Host Your Own Forum - The Opportunity

You Are Invited!

We Want You!

Host Your Own Forum

on the International Christian Recovery Coalition Forums

Memo from Dick B., Executive Director

International Christian Recovery Coalition

© 2011 Anonymous. All rights reserved

The Opportunity

For some time now, the International Christian Recovery Coalition has maintained forums so that Coalition Participants could introduce themselves, network, hear about projects, locate each other, and see suggestions for participation. But we have always wanted a much stronger networking presentation for Christian Recovery Resource Centers and Persons in particular and for those who have long been supportive of, and active in, the International Christian Recovery Coalition.

The Plan

Our good friend and supporter Tammy has established and maintained a good many Web sites and forums. She set up our International Christian Recovery Coalition Forums for us, and they have been active. We engaged her to make it possible for a number of selected Christian leaders and workers in the recovery arena who are Coalition Participants to host their own forum under the umbrella of the Coalition Forums. To begin with, the selected Participants could introduce themselves, and their Christian Recovery outreach(es) and material(s). And then they could write as often as they would care to about their Christian Recovery efforts. This would give the Participants a “voice” and allow forum viewers to interact with them by leaving comments in response to posts on the forum. Tammy set up a forum for me—“A.A. History and the Christian Recovery Movement with Dick B.” so you could see what yours might look like and how it would function: http://www.christianrecoverycoalition.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=9.

We found at our two summit conferences in California in September 2011 that there are some extraordinarily accomplished, experienced Christian recovery leaders and workers who are actively involved in the Christian Recovery Movement. Some are interventionists. Some are counselors. Some are treatment providers. Some our Christian recovery fellowship leaders. Some are bridge organizations. Some operate Christian Recovery Resource Centers and Persons in various parts of the world. Some are involved in Christian Recovery leadership training. Some are involved in outreach to prisons, the homeless, ex-convicts, and street people. And more. Most have been active Participants and substantial supporters of the International Christian Recovery Coalition mission and projects.

We have long wanted to present these Christian leaders and workers with the opportunity to introduce themselves fully. To tell us details about their programs and service. To tell us about their locations. To tell us about their specialties. And to receive comments, suggestions, and questions from other Coalition Participants and from those needing help. From others who are helping and serving, and from members of the afflicted and affected community who want to know more about them.

Let More People Hear Your Voice!

We will also be inviting these and other Coalition Participants to speak at conferences. We will be urging them to utilize a presence on Facebook, Twitter, blogs, Web sites, and other forms of social media. We hope to interview them on our proposed radio show. We would like to let others know of their work and notices and articles on our blogs, outreach newsletters, Web sites, and posts.

This Opportunity to Host a Coalition Forum Is for You!

This forum on the International Christian Recovery Coalition Forms is for you to make known your Christian Recovery efforts. You will be the moderator. The forum will be open to all who are Participants in the Coalition and are actively serving others in the Christian recovery arena and elsewhere relative to helping people learn about A.A. history, A.A.’s Christian roots, the Christian Recovery Movement that is on the move, and locating needed help.

Selected forum hosts can introduce themselves and their work at length. They can publish notices, articles, and informative matter. They can invite communications. They can network. And they can love and serve others.

Here Is What We Are Doing Right Now to Get the Ball Rolling

We will try to communicate right away with the following supportive, serving Christian leaders and workers in the recovery arena, and ask them to get in touch with us if they would like to host a forum on the International Christian Recovery Coalition Forums. Right now, they can see the basic format on my existing forum, “A.A. History and the Christian Recovery Movement with Dick B.” And they can provide and let us review and possibly edit their proposed name and listing. Here are some examples of possible listings:

            “Rock Recovery Ministries and Soledad House with David Powers”

            “Lifelines at The Crossing Church with Randy Moraitis”

            “Marriage and Family Counseling with Bob Noonan”

            “The Turning Point Group at Cornerstone Fellowship--Livermore Campus

                        with Dominic D.”

            “Serenity Group at the Oroville Church of the Nazarene with Dale Marsh”

           

            “New Life Spirit Recovery in Huntington Beach with Dr. Robert Tucker”

            “Texas Episcopal Diocese Recovery with Fr. Bill Wigmore”

These are just examples. Each person can adopt his or her own listing and submit it to me for review. And here are the folks we plan to contact and invite—and there may be more:

            David Powers, San Diego

            Rev. Randy Moraitis, Costa Mesa

            Bob Noonan, Orange

            Dominic D., Livermore

            David Sadler, Antioch

            Rev. Matt Pierce, Brentwood

            Dale Marsh, Oroville

            Rev. Wade Hess, San Jose

            Russell Spatz, Miami

            Steve Foreman, Winter Park

            Wally Lowe, Florida

            Ray Grumney, Ohio and Florida

            Dr. Robert Turner, Charleston

            Dr. Karen Plavan, Pittsburgh

            Rev. Dr. Jay Geisler, Pittsburgh area

            Dr. Jean LaCour, Orlando

            Jeff and Debra Jay, Michigan

            James Moody, Jamestown

            Fr. Bill Wigmore, Austin

Wally Camp, Maine

            Bonnie Burke, The Wilson House

            Chaplain Leonard Grubb, Illinois

            Dr. Darv Smith, Boulder

            Roger McDiarmid, Huntington Beach

            Walter Santos, Carlsbad

            Bobby Nicholl, San Juan Capistrano

            Gary Seymour, Escondido

            Jerry McDonald, Betty Ford

            Rev. Dr. Mike Belzman, Redlands

            Rev. Jerry Liversage, Garden City

            Rick S., San Jose

            Scott Craven, Honolulu

           

We can’t do these all at once. We will proceed one at a time. You will see them on the International Christian Recovery Coalition Forums as they are added. Others will come along as they speak, support, and appear in the arena. And no new prospective forum host need take offense if not accepted. We need to know what they do, how they serve, and how much they are willing to move the mission of the Coalition forward—as each of the above has already done.

Cost to Hosts: Zero

There are expenses. We hope to compensate Tammy as we go along. And there are other Web and computer expenses involved, and labor needed.

Donations: Welcome

If you would like to support our new Forums work, please consider using Paypal on the “Help Support Our work in the center column of the front page of Dick B.’s main website, www.DickB.com; or call Ken at (808) 276-4945. Specify your name, address, amount, and purpose—e.g., “to support the Forums work.” And we will gratefully acknowledge your help, large or small. Checks or money orders made payable to “Dick B.,”, cash, and credit or debit cards are all welcome.

Gloria Deo