International Christian Recovery Coalition "Summit" Plans for 2011

International Christian Recovery Coalition “Summit” in Planning Stages for the Summer of 2011 Many Christian recovery leaders; many Christian recovery fellowships; and many “Christian Recovery Resource Centers” have emerged since our major conference in May 2009 at Mariners Church Community Center in Irvine, California. There is in progress a global, Christian, recovery movement. The participants include Christian pastors (including recovery pastors), Christian recovery fellowships, Christian counselors, Christian treatment programs, Christian sober living facilities, “Christian Recovery Resource Centers,” and lots of individual Christians who are active in the recovery community. There is no one program. There is no one structure. There is no one set of rules or regulations. There is a mission statement. It may be found on the front page of the International Christian Recovery Coalition Web site: www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com. We have posted the mission statement so that Coalition participants may view what we are trying to do to emphasize two things: (1) The role that God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible played in the origins, history, founding, and enormous successes of the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” program of 1935. (2) The role that the power, love, forgiveness, guidance, healing, and promises of God can and should play in the recovery movement today. Since it was founded in July 2009, the Coalition has enjoyed a steadily-increasing number of participants worldwide. It has fostered many conferences and meetings in California and Hawaii. It has established “Christian Recovery Resource Centers” worldwide. It has caused 350 cases of free A.A. history books to be distributed free to those who want to learn more. And it has established a Speakers Bureau. The time has come to bring together at an open-to-the-public meeting those who are leading the charge, those who want to get started, those who have suggestions and questions, and those who want to share the programs and efforts they have been conducting. We want to do this in a place where our reception has been particularly welcome and effective. That place is California. And, since we have begun, strong groups have flourished in Southern, Central, and Northern California. But we discovered at the Mariners Church event that leaders were willing to come from around the U.S. and Canada to share and get things going. The Planning Stage First, we need a large and free area—preferably at an “A.A.-friendly” Christian church—where our friends can congregate and participate. Second, we need music, and we have several talented Christian musicians in mind. Third, we need an outstanding, recovered, Christian speaker who can inspire us all. Fourth, depending on the interest, we may need two conferences—one in the Southern California area, and one in the Central or Northern California area. Fifth, we will require a small registration fee of about $30.00. Sixth, we may permit sponsors to display exhibits for a charge like we did at Mariners Church. Seventh, we would like to provide food and beverages as we have done at so many of our past conferences, with attending folks donating funds to cover the cost. Eighth, we would like to have a “round table” workshop where we can receive suggestions, questions, and reports of what has been done, can be done, and will be planned. Ninth, we would like to have a time for limited individual sharing. Tenth, we would like to have the event—or events, if there are two—take place on a Saturday between June 1 and October 2, 2011. Please let us hear from you about dates and locations and other background information that you believe would help us determine when and where to hold this/these “Summit(s).” Thank you. Offers of Assistance, Facilities, Food, Setup, and Attendance Will Be Welcome Now We would like to hear from you as soon as possible: Please contact Dick B. at 1-808-874-4876 or DickB@DickB.com; or Ken B. at 1-808-276-4945. Gloria Deo