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Intro & Discussion Guide
Celebrate Recovery
May 5, 2020
Introduction and Overview
Thank you for joining us this week at Celebrate Recovery at Wooddale Church! During this
season, we have shifted what were previously in-person meetings at our Loring Park and Eden
Prairie campuses to a new online virtual check-in. Over the coming weeks we will continue the
journey to recovery from our hurts, habits and hang-ups in a new digital format with fresh
actionable content released each week! Our live broadcast will take place on Tuesdays at 7pm
with an on-demand recording posted each week at www.wooddale.org/church-at-home under
the Grow > Celebrate Recovery section.
Celebrate Recovery Online, Tuesdays @ 7pm: https://zoom.us/j/600413511
Please check-in each week to keep in touch! https://tinyurl.com/CROnlineConnect
Discussion
Bottom Line
God wants us to transform us by removing the character defects in us.
Scripture
Philippians 4:8-9
Discussion Questions
This week Julie, Celebrate Recovery Director, shared a message on Principle 5 (Step 6).
She talked about being willing to have God change us, seeing and acknowledging the
changes God wants to make, and finally allowing God to make that change in us. You
can use the following questions to grow in your recovery through personal reflection
and/or discussion with your open share group, sponsor or accountability partner:
1. What character defects in your life do you still need to surrender to Jesus?
2. What in your life do you need to “Philippians 4:8 it”?
3. What are some of the positive changes you could make in your recovery?
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Online Open Share Groups
*Open Share groups are intended for those invested in the Celebrate Recovery program, and
those who joined the large group meeting.*
Groups take place immediately following the CR Online Tuesday meeting, from 7:45-8:30pm.
Email [email protected] to get the Zoom link and password for one of the
following groups:
Eden Prairie Men
Eden Prairie Women
Loring Park Men
Loring Park Women
Open Share Leaders Guide
If you are leading an Open Share group online, please refer to the guide below to assist you in
leading your group!
Hello everyone! My name is _____________, I’m a grateful believer in Jesus who struggles with
________________.
In our meeting, we introduce ourselves by first saying “I’m a believer” because we believe our
identity is in Jesus Christ – the one and only Higher Power. You may hear each of us say a
different variation, but the common thread is our identity in Jesus. If that doesn’t resonate with
you right now, we want you to know that you’re welcome here and to feel free to skip that
portion and just introduce yourself.
We go on to say “who struggles with” and state our struggle, because we believe that whatever
we are struggling with is not our identity. We are each struggling with our own hurts, habits,
hang-ups.
Let’s take a minute and each introduce ourselves. I’ll begin. If you would prefer to not say
anything, you can simply say “pass.”
Again, my name is _____________, I’m a grateful believer in Jesus who struggles with
_______________.
[Introductions]
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I would love someone to please open us in a word of prayer. Would anyone like to volunteer?
LEADER: Feel free to ask someone you know would be comfortable if no one volunteers.
This meeting is for any life issues and for those who are exploring their own personal recovery
journey.
Before we start sharing, I’d like to read our Small Group Guidelines. The intention of these
guidelines is to provide a safe and productive meeting for everyone. Please listen carefully and
honor these throughout the meeting as a sign of respect to each of us here today. If you
struggle to keep the guidelines or are just unfamiliar with them I will gently interrupt you and
invite you to refocus your sharing with the guidelines in mind.
1. Keep your sharing focused on your own thoughts and feelings. Stick to “I” or “me”
statements, not “you/he/she/we/they” etc. Please limit your sharing to three minutes.
To help with this, we’ll use a timer. When you hear the alarm go off, you have 1 minute
to wrap-up your share.
2. There is no cross-talk please. Cross-talk is when two people engage in a conversation
during the meeting. This can look like responding to what someone shares during their
time, or commenting on their share after they have finished. Each person is free to
share without interruptions. We also ask that phones are on silent and not brought out
during the meeting.
3. We are here to support one another, and not attempt to “fix” one another. This means
we don’t give advice, feedback or attempt to solve anyone’s problems during our
sharing. However, we strongly encourage you support and connect with one another
after the meeting, not during.
4. Anonymity and confidentiality are basic requirements that lead to trust and ultimately
growth within each of us. So what’s shared in the group, stays in the group. Discussing
with other group members what was shared in group is breaking anonymity. The only
time someone will discuss the content of group outside of the meeting is when
someone threatens to injure themselves or others.
5. Offensive language has no place in a Christ-centered recovery group, so we please ask
that this is left outside our meeting.
For our temporary online share groups, we have these additional guidelines:
6. All members must use headphones. This will ensure that no one else can overhear what
is shared in the group.
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7. All members should be on video camera. If the group leader asked, they must show the
rest of the group that no one else is in the room.
8. The meetings will not be recorded.
SHARING FROM CR ONLINE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
You’ll have two opportunities to share today. The first opportunity will be for those who want
to share on this week’s CR Online Meeting. The second opportunity will be for a Recovery
Check-in. This happens about half-way through the meeting. It’s a time to share about what’s
going on in your recovery.
Concerning this week’s content from CR Online, what was meaningful or stuck out to you?
Please keep your sharing focused on yourself as opposed to others. The meeting is now open
for sharing.
LEADER: About half way through your meeting time or when you sense people are done
sharing for this portion, transition the group to Recovery Check-in Time.
RECOVERY CHECK-IN
Thank you for sharing about the message from this week. We’ll now transition the meeting to a
Recovery Check-in time. Sharing in group is a time to practice vulnerability and honesty by
focusing inward and sharing about the ways in which God is growing us. We encourage you to
focus your share on how it relates to your hurt, habit or hang-up as best as you can. When we
each do this, we join with the healing work of the Holy Spirit in each of our lives. The floor is
now open for sharing our Recovery Check-in.
WRAP UP
Thanks everyone for joining us and sharing today. We are out of time, but we are not out of
hope! If you didn't get the chance to share, please connect with any of us after the meeting.
We would be happy to connect with you and hear more of what is on your heart.
If you’re not working the Steps with a sponsor, or if you don’t have an accountability partner
we strongly encourage you to do so. They’re a key piece to this recovery program and the place
where your recovery will grow and thrive. If you’re interested in joining taking a next step in
your recovery journey, please let me or your Celebrate Recovery Ministry Director know
directly. We want to support you in any way we can!
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Just as a reminder, be sure to tune in every Tuesday at 7 pm for our large group meeting online!
This is one of the key ways we’re keeping in touch and growing in our recovery during this
unique season. Wooddale Church also has two Sunday morning services online every Sunday
morning at 8:30 am (Traditional style worship) and 10 am (Modern style worship) that we
would love for you to join at www.wooddale.org/live
Thanks for letting me serve today. We will all now say the Lord’s Prayer together as we close
our meeting.
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the Kingdom,
the power and the glory,
forever and ever.
Amen.
POST MEETING RESPONSIBILITIES
Your goal is to facilitate a safe environment for each member.
Think of yourself as a Shepherd caring for the group.
Thank you for your leadership, care and guidance.
Please email your Celebrate Recovery Ministry Director how many individuals attended your
virtual open share meeting after you adjourn the meeting.
Blessings on your week!
Pastor Trent Palmberg
Loring Park Campus
