The Lawyers of Brown & Roberto are excited to be a part of Celebrate Recovery – North Knoxville. The faith-based recovery program launched last night with more than 100 people in attendance.
Celebrate Recovery is for anyone struggling with “hurts, habits, or hangups.” The program includes a free meal, an upbeat worship service, the reading of the 12 steps with their biblical comparisons, stories from people who have experienced freedom from addiction, and a message of hope and encouragement. Smaller groups are also offered where participants can talk with others battling their same issues.
The program is led by Rev. John Gargis, pastor of Lincoln Park United Methodist Church. John is himself a recovering alcoholic and has more than 12 years of experience in leadership with different recovery programs. He is passionate about helping others find the healing and freedom that he has experienced.
“Everyone can benefit from attending,” says John. “We all know people affected by some form of struggle or addiction. It is truly an uncaring destroyer with wide-ranging effects on everyone, not just the addict.”
Why Invest in a Recovery Program?
As you probably know, our firm is heavily invested in the community through our partnerships with The Salvation Army, the Epilepsy Foundation, and the Tennessee Veterans Business Association. So why this?
“There are several reasons that we wanted to be involved with John and Celebrate Recovery – North Knoxville,” says firm partner Andrew Roberto. “It’s a great program and it’s local. It’s grass roots, but John has great vision for where it needs to go. That’s exciting and definitely something we wanted to be a part of.”
A Community Coming Together
We were also impressed with the collaborative nature of this ministry. When John took over Lincoln Park a little more than two years ago, there were only a handful of attendees, the youngest in his mid-60s. The church now has more than 50 on Sundays and has started a youth program in partnership with the Emerald Youth Foundation. However, John knew that they did not have the resources to launch such a program on their own.
John has been networking with local churches and business, building a team to get the program started. A recent informational meeting included pastors representing more than 20 churches from 6 different denominations. From that group, 7 churches have already made a commitment to be involved.
The Lawyers of Brown & Roberto is the first business to get on board, but John hopes that others will follow suit. “It’s just so encouraging to us to have a law firm that is eager to get involved and help us succeed,” says John. “I wish that others would follow their example.”
Get Involved
Celebrate Recovery – North Knoxville meets every Tuesday night at the old Smithwood School, 3203 New Tazewell Pike. The program is offered free of charge and is open to anyone. The meal starts at 6 pm and the program starts at 7. “We can’t erase the hurt and the pain caused by addiction,” says John. “What we can do is just what God does for us – offer a chance for hope, healing and forgiveness.”
For more information about Celebrate Recovery – North Knoxville, visit their website or get connected with them on Facebook.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions that you might have. Give us a call at (865) 691-2777 or contact us through our website The Lawyers of Brown & Roberto, PLLC to set up a free consultation.