The goal of the Episcopal Recovery Program of Mississippi is to educate and provide resources for The Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi in dealing with addiction by providing direction and resources that will allow clergy and communicants alike to have accessible avenues to recovery for those within the diocese.

Addiction. It’s a word with shadowy connotations. A problem of “other” people – not nice Episcopalians. Yet the common dependencies mentioned below are addictions. These are serious problems that affect many people in all walks of life.

Addiction causes great suffering, but its causes and solutions are often misunderstood. Even today, many believe that unhealthy behaviors can and should be controlled and changed by individual will and courage – bolstered perhaps by prayer – but ultimately dependent on self-reliance.

That has not been our experience. As people who are successfully recovering from alcoholism and other addictions, we have found that our new health comes directly from our surrender to God’s love and care – and that our repeated efforts to “control” our compilations were nothing more than misguided attempts to play God ourselves. The experience of many professions – both medical and clerical – confirms the effectiveness of this approach.

COMMON SYMPTOMS OF ADDICTION:

• Unable to meet responsibilities at home, school, or office.
• Continues to use substances or engage in behavior even when it is dangerous.
• The need increases to engage in behavior or use more of a substance to achieve the same effect or feeling.
• Has tried but failed to stop using the substance or end the behavior.

Episcopalians and Recovery
Because a spiritual solution is often their best hope, persons in recovery have an urgent need to develop and maintain a close relationship with a higher power of their understanding. Twelve step programs, like Alcoholics Anonymous support them to expand their spiritual life, and some also benefit from a new or renewed connection with a faith community.

Episcopalians enjoy a source of spiritual nurture and expression that can be life-saving to many who suffer from the family disease of addiction. As Christians, we can offer a great deal of spiritual sustenance to many both within and outside our church.

The Church’s Position
Beginning with the 66th General Convention Resolution on Alcoholism in 1979, The Episcopal Church committed to actively support those suffering from chemical dependency and to raise the collective national church consciousness of alcohol and drug misuse. Since then, multiple resolutions at General Convention have called for each diocese to establish a committee, provide extensive education and develop written policies about treatment procedures on alcoholism and drugs.

Bishop Seage
“I believe that we must as a faith-community create safe places for those who choose not to drink alcohol. I believe we should create mechanisms and resources to help those in our midst who are still struggling with this disease that, if left untreated, can kill us.”

“We need to be willing to reach out to the alcoholic who is still struggling whether that person is a member of our parish or even your deacon, priest or bishop. We need to celebrate recovery and say it’s okay not to drink!”

“…we should strive to be defined by the Spirit of God within our community not the spirits we happen to drink.”

“…if you offer alcohol at a parish event be sure you have a good non-alcoholic alternative. Not just the drinking fountain out in the narthex. That’s not just providing a safe place for the nondrinker, it’s being hospitable!”

–excerpt from Bishop Seage’s address to 188th Annual Council 2015