Stewarding souls in Anchorage
At an Alaska recovery center, an optional chapel service is drawing nearly every participant.
The expanded Clitheroe Center in midtown Anchorage opened its doors in April 2024 to men seeking rehabilitative treatment. The government-funded facility is a nationally accredited substance use disorder and co-occurring/dual diagnosis residential treatment center.
What’s different about Clitheroe versus other programs in the West’s ecosystem? Many things.
But perhaps most intriguing is the fact the voluntary midweek chapel service routinely has 100 percent participation.
It hasn’t always been this way.
Each week, Clitheroe participants go to the chapel for announcements, which is required. Following announcements, there is a choice to stay for a chapel service or to leave.
“At first there were a lot more people leaving than staying,” Jakob, a participant, said.
Divisional Social Services Secretary Captain Denice Delgado said it was challenging in the beginning to hold chapel in a program where it wasn’t required. In The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Centers, for example, chapel is a key component of the programming.
“It was changing culture,” Delgado said. “When we first moved into the building, we prayed over the building, intentionally praying over the beds, the door frames—praying for God to have his way in there.”
She said much of the turnaround comes from clear demonstrations of care for participants from leaders in the program—both staff and participants alike.
“It comes down to relationship,” she said. “We need to get out of the way and let Jesus be Jesus.”
And he has. Participants like Jakob participate in their own Bible studies and groups, encouraging each other to deepen their faith. They also formed an in-house praise band for chapel.
“When you worship God and you worship him with your passion and your drive, it's contagious,” said Michael, another participant. “People see the authenticity of it, and I think that's what kind of really caught on to most of the participation with other peers.”
Outside of the spiritual camaraderie, there are certain benefits to attending chapel. If you come on Wednesday, you can join the group headed to The Salvation Army’s Sunday service at the corps.
“There were people who didn't want to go to church at all until we started telling them of the benefits that you can get from being at The Salvation Army itself,” said Jakob.
Jakob, who said he’s gone through countless treatment and therapy programs, has found something different with The Salvation Army.
“It's the structure that they have,” he said. “They don't push any religion on you. You come here and it's so you can get sober. It's so you can figure out what you want to do with your life.”
He shared of one participant who had recently left the program, who didn’t have faith until the end of his time at Clitheroe. The man told Jakob there were things happening that he just couldn't explain.
Jakob would refer the man to the Bible.
“This whole place is powerful,” Jakob said. “They lift you up instead of tearing you down. There are other treatments that want to tear you down…But like Captain always says, ‘I'm going to put as much into your program as you put into your program. If you put 100 percent, we'll back you 100 percent.’”