A Nationwide Recovery Conference Speakers

[dickb]

A Nationwide Recovery Conference with Dick B.: Who Will Be Speaking
Theme: A New Way Out
“We in the Christian Recovery Arena Are Not Alone!”

The Answers as to who will be speaking at the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday events:

• Dick B. will be speaking at the pre-conference Thursday James Club meeting in Norco, California. Treasured historical materials will be exhibited, explained, and filmed. Dick will also be speaking at the Friday workshop and the Saturday meeting—both at Mariners Church – Community Center in Irvine, California.
• For almost everyone attending the actual Friday and Saturday Conference events at Mariners Church – Community Center in Irvine, California, there will be exhibit tables available for placing relevant books, pamphlets, flyers, and other materials. A $50.00 donation enables an exhibitor to have a complete exhibit table. And on Friday, most conferees will have an opportunity to introduce their exhibits, tell what they are doing to advance the theme, and ask questions of the panel members.
• Also, on Friday, the many answers to our survey questionnaire will be read preserving the anonymity of the person who replied; and the answers will provide excellent fodder for the workshop. The replies to date are just great.
• Saturday will be a full day. Begins at 9:00 AM and ends at 6:00 PM. There will be some twenty speaker-presenters who will tell what they are doing to advance A New Way Out theme in their particular arena, the problems that exist, the solutions they have used, and what they can do for those who still suffer. The speaker-presenters include an adequate and varied group coming from religious, treatment, professional, and church activities. Moreover, a large number will be lay people who reach out in support fellowships. The names and brief sketches of the Saturday presenters are set forth below.
• All conferees will have a great opportunity to meet, talk to, and network with a large group of people who understand the historical approach to, and need for, A New Way Out—particularly for Christians already in the recovery arena.

Revised Brief sketches of Saturday Speaker-Presenters

Ray Grumney, Retired archivist at Dr. Bob’s Home, Akron, Ohio (health permitting)
For many, many years, Ray served Dr. Bob’s Home as one of the Managing Directors, chief repairman and plumber, and Archivist at Dr. Bob’s Home. He has taken his own archives across the United States to many conferences and gatherings. Even on history cruises. With many years of sobriety, he brings history with him to every conference he attends.

Pauline Bartosch and her husband Bob (now deceased) founded Overcomers Outreach, Inc.
Pauline brings the important message of how Bridge Groups like O.O. help recovery with Christian emphasis in 12 Step Fellowships. Pauline lives in Whittier, California. She will tell us the Overcomers Outreach mission , outreach, and successful experience.

Jeff MacLeod is the new Executive Director of Overcomers Outreach, Inc.:
Jeff will be explaining how this well-known outreach group is rejuvenating itself today.
Jeff’s new headquarters is located at Whittier, California. He will join Pauline Bartosch
in telling of the extraordinary reach of bridge groups.

Darvin W. Smith, M.D. is a widely-known Christian recovery leader from Boulder, Colorado. He will be speaking early because of a scheduled departure for the route the Apostle Paul took as recorded in the church epistles:
Darv is a skilled addictionologist. With his wife Carol, M.A. Counseling, as Co-Directors, he is a leader of Addictive Behavior Ministries International University of the Nations/Youth with a Mission. Darv is Past President of ISAAC (International Substance Abuse and Addiction Coalition). He carries the Christian recovery message to the farthest parts of the globe.

Fr. Bill Wigmore heads Austin Recovery Ministry in Austin, Texas—known as the largest treatment program in Texas. Bill is an ordained Episcopal priest, a recovered person, a long-time recovery leader, much interested in A.A.’s Oxford Group roots, and an articulate recovery author.
Bill will be explaining the nature of his Christian recovery work in Texas and is a strong 12-Step supporter. He has made Christian services and training available to those in his area who are willing to seek Christian recovery ideas and principles.

Rev. Michael Liimatta is now Director of City Vision College in Kansas City, Missouri, and former head of Alcoholics Victorious. Michael lives in Missouri:
Michael has devoted years to leading, writing about, and furthering the work of the widely known Alcoholics Victorious and also the Rescue Missions of the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions. His present focus is on urban ministry. He will tell us about urban ministry, the rescue mission heritage of A.A., and the urban ministry curriculum and agenda at City Vision College in Kansas City.

Pastor Jim Gaffney is the Conference host, has just retired as recovery pastor at Mariners Church in Irvine, and now is a consultant, pastoral counselor, and church catalyst. He lives in Southern California, and maintains offices there.
Jim was one of the organizers and leaders of the Shepherding the Shepherds Conference several years ago when four large churches in the Costa Mesa area convened meetings, at which I spoke, where members of churches and Christian recovery groups were given training in Christian recovery outreach. Pastor Jim is a strong 12 Step supporter. He overseen the work of many Christian recovery groups.

George McLauchlin, M.A., of Tampa, Florida is a leader in Clean and Sober Tampa. He has taken a vigorous interest in Yet Not I and the crucified life. He will have a special video presentation available with him.
George did the Kairos Prison Ministry, was the inside sponsor at Zephyryhills Correctional Institute, and led thrice weekly A.A. meetings at a local homeless shelter for 14 years. He designed and conducted intensive weekend workshops. He went to the former Soviet Union in 1986 and 1988 to share the A.A. message and seed the first groups in Moscow and Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). He worked as a community networker to get faith communities to work together with public housing units to provide substance abuse recovery support. He fosters “creating a sober world.” Today he is focused on Yet Not I and the Practice of the Crucified Life. He is an experienced recovery worker in his community helping homeless, imprisoned, and still suffering persons.

Brother Wayne White is the Executive Director of Footprints: Alcoholics Victorious International, Inc. He comes from Kansas City, Missouri:
Wayne’s focus is on faith-based recovery and community outreach in the Missouri Area. Footprints, Inc. was a prototype for many of the bridge organizations today. He brings substantial experience in national access to recovery through SAMHSA.

Walter Santos is a nationally known percussionist and singer who has chosen to “sing for the King” and also serve as a recovered Christian person in helping others at Calvary Ranch at Lakeside, California. Walter lives in Carlsbad, California
Santos will provide all of the music for our Conference. He has just released a new presentation of his music. He is an ardent servant of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Creator. And he will also be explaining in his talk about the Christian recovery program at Calvary Ranch.

Mike Leandowski hails from Okeechobee, Florida where he is Executive Director of Lamb of God Ministries. He is deeply involved in service at the “Clarence Snyder” retreats in the United States and elsewhere.
Mike is an energetic Christian recovery speaker and servant. He often brings large groups of newcomers from Lamb of God ministries to Came to Believe retreats and is a powerful worker at those events. He will tell his story and share the effectiveness of his work.

David Powers is the leader of several recovery ministries and programs in the San Diego area and head of RockRecovery Ministry in San Diego, California.
David is devoting much time to Christian outreach to those who are suffering from alcoholism, addictions, and life-controlling problems. He will be explaining aspects of Rock Church, the Rock Recovery Ministry, and the Christian endeavors of his groups in the San Diego area.

David Zailer comes from Monarch, California and is Founder and Director of Operation Integrity: A story of Restoration and Hope. He conducts many groups, including a group at Mariners Church. He speaks widely at recovery events such as Orange Coast Christian Outreach Week.
David will share specifically about his Christian outreach work. And particularly about God giving hope, help and healing in the midst of the addictions that plagued his own life. He is a powerful speaker.

Joey Delgado of West Covina, California, is a hands-on Christian worker with AAs and addicts.
Joey is a Bible student, a church outreach person, and leads a Christian recovery group at a San Dimas, California church. He was a sparkplug organizer of our first recovery conference in Southern California, along with other James Club enthusiasts Tony Morales and Rich Clyburn. He will tell us how they do it.

Keith Walters of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, is a tireless hands-on Christian 12 Stepper in Hawaii
Keith has worked with CityTeam Ministries, the Salvation Army, a residential recovery house, heads the Y2 Foundation, and is well-known for Big Book/12 Step work in California and the Big Island of Hawaii Keith is outspoken on the importance of relating A.A. to Christian recovery work.

Scott Craven of Honolulu, Hawaii, heads up unique Men’s Step Study Groups in Hawaii:
Scott has been a recovery volunteer at Hope Chapel in Kaneohe, the Hina Mauka treatment center people in Kaneohe, and with newcomers in his groups. He guides his men’s groups in a two-year course through the Twelve Steps, the Bible, and recovery problems. He has expanded his message-carrying abroad as well. His unique success with such Bible-study-recovery groups is a story that needs to be heard.

Russell Spatz is an attorney from Miami, Florida, who speaks widely at Conventions:
Russell has a large outreach group of people involved in 12 Step work, Bible fellowships, and church work. Russell is a Christian recovery leader in Southern Florida’s recovery community and meets regularly with his “Alive Again” group. He will speak on Christian recovery outreach in communities.

Mark Galligan is a dedicated Christian 12-Step worker who is traveling all the way from Collingwood, Ontario, Canada.
Mark has been a generous sponsor of the Conference and has made a point of seeking and absorbing information about the early A.A. Christian fellowship and roots. He will be present at all the meetings and will be telling how he carries the Christian message in the recovery community in Canada.

John Sorrells heads the James Club of Norco, California; is the host of the pre-conference meeting at the New Beginnings Church in Norco; and has been a major Conference sponsor.
John is one of the pioneers of the James Club idea. He has encountered all the road blocks thrown up against the study of early A.A.’s Christian history; and the Norco group have been vigorous and successful in their group and studies. John will also be telling us how!

Larry Webb is a realtor from Rancho Santa Margarita, California. He led a Big Book Bible study group for many years and has consistently supported our A.A. history outreach.
Larry’s men group has been a big supporter of spreading the word in 12 Step fellowships about the importance of A.A. history, the work we have done to disseminate it, and the effectiveness of the original A.A. program. He will share his experience as a Christian worker.

Monty Meyer of Albany, Oregon, is a rare bird. He has devoted years to fostering and developing a recovery radio show that unabashedly carries a Christian recovery message.
Monty’s broadcasts run throughout the week. They are heard all over the world, and I received a phone call from a group in Dubai who had heard my regular weekly talk and told of enjoying it. The radio station is called “Take 12 Recovery,” is KHLT, and can be brought up online quite easily. Monty will be talking about how to use radio shows to promote Christian recovery information and history.

Dick B. is an active recovered AA, retired attorney, Bible student, writer, and historian from Maui, Hawaii:
Dick has devoted nineteen years to researching, reporting, and disseminating the complete history of the early A.A. Christian fellowship, its Bible roots and principles, its many sources in the YMCA, Salvation Army, rescue missions, youth of Dr. Bob and Bill in Vermont, the teachings of Rev. Sam Shoemaker, the ideas of the Oxford Group, the principles and practices of the world-wide Christian Endeavor movement, the journal kept and shared with AAs and their families by Dr. Bob’s wife Anne Smith, and ideas of Christian conversion, William James, Carl Jung, and even New Thought writers. Dick has now published 34 titles on the subject and will be speaking primarily about the conference theme—a New Way Out for Christians in the recovery arena (the need for helping and supporting tens of thousands of Christians in recovery today and encouraging them to learn the early A.A. Christian roots and be able to share their own successful experiences in applying those Christian principles in their recoveries).

The conference vision and agenda have been expanded so that all the speaker-presenters, as well as the Los Angeles Area working group of Southern California recovery ambassadors, will be involved in the Conference as participants in planning how the Conference and its endorser-presenters can best work together to help Christians in the recovery arena through study groups, recovery groups, clergy and church contacts, treatment and professional contacts, and 12 Step Fellowships. This focus will occur on Friday at a Conference roundtable session. The formal conference flyers and program, together with the names and roles of sponsors, speaker-presenters, and working group members will be publicized and exhibited. Come join us!

Dick B.: Email: dickb@dickb.com; (808) 874 4876; PO Box 837, Kihei, HI 96753-0837; main web site: http://www.dickb.com/index.shtml; conference site: http://www.ANewWayOut.com

Gloria Deo