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SCRIPT:

(Locator: Minneapolis, Minnesota)

“Morning, morning, morning. I’m an alcoholic. My name is Jo.”

The Rev. Jo Campe, Recovery Church Pastor:

“My name is Jo Campe. I’m the pastor at Central Park United Methodist Church and Wesley United Methodist Church, both now considered the Recovery Church. Both churches are located in the twin cities, one in Minneapolis and one in St. Paul.”

Pastor at church service: “How would you lump us all together, if not with one word? Broken.”

The Rev. Jo Campe, Recovery Church Pastor:

“Twelve years ago, I found myself in the throes of addiction. And at the time I was serving a very large church in our denomination, in our conference, one of the largest. Almost every morning I’d wake up in my morning devotions and pray to Jesus Christ that He would solve my alcohol and drug addiction. And then that night, would probably end up either after having used or wanting to use, realized that I hadn’t been cured like I wanted to be. it’s pretty clear to see when your life is a shambles, that you have to choose a different way…so went into treatment, came out of treatment, and went to a different church and eventually asked the bishop to come to Central Park, to try to do a different type of ministry that’s evolved into recovery ministry.”

(Singer) “Everyone has pain…”

The Rev. Jo Campe, Recovery Church Pastor:

“The Recovery Church is a combination of a couple of congregations who at one time were either on the verge of closing or had closed. Almost all of our programming and the use of the building, the two buildings, are for people in 12 Step recovery programs or their loved ones or family members.”

The Rev. Jo Campe, Recovery Church Pastor:

“We have about 600 people who are active in the St. Paul church and now about 70 to 100 people who are active in the Minneapolis church. Often, I think to myself about… something is happening here much greater than my own personal story or individual people here. Something more miraculously is happening than our individual stories. So often I get discouraged, I get frustrated or angry about something, and someone will come up to me and remind me ‘This is greater than you, Jo.’”

Tom Demarrias, Church Member:

“He’s walked the same path, kind of, that I have. You know, he’s had problems in his life. And, and he’s worked through it all.”

The Rev. Jo Campe, Recovery Church Pastor:

“God is doing for us what we can’t do for ourselves. So, you know, go along with the flow, get out of God’s way, is definitely our best motto.”

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Recognizing that battling addiction is a daily challenge, the Recovery Church hosts support groups seven days a week at both church locations. These are in addition to weekend worship services.

For more information, contact the Recovery Church at 651-291-1371.

Statistics from the National Institutes of Health say that substance abuse costs the U.S. more than $484 billion per year.

Also, see: Pastor preaches recovery from alcoholism, addictions