What is Celebrate Recovery?
Celebrate Recovery is an international year-around ministry developed more than 25 years ago at Saddleback Church in California, pastored by Rick Warren who also has authored the long-time best-selling book, Purpose Driven Life. Celebrate Recovery is available in nearly 30,000 churches in dozens of countries, with Celebrate Recovery Inside available in more than 380 jails and prisons.
Celebrate Recovery differs from other 12 Step programs in that the ministry, open to individuals of any faith background, is Christ-centered and Biblically-based. It also includes 8 Principles, based on the Beatitudes in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5:3-10 of the Bible. These Principles run parallel to the 12 Steps, both of which reflect healing from all types of hurts, hangups, destructive habits and behaviors, and struggles, including common addictions. Many of these hurts and struggles originate from trauma experienced as a child or young adult.
Over 70 percent of individuals starting Celebrate Recovery are not members of the host church and many of these are without any religious background.
Celebrate Recovery in Allegany County
Allegany County has the most Celebrate Recovery locations per population and has one of only six jail and prison ministries in New York State. It continues to seek additional sites for the ministry due to transportation issues of many individuals, combined with those who may need more than one meeting a week.
Information on starting Celebrate Recovery at a church or churches in your area, along with technical assistance, is available from Casey Jones, Celebrate Recovery facilitator, at bps461@msn.com or (484) 435-0503.
Current Celebrate Recovery locations are:
Houghton Wesleyan Church, 9712 State Route 19, South Entrance
Thursdays 7pm – 9pm.
Contact: catmo57@hotmail.com or (585) 567-8162
Yorks Corners Mennonite Church, 3350 County Road 29, Wellsville, 14895
Thursdays 7pm- 9pm.
Contact: gene@yorkscorners.org or (585) 593-3287
Yorks Corners Celebrate Recovery on Facebook
Knights Creek Church, 2987 County Road 9, Scio, NY 14813
Saturdays 7pm- 9pm.
Contact: bps461@msn.com or (484) 435-0503
Knights Creek Church Celebrate Recovery on Facebook
Allegany County Jail for Inmates ONLY. Encourage incarcerated family members and friends to attend Celebrate Recovery inside, while you learn how to assist them through a group on the outside.
Tuesdays at 7pm- 9pm.
Contact: bps461@msn.com or (484) 435-0503.
Weekly meetings include vibrant music, reading of the 12 Steps, 8 Principles, Small Group Guidelines, and Serenity Prayer; alternating weeks of lessons to help participants progress through the healing process and individual testimonies of personal success in following these steps and principles; and gender-specific small groups that reflect a safe, caring and non-judgmental environment in which one can share their pain (no one is required to share) and help find healing. Full-year Step Studies, also gender-specific, are offered at different times and locations to help individuals go deeper and accelerate faster in the healing process.
Celebrate Recovery Resources
12 Steps and Biblical Comparisons
Celebrate Recovery Group Locator