Recovery Ministry

Substance abuse, be it from alcohol, drugs or other substances, is a destructive force in our society. It destroys individuals and families. However, in a loving and caring community, and with the support of a faith-based program, lives can be changed.

The UCCC Recovery Ministry offers hope for those who wish to recover from problems associated with addictive behavior by providing a non-judgmental Christian environment of love and compassion.  Spiritual and educational resources, support groups, mentoring, and referrals to community professional resources are offered for those desiring God’s help to change.  

In 2009, UCCC created its Recovery Ministry to help individuals overcome problems associated with addictions and to provide mentoring from a Biblical perspective. The program is coordinated on a full-time basis by UCCC member Bruce Simer. Bruce has experience as an advocate for recovering alcoholics and addicts. Prior to his appointment to the UCCC program, Bruce served as the Outreach Coordinator for the Martha Lucile Peacock Foundation, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation, which serves as an umbrella organization for residential recovery home programs operating two recovery homes in Gainesville.

 


Bruce also has extensive experience working with the recovery community in Gainesville and Tulsa, Okla., and in working with the three-year-old Bible-based 12-Step Recovery program hosted by UCCC. He is also actively involved in other local recovery programs as a volunteer mentor. He is a graduate of Lubbock Christian University, Lubbock, Texas.

A program added in 2010 is the Building Healthy Relationships Group.   BHR is a discussion-based self-exploration group for individuals recovering from the wounds of growing up in a dysfunctional family.  This group can also be helpful for those who simply want to improve the quality of their current personal relationships.  The BHR curriculum covers diverse topics such as learning to recognize, cope with, and express your emotions, setting boundaries, giving appropriate help to others, healthy communication and conflict resolution techniques, recognizing compulsive behaviors, forgiveness, and healing painful memories.

An important focus of this ministry is to provide spiritual growth for individuals joining our congregational family as a result of this program. It is clear in the scriptures that God has called us to edify and build each other up as we grow closer to Him and become more like his Son, Jesus Christ  In that regard, individual mentoring by UCCC members is a critical aspect of this ministry, in additional to specifically designed Bible-centered classes.

Contact: Bruce Simer at bsimer@cox.net

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"Look upon my afflictions and my pain and forgive all my sings."  - Psalms 25:18