Substance abuse — getting out of the church basement

by Nancy Troy
From the 4th Quarter 2007 PHEWA Newsletter

With news about the passing of the Rev. Donald C. Hancock and his commitment to PHEWA’s efforts in ministering with persons struggling with substance abuse, you may be asking what is happening to those efforts. Let me bring you up to date.

At the January 2007 Biennial Membership Meeting in New Orleans, PHEWA members were informed of the PHEWA Board of Director’s decision to call an hiatus to the Presbyterians for Addiction Action (PAA) leadership team for a time of reflection on where our work on addictions needed to be focused. For a number of years, we felt that we needed to move into more education and prevention, while maintaining our position that the 12 Step programs that many churches host are contributing greatly to the healing of persons and families affected by substance abuse. A survey designed by the PAA leadership team which went to every presbytery, confirmed that presbyteries were dealing with a variety of addictions beyond substance abuse. We are still not clear where, exactly, this information will lead us in the future, but it is valuable data and we are grateful to those who responded.

In this newsletter and the next, I would like to talk about two programs that have been endorsed by PHEWA Networks. This issue will talk some about the Faith Partner model that the PAA Leadership Team endorsed. The next issue of the PHEWA newsletter will introduce the Clergy Education and Training Project, an initiative of the National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACoA) in partnership with major national and regional faith organizations and with the support from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The national certifying organizations that PASPM relate to have endorsed that model.

Faith Partners is a team model developed by the Rush Center of the Johnson Institute. The Rush Center, a renowned faith-based organization, combined with the Johnson Institute, has more than 40 years of experience in prevention, intervention and recovery support models and technologies. I sit on the advisory council with other faith communities, as did Dave Zuverink, former PC(USA) Associate for National Health Ministries, before me.

Successful congregational Faith Partners Team Ministries promote understanding and skills that are critical in linking congregation members to appropriate professional resources for individuals and families. The Rush Center provides the tools and training to equip congregations. Congregational teams made up of persons in recovery, families affected by addiction, professionals in the field, and concerned congregation members design educational and worship experiences that are needed for their particular church family. Read a story by Carol Pine about Westminster Presbyterian and their involvement in this ministry.

The Faith Partners model is built upon the idea of partnership. The pastoral staff provides support, coaching and encouragement. The team members receive special training in recovery issues and team management. Persons in recovery are not members of the team to be “fixed,” but are respected for the knowledge and experience they bring to this work. The entire church benefits from new understandings about recovery and how faith is integrated into the healing process. I like to think that this process lifts the issue from the church basement into the sanctuary and the classroom.

If you want to learn more about this model, I suggest that you read the book, Healing Places; How People and Institutions of Faith can Effectively Address Alcohol and other Drug Concerns, by Johnny Allem and Trish Merrill. To order your copy, call (888) 451-9527, or email Trish Merrill or Drew Brooks. 

Be sure to read the stories about the PAA General Assembly Award winners on this site. During this time of transition, PHEWA will continue to honor persons and congregations with the David Hancock and Margaret A. Fuad Awards.