Small Group Meeting Leader Guidelines

1 celebrate RecoveryRevised 2004-10-05 Newcomer Script-1CR 101 Newcomer s GroupSmall Group Meeting Leader Guidelines1. Good evening. Welcome to the celebrate recovery Newcomer sgroup. The purpose of this Group is to explain how CelebrateRecovery works and to help you identify an open-share groupto attend next week. This is a one-time only Group . Duringthe latter part of our time, we will divide into a men s groupand a women s Group to give you a chance to share and to askspecific Leader opens with prayer. (Keep it simple.)3. Leader introduces themself and shares a short (3-minute) name is (your name) and I am a believer in Jesus Christwho struggles with (your specific issue)..4. Leader introduces their co- Leader , who shares a short (3-minute) co- Leader tonight is (co- Leader s name) and they are goingto share a short At this time, we are going to watch a video that explains thebasic of the celebrate recovery program.

2 Although this videowas made at another church, we follow the same essentialprogram the video. Instructions for this are on a separate RecoveryNewcomer Script -2 Revised 2004-10-056. Review the Friday night follow the same program here as you saw in the video. Ouropen Meeting is on Friday night. We have a meal available at6:00. Serving stops around 6:45 so we can clean up before thelarge Group Meeting . The large Group Meeting begins at 7:00and runs until 8:00. In the large Group , we have a time ofpraise and worship of our Higher Power, Jesus Christ. This isfollowed by a teaching on one of the 12 Steps of a testimonyfrom a celebrate recovery participant. At 8:00, we break intoopen share groups. These groups are issue-specific andgender-specific. Then at 9:00, we meet back together for theLighthouse Caf , a time when we can share one-on-one withsomeone, find a sponsor, or just have time to relax usually charge for dessert, but as newcomers, we invite youto enjoy dessert on us tonight.

3 Childcare is available forchildren under 12 beginning at 6 specific costs for the meal, childcare and Explain Step Study groups and the difference between them and theopen share Study groups meet at another time during the groups help participants work the steps using theCelebrate recovery workbooks. The Group Leader determinesthe Meeting time. When the Group has completed the firstworkbook, the Group closes to new people. A new Group willbe started as soon as enough people express an are several key differences between the open sharegroups and the Step Study groups. First, you are free to attendan open share Group without actually sharing. However, as aparticipant in a Step Study Group , you are making acommitment to share from your life. Second, no materials arerequired to participate in the open share groups, but sharing ina Step Study Group revolves around answering the questions inthe workbook prior to the Meeting and sharing your answerswith fellow participants during the Meeting .

4 Third, Step Studygroups may have participants dealing with a variety of issueswhile the open share groups are more specific to a RecoveryRevised 2004-10-05 Newcomer Script-38. Discuss program only required materials for celebrate recovery are theworkbooks used in the Step Study groups. These can bepurchased at the literature table. There are other optionalmaterials available, including the Life recovery Bible and LifeRecovery Devotional. There are also free handouts dealingwith different issues or areas of Discuss sponsors and accountability have mentioned the terms sponsor and accountabilitypartner. A sponsor is someone of the same gender who actsas a mentor and advisor within the program. This is someoneyou choose to help you as you work the steps.

5 It is usually theperson with whom you will share your moral inventory whenyou get to Step 5. Accountability partners are fellowparticipants who act as encouragers as you work Discuss chips and distribute newcomer distribute chips as a way to encourage, recognize andcelebrate recovery . The blue chip is our newcomer chip. Wealso use it in our groups as a desire chip. This is a tangiblereminder of the change we want to make in our also give chips based on the length of sobriety. The chip;sfor 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, 6 months and 9 months aregiven out in the open share groups. The annual chips we giveout in the large also have a 12 Step chip that we give to those who finish astep study. These are also given out in the large RecoveryNewcomer Script -4 Revised 2004-10-0511.

6 In just a few minutes, we are going to break into a men s groupand a women s Group and have some time to share and answerany questions you may have. Before we do that, we need to goover our Group Guidelines . These Guidelines are read in everysmall Group Meeting . They are designed to provide a safe andproductive Meeting for everyone. Adherence to theseguidelines is a requirement for participation in the smallgroups. Please listen carefully as (co- Leader ) reads reads the Group I want to point out a few things that you will encounter in yourgroups. First, you will notice that people introduce themselvesas someone who struggles with a particular issue, rather thansomeone whose identity is the issue. They will say somethinglike, Hi, my name is (your name) and I am a believer in JesusChrist who struggles with alcohol (or substitute yourcorresponding false identity).

7 We want to identify with ourHigher Power Who can free us, rather than take our identityfrom our issue. When we introduce ourselves, the Group willrespond back, Hi (your name). This is to acknowledge andencourage each participant as they Break into men s and women s groups for sharing.