July 10
Beloved of Good Shepherd Church
Grace to you and peace in Jesus Christ our Lord!
I started hanging out with alcoholics and addicts in recovery around 2004. I was fresh out of seminary and had just started my first job as a priest at a church in north Georgia. A call came into the office one afternoon from the Carter Hope Center which was a treatment facility for people struggling with the disease of addiction across town. There was a young man at the center who was an Episcopalian and he wanted to talk to a priest. “Are you available?” the caller asked. “Yes, I’ll be right over,” I replied.
Thus it began. I talked for two hours with my new friend on the big front porch of an old Georgia home that had been transformed into a treatment center. I knew next to nothing about addiction in those days, but my new friend began my education by telling me about an urge to use drugs over which he was utterly powerless. The director of the center, a kind, joyful man named Chuck, became a close friend of mine over the next three years. Chuck taught me about the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous which I came to see are, as Fr. Thomas Keating puts it, the Gospel put into action. The church I served became close partners with the Carter Hope Center. When I moved up to east Tennessee to serve my next church I met some new friends and we started a homeless shelter for men who are homeless for reasons related to addiction. Then when I made my way up here to Lexington I met you all and got to know the marvelous recovery ministry you started - The Shepherd’s House. Everywhere I go I run into people struggling with addiction and experiencing the joy of recovery. Do you know why that is? Simple - addiction is ubiquitous. It’s just a fact of life. There are people struggling with addiction in every community. Addiction is a disease and thus nothing to be ashamed of. What I have found over the years is that addicts and alcoholics in recovery are some of the best church members, friends, and co-workers you could ever wish for because they have a problem that only God can solve and they’ve let Him solve it. People in recovery have surrendered their lives to God, so that they can live happy, joyous, and free.
Good Shepherd’s partnership with the Shepherd’s House culminates in an annual celebration at the Run for Recovery which will be held this year at Keeneland on Saturday, July 26th. You are invited to register to join in the festivities as a runner, walker, or member of the cheering crowd. When you sign up be sure to join the Good Shepherd Team which is Team Grant Plummer. Look for Ann and Mark Plummer when you get out there. Just look for the Love is all sign! You don’t have to be present to participate. You can register to run or walk or cheer from afar. I will be running the race while on a trip to England. Another parishioner is running in France and yet another in Norway. Where will you be? Register to run/walk and then do so no matter where you are on July 26th. You might run it virtually from home or walk in solidarity with all addicts, alcoholics, and their families wherever you are on race day. Sign up to join us today HERE. All are welcome!
Remember this always - God loves you, and I love you too!
Love is all,
Hendree+