St. Philip Recovery Groups Supporting Downriver

St. Philip Lutheran Church in Trenton might best be described as a small church with a large social ministry footprint. Its mission is sharing God’s love with one another, knowing Christ, and serving the world. Among its many mission-driven ministries are recovery groups, an affordable preschool, a very active food pantry, an LGBTQ+ ministry, a Perennial Waters ministry focused on caring for Creation, a youth and family ministry, and more. The recovery group ministries have supported Downriver for nearly five decades.

“Recovery groups speak to the heart of what St Philip’s mission is – to reach out to all people and offer space for healing, space for uncovering community,” said Pastor Jeffery Ogonowski of St. Philip Lutheran Church. “We are proud to support the recovery community and hope that they look to us for a partnership beyond a building where they meet.”

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)

AA support groups meet at St. Philip Lutheran Church on Sunday at 7:30 PM, Wednesday at 10:00 AM, and Thursday at 8:00 PM. These AA support groups are self-led.

AA is a fellowship of people who come together to solve their drinking problem. It doesn’t cost anything to attend AA meetings and there are no age or education requirements to participate. Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about their drinking problem. AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, institution, or organization. It does not wish to engage in any controversy, nor endorse or oppose any causes. AA’s primary purpose is to help alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

It should also be noted that Unity Lutheran Church in Southgate also offers AA support groups that meet on Sundays at 10:30 AM, Mondays at 7 PM, Wednesdays at 6:30 PM, and Thursdays at 6:30 and 6:45 PM. St. James Episcopal Church on Grosse Ile offers an AA on Tuesdays and Fridays at 8 PM.

Narcotics Anonymous (NA)

An NA support group meets at St. Philip Lutheran Church on Tuesday at 7 PM. Like AA, the NA support groups are self-led.

NA is about helping people help themselves. Group participants are people who suffer from the disease of addiction. Whether you are an addict suffering from addiction or you think you may have a problem, you can find help from NA. There is no requirement for membership other than the individual’s choice to participate. There are no fees required to join. Like many in society, all NA participants have had to battle with the problems that addiction causes, destroying the core of the family, alienation of friends, and loss of jobs just to mention a few.

Al-Anon

Al-Anon meets Sundays at St. Philip at 7:30 PM. Al-Anon members are people who are concerned about someone with a drinking problem. It is a mutual support program for people whose lives have been affected by someone else’s drinking. By sharing common experiences and applying the Al-Anon principles, families and friends of alcoholics can bring positive changes to their individual situations, whether or not the alcoholic admits the existence of a drinking problem or seeks help.

Perennial Arts Yoga and Slow Recovery Yoga

Perennial Arts Yoga is part of St. Philip’s Perennial Waters Project and offers “Slow Recovery Yoga” on Tuesdays from 5:30-7 PM (August-June). "Slow Recovery Yoga” has proven attractive to those in the addiction recovery community. It intends to reach broadly those interested in practice towards transformation from the innumerable ways people become stuck in problematic or destructive habitual patterns. It is endorsed by the Downriver Chapter of Families Against Narcotics.

As noted on the Contemplative Outreach of Michigan website, "We are a living wisdom circle integrating the Christian Contemplative, Vedantic/Yogic, and Budhist secular Loving Kindness traditions."

Each session begins with a brief discussion of a relevant theme, followed by a gentle “asana” or yoga postural movement exercise. Next, the session includes “gentle seated observation” which may also be described as a brief period of meditation. The session concludes with a shared commentary on participants’ experiences relative to the evening’s introductory theme. Perennial Arts Yoga is led by Win Kurlfink who is a master’s level psychotherapist, and as a certified Yoga instructor, offers a unique perspective on Yoga Therapy. He practices at Hegira Health Inc.’s Oakdale Recovery Center in Canton, Michigan.

It is worth noting that Perennial Arts Yoga is working in partnership with Veronica Crites of VC Wholeness who, with Leon Buber, offers Yoga as a component of an “Eleventh step” Centering prayer meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous on Thursday evenings at Unity Lutheran Church in Southgate.

Recovery groups are safe spaces to practice new skills and get mutual support from new people who have shared experiences and common goals. A sense of community is essential for maintaining and enjoying sobriety, avoiding feelings of isolation, rediscovering self, and connecting with others who understand what someone is experiencing. All are welcome to St. Philip’s recovery groups.

For more information about St. Philip Lutheran Church in Trenton visit: https://www.stphilipelca.com/. You can also find St. Philip on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stphiliplutheranelca.