Services and Support

Every day, recovering people meet at a variety of locations—churches, homes and community centers. No pre-registration is required for these meetings. Interested individuals simply locate a group that focuses on their particular problem and then attend the meeting. Group participants remain essentially anonymous; they need not reveal any personal information except their first names. During the meetings, they are free to speak openly and honestly about current issues in their lives or to remain silent and listen to others. In this environment, participants don't have to pretend their lives are perfect and free of problems.

Ten years ago, few of us would have considered chemical dependency, sexual addiction, or eating disorders suitable topics for polite conversation within the church community. These were among the "silent issues" in the church. Today, however, addiction, compulsive behavior and abuse are widely
recognized as problems of enormous personal and social significance. Consider these statistics (Washton, Bundy, Willpowers Not Enough, Harper Perenial, 1998).

• At least six million Americans are addicted to cocaine.
• Between five million and ten million are addicted to prescription drugs.
• Ten million Americans are alcoholics.
• More than 50 million Americans are addicted to nicotine.

You are encouraged to be a CIR Chat Room Greeter (especially if you spend a lot of time online). You can log into the CIR chat rooms and then go off and do your normal surfing. When someone enters the rooms you greet new people, help them find their way around CIR, answer questions and pay with or for those who need some encouragement. You are available to other members of CIR who just want to talk in a safe atmosphere. It is your job to keep the chat room free from inappropriate or abusive behavior and to make sure the Chat Guidelines & Etiquette are followed by all.

Instructions: