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The core of that journey has been helping others recover from


addiction. He first worked with a housing program that connected addicts with places to stay. During that time he also went to college, but says by age 59 he got tired of saying “no” to God. “So I packed my bags and went to seminary,” he said. Following seminary, Scornavacchi began working on Common


Ground. “It started in 2010 as a conversation,” he said. “We asked what we could learn from the 12-step community that could be valuable to traditional church ministry.” He started a speaker series that invited people to talk about how


the 12-step program had worked in their lives. Then it branched out into educational programs that welcomed loved ones to learn how recovery works. Meanwhile he started holding services directed toward recovering


addicts. Scornavacchi now holds two services per week plus a prayer and meditation service. Additionally, once a month he holds a healing service where people can talk about their journey and ask for prayer. While he describes those services as traditional, he said they follow


the 12-step program rather than the lectionary, with exception for special seasons like Advent or Lent. While Scornavacchi said Common Ground is specifically a recovery


ministry, that doesn’t mean only addicts and alcoholics are welcome. “We believe that all people are recovering from something, whether it’s drugs or alcohol or abuse or just the general hurts and hang-ups from life,” he said. “We say all are welcome in our community and we mean that.” At Church of the Damascus Road in the Walker Sayle Unit of the


Texas prison system, Dan Lund also leads a recovery ministry. The recovering addict became a synodically authorized worship leader in 2014. He works with prisoners on their recovery every Saturday, holds worship with communion every other Friday, and organizes a worship band and choir made up of inmates. “This is my church, here inside the prison,” he said. “I don’t do this for


recognition; I do this to help save souls.” Jeffrey Myrick is one such soul. “I surrendered myself to the Lord and


I was reborn on the unit,” he said. Myrick is out of jail and clean now, and he’s still close with Lund. “We


help people who are right on the edge, who are falling in the cracks of society,” he said. “Helping other people is the best way to aid in your recovery. I used to do drugs and drink every day and now I work for Jesus—that’s better than any high I ever had.” Rachel Bouman, ELCA program director for disability ministries, is


interested in growing recovery-based ministries, as they welcome people to the church who might not have found it otherwise. “People go to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings or Bible-based


recovery meetings and they get involved in the Lutheran church that way,” she said. “These ministries are really important to the ELCA because they show God’s grace in action.”


Download a study guide by clicking on the “Spiritual practices & resources” tab at LivingLutheran.org.


Alysa Offman is a lifelong Lutheran, wife, mother and writer living and working in metropolitan Detroit.


When you belong to the


ELCA Federal Credit Union, you’re part of a fi nancial


cooperative that offers better interest rates than you’ll


fi nd at many other fi nancial institutions. Plus, you’re helping other Lutherans,


since the money you save is lent to other members.


CATEGORY • LIVINGLUTHERAN.ORG 23


To join or learn more, visit elcafcu.org


IS JOINING THE ELCA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION A SAVVY MOVE OR A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE WAY TO DO


YOUR BANKING? ACTUALLY, BOTH.


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