Pastor preaches recovery from alcoholism, addictions
The Rev. Jo Campe leads a worship service at Wesley United
Methodist Church in Minneapolis, one of two area United Methodist
churches with services aimed at the recovery community. UMNS photos by
John Gordon.
By John Gordon*
May 16, 2008 | ST. PAUL, Minn. (UMNS)
Central Park United Methodist Church in St. Paul hosts
services for people addicted to alcohol, drugs and other addictions.
Adjusting his microphone, the Rev. Jo Campe greets about 250 worshipers at Central Park United Methodist Recovery Church.
"I’m an alcoholic. My name is Jo," Campe says to open Sunday morning worship.
Campe can relate to many of the people sitting in the pews today. He’s walked the same path.
His transparency in sharing his own recovery journey, along with the
Gospel message of repentance, forgiveness and rebirth, are having an
impact. The church hosts meetings for a dozen 12-step recovery programs,
including those aimed at helping alcoholics, drug abusers and
compulsive gamblers. Campe holds a second recovery service at another
United Methodist church in nearby Minneapolis.
"This has been kind of a miraculous growth process," says Campe, known
to his congregation as Pastor Jo. "We stand back and kind of shake our
heads and think to ourselves that this is certainly a miracle."
Tom Demarrias joined the Central Park congregation after years of
battling alcoholism and living on the streets. He is now employed as a
truck driver and got married at the church three years ago.
"This church, it does a lot more than just provide a Sunday worship service," says Demarrias. "It provides a new way of life."
A rebirth
When Campe arrived at Central Park seven years ago, the downtown St. Paul church had dwindled to 11 active members.
"They had kept the building open, primarily so they could have a place to call home and be buried from," recalls Campe.
"Pastor Jo" greets Jeff Van Maanen following worship at Central Park UMC.
His original plan was to start an outreach to the surrounding business
community. Then during a breakfast before a worship service, someone
suggested holding a recovery worship service.
Attendance grew quickly and recovery became a full-time mission for the
church. Campe later took over and started a similar recovery service at
Wesley United Methodist Church in Minneapolis, with an average of 100
worshippers each Sunday.
Besides hosting the 12-step meetings, the churches sponsor Sober Jam
music programs and social events. Wesley hosts a feeding program for the
homeless. Campe also visits halfway houses and other recovery centers
to offer help and encouragement.
"The people that come to the Recovery Church come from a wide variance
of different types of addictions—all the way from drug and alcohol
addictions to sexual addictions, gambling addictions, eating addictions,
you name it," Campe says. "Most all of the people that are here are
either in some form of addiction themselves and working on a recovery
program, or are family members who are supportive."
Blackie, a Central Park church member who asked that only his first name be used, says he was skeptical at first.
"I just stopped in for a visit, and I didn’t plan on staying," he says.
"There was a good message and there were good people. It was someplace I
looked forward to go back to."
Blackie says he feels accepted at Central Park and likes the diversity of the membership.
"(There are) not many places you can go and find a prostitute sitting next to a judge," he says.
Amazing grace
Dozens of homeless people gather for a meal at Wesley United Methodist Church.
Campe’s own recovery journey began 12 years ago when he was pastor of
one of the largest United Methodist churches in the region. He found
himself in the "throes of addiction" and seeking treatment.
"Almost every morning, I’d wake up in my in my morning devotions and
pray to Jesus Christ that He would solve my alcohol and drug addiction.
And then that night, … after having used or wanting to use, (I) realized
that I hadn’t been cured like I wanted to be," Campe says.
After going through a treatment program, Campe realized he needed to
make changes in his life. "My old life and the old patterns of my
behavior no longer worked," he says.
Recovery church members feel a special bond with Pastor Jo.
"I like coming Sundays just to be around other people just like myself.
And Pastor Jo has a great message, that’s why I come," says St. Paul
resident Thomas Zachary. "(The) recovery community saved my life, so I
am trying to pay a debt that cannot be paid."
Campe says many lives have been transformed.
"We have a saying here at Central Park and at Wesley that our main job
is to get out of God’s way and to look for different ways that God can
provide for us what we can’t do for ourselves," he says.
"Miracles walk in the door time after time. People’s lives are saved."
*Gordon is a freelance producer in Marshall, Texas.
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