by SWC Commissioned Minister Gordon Street III, Recovery Spirituality in Action
Many of us first came to church because our parents brought us. We learned the stories, listened to our pastors, and found community. Then came adolescence—a season of questioning, testing boundaries, and, for some of us, wandering away.
That was my story.
When I stopped drinking and began my recovery journey, I never planned on returning to church. Instead, the rooms of recovery became my first place of spiritual re-connection. There, I encountered God again—not as certainty or doctrine, but as presence. I learned the spiritual power of honesty, listening, shared experience, and service. Healing came through stories of experience, strength, and hope.
So why did I return to church?
Because I needed another spiritual home—one that welcomed questions as part of faith, honored diverse understandings of God, and invited me into shared practice rather than easy answers. A place where listening is sacred, community matters, and service is a spiritual discipline.
Today, church is not where my spirituality began again. It is where I continue to practice it—alongside others seeking connection, meaning, and healing. It is one more place where recovery, faith, and community meet.
That’s why I go to church now.