Saturday, 31 July 2010

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Were you able to find an AVENUE study group near you?

We hope so. But if there was no group available, don't be discouraged. Here are several suggestions to get the support and direction you need.

Contact Avenue Chapter Support

 

There may be a group in your area which is not listed on the Find A Group search results for a specific reason: 

  • New groups/chapters are forming regularly, and their group information may not be available online yet.
  • Some groups choose to not participant in the Search feature, and prefer that Chapter Support handle such placements and introductions. 
  • Pastors / Pastors Wives support groups are not listed in Find A Group.
  • Phone groups are a new AVENUE offering, and are not listed.
To fully search out an available group for your needs, please use the Contact Us page,  with the subject 'Find A Group Search Request.'  Your inquiry will promptly be turned over to the appropriate team member.  Specify the City, State and type of group you are interested in. (Mens | Wives | Pastors) Indicate if you would prefer to attend a small group or if you want to be considered for a phone group, as availability is limited.  Please include any other information you might find useful including additional contact information.

Licensed Counseling

We recommend that you avail yourself of the benefits of meeting with a licensed Christian therapist. This applies whether you are in an established AVENUE group, or not. If the services of a therapist don’t seem to fit into your finances, take some time to consider what the financial drain of your present situation continues to have on your life.Your Church or a local Christian counseling center may provide services on a sliding rate adjusted to your income.

More Options

Consider these options that eliminate isolation. Even when you are meeting weekly with a licensed therapist, it is important to have a complementary avenue of support. A support/study group can be as small as two people: yourself and one other person of the same gender willing to meet weekly to discuss the Guidebook study, and be available by phone during the week for accountability, encouragement and prayer. If you aren't sure who that other person could be, read on and you will surely find something that suits your needs.

  • Do you know a person recovered from these or other difficult life issues in the past? Maybe that person is a family member, a friend, or a co-worker. Ask if they would be willing to support you in this way as you work through the Guidebook together.
  • Ask your church to recommend a mature person that would be willing to offer support and go through the Guidebook together.
  • Approach your small group ministry leader within your church, and ask them to consider starting an Avenue group. Print the home page from our website or give our web address so they can find out more.

If you haven't already, purchase your Study Kit in our Bookstore. Though diving into your new book is a good start, we firmly believe an independent study is not the optimum environment for healing and change. We encourage you to move beyond this first step by taking one of the suggestions to find a study partner.