First Baptist Church Georgetown

The Care and Recovery Ministries at FBCgT include: Celebrate Recovery, DivorceCare, GriefShare, Journey to Wholeness, Stephen Ministry, Bereavement Ministry Team, and our Decon-Led Care Team. Learn more about these individual ministries in the right-hand sidebar.

Hurting?  Wanting a change for your life that will make a difference?  There is a safe place for you. 

Celebrate Recovery is a Christ Centered 12-Step Recovery Program.

The purpose for Celebrate Recovery is to be able to celebrate God’s healing power in our lives through eight recovery principles and the Christ centered 12 steps.  This experience allows us to be changed.  We open the door by sharing our experiences, strengths and hopes with one another.  In addition, we become willing to accept God’s grace in solving our life problems.  By working the steps and applying their Biblical principles, we begin to grow spiritually.  We become free from our addictive, compulsive and dysfunctional behaviors.  This freedom creates peace, serenity, joy and most importantly, a stronger personal relationship with God and others.  As we progress through the principles, we discover our personal, loving and forgiving Higher Power - Jesus Christ. 

We meet each Tuesday night whether it’s a holiday or not.

• 6:00 - 7:00  Come early and enjoy a Chik Fil A Sandwich, chips and a drink for only $3.00.
• 7:00 - 7:40  Music, worship and a large group teaching or testimony (these are great)
• 7:40 - 8:40 Small Group Meetings or Celebrate 101 for the newcomer (an overview of the program and how it works)
• 8:40 - 9:00  Fellowship time - a chance to get to know each other better and enjoy some coffee

The small groups can:

• Provide you a safe place to share your experiences, strengths and hopes with others in a Christ-centered recovery program.
• Provide a leader who has gone through a similar hurt, hang-up, or habit that will facilitate the group.
• Provide you the opportunity to find an accountability partner or sponsor
• Provide you with a place of belonging.
• A place to care for others and be cared for.
• Where respect is given to each member. 
• Where confidentiality is highly regarded.
• Where you can take off your mask.
• A possible turning point in your life

The small groups cannot:

• Allow it’s members to attempt to fix one another.
• Be a quick fix.
• Be a place to judge others.
• Be a place for perfection.
• Be a place for selfish control.
• Therapy.
• A place to look for dating relationships.
• A place to rescue or be rescued by others.

No adult reservations required, just come and participate.

Childcare is available at no cost with a one week notice.  Call the main church office at 512-869-2586 to make reservations.  Please make sure you tell them it is for Celebrate Recovery, how many children and their ages.

TO TALK WITH A PERSON REGARDING CR:

If you would like to talk with someone about Celebrate Recovery and what it is all about, you can either contact Tessa at 512- 554-4398 or Jody at 512-844-9687.

Prayer for Serenity

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.  Living one day a t a time, enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as a pathway to peace; taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is; not as I would have it.  Trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to your will; so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next.  AMEN

-Reinhold Niebuhr

**For more information on Celebrate Recovery and the twelve Biblical steps we take during this program you can go to the national web site www.celebraterecovery.com

Tuesday, May 20, 7-9pm, E3.300 (Shockwave Rm)

Are struggling with a hurt, hang up, or addictive habit? Do you have a family member who struggles? Learn more about Celebrate Recovery (CR) at the CR Open House. See how God is using this Christ-centered, Twelve Step ministry to transform lives. In the first hour you will join with CR regular attenders for worship including the inspiring personal story of someone on the road to recovery. In the second hour you will participate in Newcomers 101 where you will learn everything you need to know about CR. Free childcare for birth through 5th grade is available by reservation only (call the church office by Monday, May 19 at noon). For more information, contact David Griffin at 869-2586 or dgriffin {at} fbcgt(.)org or visit www.celebraterecovery.com.

Sunday, May 18, 7pm, Worship Center

Join the FBCgT family on Sunday May 18 at 7pm in the Worship Center under the leadership of Pastor John Duncan and the deacon body for our first-ever Stephen Ministry Commissioning Service. 26 church members will be commissioned as Stephen Ministers and six as Stephen Leaders. Upon commissioning, Stephen Ministers will be available to provide one-to-one, distinctively Christian care for those in our church and community who are experiencing life difficulties.

You may access their services for yourself or someone you know by contacting the church office. All of them have completed 50 hours of training and the six leaders have completed an additional week-long intensive training course. A reception will follow in the Rec Center.

Griefshare is the non-denominational support program offered by the “Coming Alongside” grief support ministry of First Baptist Church, Georgetown. “Griefshare” meets weekly and features Christ centered, biblical teaching on grief recovery topics associated with the death of a loved one. It includes a video seminar featuring top experts on grief recovery subjects and includes real-life stories of people who have experienced losses.

Griefshare is:
•    A place to be around people who understand—people who have walked this path previously as well as people who are currently finding their way.
•    A place where you will learn valuable information and practical applications to aid in your recovery. Each session is planned to help you in the healing process.
•    A place for mutual sharing where you can learn from others, be comforted by knowing you are not alone, renew your hope, and be assured that God is in control.

The Griefshare spring session is scheduled for Thursdays from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm beginning January 10, 2008 through April 3, 2008. It will be held in the Conference Room at First Baptist Church, 1333 W. University Avenue, Georgetown.

You may pre-register by calling the church office at 869-2586. Cost to cover the workbook is $13.00.
Childcare is not available at this time.

Contacts for questions or additional information:

Jo Ann Goldston- 512-863-2166

CR is a Christ-Centered recovery program for those with a variety of hurts, habits or hang-ups including, but not limited to:  drugs, alcohol, eating disorders, gambling, sexual addiction, co-dependency, etc. or family members of those struggling.  We meet EVERY TUESDAY EVENING (Including Holidays) at 7:00, just follow the signs at the church.  Childcare is available, with a reservation.  If you are needing childcare please contact the FBC office at 512-869-2586.

The Stephen Ministry of FBC Georgetown equips lay people to provide confidential, one-to-one, distinctively Christian care to individuals in our    congregation and community who are experiencing difficulties in their lives.

A Stephen Minister Is…
A child of God who walks beside a person who is hurting
A congregation member with gifts for caregiving, who was carefully selected to serve in this role
A lay person who has received 50 hours of training in providing emotional and spiritual care
A caring, Christian companion who listens, cares, prays, supports and encourages
Someone who will “be there” for his or her care receiver, meeting faithfully for about an hour each week, for as long there’s a need.

A Stephen Minister Is Not…
A counselor or therapist
A problem solver
A casual visitor

A Stephen Leader Is…

A trained leader in our congregation who over-sees and directs our Stephen Ministry.  Talk with one of our Stephen Leaders…
If you or someone you know could  benefit from the care of a Stephen Minister
If you are interested in possibly  becoming a Stephen Minister
If you have any other questions about Stephen Ministry
   
Stephen Ministry Is Your Ministry
You play an important role in our Stephen Ministry.  Here’s what you can do:

Pray for God to bring hope and healing to hurting people through our Stephen Ministry.
Accept care from a Stephen Minister during your time of need.  God doesn’t expect you to bear your burdens alone.
Tell a friend, neighbor, co-worker, or relative who is hurting about our Stephen Ministry.
If you are a good listener and a compassionate person, prayerfully consider becoming a Stephen Minister.

Stephen Ministry Multiplies Our Christian Caregiving And Outreach

Our Stephen Ministers work together With our pastors to reach more people with Christian care than our pastors can reach by themselves.
People who receive care from a Stephen Minister… 
* Receive quality Christian care,
* Deepen their relationship with their Lord,
* Grow in their desire to participate in Christian community.

Stephen Ministry enhances our outreach by…
*Creating a “caring ministry explosion” where many instead of a few are offering God’s love and care in intentional, systematic ways.
*Enabling our entire congregation to grow as a warm, loving, nurturing community where people are cherished and cared for in Jesus Christ.
*Identifying our congregation to our community as a place where people’s needs are taken seriously.

Stephen Ministers Care For People Facing Difficult Times

We all experience challenges in life—times when we could benefit from the support of a caring Christian.  Stephen Ministers are ready to provide the emotional and spiritual care we need when faced with a crisis or difficulty, such as:

Loss of a loved one
Hospitalization
Divorce or separation
Loneliness or discouragement
Spiritual crisis
Unemployment or a job crisis
Terminal or chronic illness
Incarceration
Aging and elderly
Birth, adoption, or infertility
Relocation
Life transitions
Recovery after an accident or disaster
Deployment of a loved one for military service

Stephen Ministry is a confidential ministry: the identity of those receiving care and what takes place in each caring relationship remains private.

For additional Stephen Ministry information contact:
First Baptist Church
1333 W. University Ave.
Georgetown, TX  78628
(512) 869-2586
www.fbcgt.org

David Griffin, Care and Counseling Pastor

Stephen Ministry Leaders
Sandy Hayes
Julie Miller
Bob Baird
Bob Fuller
Alan Redfern
Jack McCroskey