happens to me
when I walk into Recovery Church,” explains Glenn. “It’s
very raw, very real, very natural. It’s not ‘church-like’. You
just come as you are. It makes me feel really comfortable.
Sometimes you can’t find words for why you’re drawn to
certain areas, you just do it.”
The draw that Glenn, and other ‘regular’ morning church
folks are feeling to plug in to Recovery Church is happening
more and more, shares one of RC’s pastors, Jason Roberts.
“There seems to be a momentum of church people coming,”
says Jason, who co-leads Recovery Church with pastors Doug
Frederick and Kevin Bralovich. “There is a call to regular church
people to get involved. It could be as simple as coming and
seeing that service as a prayer meeting. People who know the
Lord and understand His kingdom are needed in the room.”
A long time CLA member and follower of Jesus, Ruth
Johnson began attending Recovery Church in its first days
back in 2009, and has been attending ever since. There was
a combination of things that attracted her to the service.
Similar to Glenn, Ruth says the messages and the people at
RC are a little bit raw, and very real. “I’m drawn to that ‘tell it
like it is’ type of community. There’s a need for relationship
with people who are in recovery. When you get down to
taking the labels off, the ‘normy’ and the ‘recovery’ labels,
it’s just people there. We all have stuff, it’s just different stuff
and we’re all at different stages.”
In addition to joining the prayer team at the altar, Ruth
will often observe what is going on in the room, and pray
quietly from her seat. She’s also been known pray on the
spot with recovery folks who are sharing their lives with her.
“Prayer is the key to change, and it’s prayer that is behind
any progress,” says Ruth. “Everybody can pray, no matter
what our status is or isn’t. It’s the biggest weapon we have,
it’s the most beneficial thing.”
Ruth has built many relationships with people at Recovery
Church over the years. She says the way to do that is
quite simple. “Just be a listening ear to someone,” she says.
“Lots of people there are quick to share. I start with a simple
question like ‘so, what’s your story?’ You don’t even have to
prompt too much.”
That’s what Glenn found that day when he first reached
out to a table of men in recovery last year, and even now,
when he chats with people at Recovery Church. “They love
sharing their stories. And I love hearing what God is doing
in people’s lives,” shares Glenn. “I come to Recovery Church
to be blessed and to bless others, if I can. I just come and
talk with the people there, and encourage them. It’s good
for them to see that some of us are coming in support of
them, and in line with them.”
Maybe you feel the call to check out Recovery Church.
Come, check it out! Service is every Sunday, at 6 pm in the
CLA Auditorium. The service is aimed at helping people
who are stuck in addiction find freedom, and those who are
coming out of it to walk out a new life in Christ. Since 2009,
Recovery Church has been a place of healing, growing and
connecting with others. All are welcome.
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