Twelve Step Eucharist bridges recovery and faith: "We're all in recovery of some sort", says Canon Nancy Ford
https://archives.anglican.ca/link/article41985
- Author
- Kidd, Joelle
- Material Type
- Journal Article
- Journal
- Anglican Journal
- Date
- 2019 January
- Author
- Kidd, Joelle
- Material Type
- Journal Article
- Journal
- Anglican Journal
- Date
- 2019 January
- Volume
- 145
- Issue
- 1
- Page
- 6-7
- Notes
- "Canon Nancy Ford, deacon to the city at Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria, B.C., was well-acquainted with the concept of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) thanks to years of working as a counsellor" (p. 6). "For about the past five years, the cathedral has been offering an answer to this question through a weekly Twelve Step Recovery Eucharist" (p. 6). "Inspired to create a bridge between church and recovery communities, Ford developed the liturgy for the Twelve Step Eucharist, collaborating with Anglican priest and psychologist Martin Brokenleg. She also consulted with then-Christ Church Cathedral dean Logan McMenamie (now bishop of the diocese of British Columbia) and current cathedral dean Ansley Tucker" (p. 6) "The liturgy also differs from a traditional Eucharist in that instead of a homily, there is a time for discussion and conversation, which Ford says often leads to some quite deep theological reflection. Ford notes that whoever is presiding each week makes clear that 'to receive communion in one kind is to receive it in both', a consideration particularly for those in recovery from alcohol use" (p. 6). "Chris Pitman worships at Christ Church Cathedral. He has been in recovery for a few years, with three years of sobriety under his belt. About a year ago, he saw an advertisement in the church for the Twelve Step Eucharist. Serendipitously, around that time a close friend who was going through his own struggles with addiction came to Pitman asking if he could join him at church" (p. 6). "Through connections with a local organization that supports people with substance abuse issues, Ford connected with Taryn Strong, a yoga teacher who now teaches a weekly yoga-for-recovery class at the cathedral after the service. Strong and her mother, Dawn Nickel, are the founders of SheRecovers, a 'recovery and empowerment platform for women'" (p. 7). "The Twelve Step program was created by Alcoholics Anonymous, which was started in the 1930s in Akron, Ohio. The steps have since been adapted for support groups for those in recovery from other substances and abuses" (p. 7).
- Subjects
- Ford, Nancy
- Christ Church Cathedral (Victoria, B.C.)
- Twelve-Step Recovery Eucharist
- Lord's Supper - Anglican Church of Canada
- Anglican Church of Canada - Liturgy
- Twelve-step programs - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Alcoholism - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Drug abuse - Canada
- Drug abuse - Religious aspects - Anglican Church of Canada
- Pastoral ministry - Anglican Church of Canada. Diocese of British Columbia