Rejected

I’ve been looking for a support group I could start going to in order to work through some of my “hurts, hang-ups and habits.”  I figured that finding a Celebrate Recovery group would be a good fit.

I am big fan of Celebrate Recovery, purpose-driven, and Rick Warren.  So I was kind of excited to find a group.

There aren’t a ton of groups around here, but I found a few.  One of the churches running Celebrate Recovery is a really good church that I know and is about 45 minutes away both from where I am staying this summer with family as well as where I hope to be in the fall back up in the Hartford/Manchester area.  I know the pastor a little bit and the church has a great reputation so I figured it would be a good fit.

As a courtesy, I contacted the pastor first.  I figured it was better to talk to him in advance and explain my situation, before just showing up at a meeting.

In our telephone conversation it became very clear that I would not be welcomed at their group and should look somewhere else.  I have to tell you, the idea of somehow not being allowed to a Celebrate Recovery group — which by design is really for all people, whatever the issue — was pretty hurtful.

Now in defense of Celebrate Recovery, I actually think Rick Warren would be pretty angry to hear about this… so I don’t blame the program.

Another experience of rejection by a church at a time where it really wasn’t needed…