Faith Partners Endorsements

Presbyterians Endorse Faith Partners

Carol Pine, member of the Presbyterian Addiction Action Leadership Team, and co-facilitator of the Faith Partners team at her church, House of Hope Presbyterian, writes, “Our ministry is called Faith Partners and we are joined by more than 300 communities of faith around the U.S. who have decided to lift the veil of secrecy around addiction and offer hope for healthy recovery. Faith Partners was created by The Rush Center of the non-profit Johnson Institute (www.rushcenter.org). Training for congregations that want to start their own ministries are available in several locations around the U.S.

The Presbyterians for Addiction Action leadership committee of the PHEWA has endorsed Faith Partners. It is a model of ministry that is sorely needed in congregations. Its special strength is voluntarism matched with pastoral support.

Our team mission is the following: The ‘House of Hope Faith Partners Ministry will serve the needs of our congregation, and the broader community, by addressing addiction in our midst. We will provide educational programs, resource information, outreach and support to people affected by addiction.’ Those of us in healthy recovery know that we are walking miracles. God has given us new life. The people who love and care about us give their gift of support. When a ‘church home’ offers sanctuary and healing compassion for its members, it is a church at its very best”.

United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society Endorses Rush Center of Johnson Institute’s Faith Partners Teams General Board of Global Ministry Partners to Bring Training to Five Jurisdictions

The General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church, the nation’s third-largest denomination, has endorsed the Rush Center of the Johnson Institute’s Faith Partners Team model for local congregations to help solve America’s number one health problem - alcohol and other drug addiction.

James Winkler, General Secretary of the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church, said in a support letter sent to all Bishops and Church and Society Chairpersons in the U.S. Annual Conferences, “The Rush Center of Johnson Institute provides excellent leadership and I believe that the team approach for congregations is an effective and sustainable way to provide prevention, education, early intervention and recovery support.” Winkler said the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church is encouraging all members to promote attendance at Faith Partners Team Leadership Training Events offered by the Rush Center of the Johnson Institute.

The Special Program on Substance Abuse and Related Violence (SPSARV), a general church initiative housed at the Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church is partnering with the Rush Center to bring clergy core competency training and a series of Faith Partners trainings to each of the five United Methodist jurisdictions in 2007 and 2008. A leadership team composed of United Methodist clergy and lay people met in Nashville with General Board and Rush Center staff to work together toward this historic denominational partnering to make resources available across the country.

The leadership team explored the church’s role from a theological perspective, examined the Faith Partners approach, identified ways to make the church more aware of the need for this ministry and provided guidance on how to initiate the Faith Partners model across the denomination.

Faith Partners: An Effective Approach

"The Rush Center of Johnson Institute provides excellent leadership and I believe the team approach for congregations is an effective and sustainable way to provide prevention, education, early intervention and recovery support."

“A Faith Partners Team Ministry is the link between the recovery movement and the local community of faith. These teams allow for connections to be made and brokenness healed.”

“The Faith Partners program is the most promising avenue of hope I know. Already it has proved it’s efficacy in numerous congregations – ingeniously, without verburdening already busy clergy.”

“Alcohol and drug abuse has become a terrible curse affecting many of our families, creating a climate of despair. I want the church to offer her resources to deal with this problem and help more people from despair to hope.”

The Rush Center of the Johnson Institute provides excellent leadership and I believe the team approach for congregations is an effective and sustainable way to provide prevention, education, early intervention and recovery support."