Pastor Rick: When I arrived at Council Road 20 years ago, one of the first new ministries I wanted to implement was Celebrate Recovery. It was a relatively new ministry in Oklahoma, and one that was badly needed. Oklahoma is located in a prime position geographically for drug and human trafficking—right in the middle of the United States where three major interstates criss-cross. The poverty level is also a problem. Both play into a high dependence on drugs and alcohol.
After getting to know the staff, I knew who the perfect person would be to head up our new chapter of Celebrate Recovery: Sue Ellen Ferguson. She had the perfect combination of leadership, creativity, grace and mercy, and a disarming smile, not to mention her own story of recovery. Some people thought I was crazy, as she was serving as the leader of the Women’s Ministry at the time. But I knew she was the perfect person to take on this new endeavor.
Sarah Sutton: When mom came breathlessly running into my office at CRBC, I knew there was some new drama brewing. “Pastor Rick wants me to head up Celebrate Recovery!” she said, wild-eyed. “What?” I asked. “What is Celebrate Recovery?” She went on to explain what little she knew of the addiction recovery program. I thought to myself that this new guy was crazy if he thought “Miss Tea Party and Hat Show” could handle something like that. But through the years, she had proven to herself and to me that she was a survivor and overcomer, and soon she was steeped deeply into the four-inch training manual while dreaming of how to make addiction recovery fun.
Sue Ellen Ferguson: After the initial shock wore off of finding myself in charge of a brand new and then unknown addiction recovery program, I knew I had found a new purpose. What an amazing ministry to show God’s richest grace and mercy to those who needed it the most. And how rewarding to see people come broken, work through issues using the 12-step program and become new and productive members in our church and city! The blessings of seeing changed lives come flooding through our doors every week never got old.
I did want to make our chapter of Celebrate Recovery fun! And we included many weekly, unexpected surprises during large group time. But sometimes my big ideas took a turn I wasn’t expecting. One time I invited then church member Mark Woodward to come speak to our group because he served as the spokesman for the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. I thought, “I’m so very proud of my Celebrate Recovery friends who are diligent in their Scripture study and thriving in the fellowship of non-judgmental friends to recover from all their hurts, habits and hang-ups.” I wanted Mark to meet them! But when I announced he was coming to speak, a riot ensued! "You asked who!?” the group said incredulously. “I’m not coming! He has kicked in my door one too many times!” I spent the rest of the evening apologizing as we all got a good laugh. I realized I needed them, and they needed me. Praising God for those blessed years.
Another funny and totally unexpected instance occurred one Friday evening during tornado season. Nobody had weather warnings on their phones yet, and we had no idea a tornado was headed right for us until another staff member came running in and told us all to leave and head to the basement of the Bethany Hospital for shelter, which at the time was being used as a treatment center for mentally ill people. After we entered the smothering hot, humid and dark room, the doors shut and locked behind us, including access to the bathrooms. No one’s cell phone worked, and I began to wonder if we would ever be seen or heard from again, as person after person sagged to the floor either in sickness or in fear. If ever there was a time to quote Psalm 23, it was right then!
After four hours of misery, the doors finally unlocked, and my leadership and I made our way back to the church to clean up. We had all left in such a hurry that no one had bothered to lock the doors. When we returned, we were met by a group of smiling and complete strangers and their dogs enjoying the hamburger buffet that had been set up for our dinner earlier that evening! As we joined them, we found out they had fled their mobile home park on south Council looking for shelter themselves. Someone had said to head to the church, where they found the doors open and dinner waiting! How thoughtful of Council Road to prepare ahead of time for storm victims!
My new CR friends were people I would have formerly been afraid of, but the running joke in staff meetings became not to mess with Sue Ellen because she had the toughest friends in town. And I did! Not only were they being ministered to, but they also became my right-hand men and women in all areas of life. When it was time for me to hand over the leadership mantle, I couldn’t think of two guys I would lovingly entrust CR to more than Ricky Z and Philip, who were totally on fire with their own changed lives and excited to lead others down the road. They are amazing!
Meet the Authors!
Sarah and Sue Ellen have been members of Council Road since 1969, except for a few years living out of state. They have worked there in different areas of ministry since the early 1980s. They enjoy traveling, gardening, rooting for OU football, the OKC Thunder and hanging around in TLC. Most of all, they love watching God work in the lives of his people.