A Story of Faith, Recovery, and Transformation
Recovery Church began as a faithful response to isolation and suffering at the height of the Covid‑19 pandemic. In March 2020, Deacon Tracey Hume created an online Recovery Church community, opening a space where people navigating addiction, trauma, and recovery could encounter spiritual companionship and hope at a time when many felt forgotten. From those early Zoom gatherings, Recovery Church has grown into a network of inclusive communities across Newcastle and beyond, rooted in worship, discipleship, and spiritual healing.
At the heart of Recovery Church is a deep commitment to nurturing faith in ways that are accessible, gentle, and profoundly respectful. The community is open to people of all faiths and none, accompanying each person on their own spiritual journey while offering pathways into relationship with God or Higher Power. Drawing on the spiritual wisdom of the 12 Steps of Recovery, worship and formation are shaped by honesty, reflection, prayer, scripture, and shared story. Faith is not imposed, but patiently cultivated as trust grows.
Weekly Recovery Church gatherings centre on participative worship where everyone is invited to contribute. Spaces are intentionally created for reflection, silence, creativity, and testimony, helping people reconnect with their dignity, worth, and spiritual agency. Alongside worship, smaller discipleship groups offer opportunities to explore faith more deeply in the context of daily life and recovery. The men’s discipleship group based at the Newcastle Recovery Church Hub has become a place of mutual accountability, spiritual growth, and life‑giving re‑imagining of what it means to live well.
As this work developed, the team discerned a clear spiritual need for women’s discipleship spaces shaped by safety and trust. This led to the creation of The Magdalene Path, a women‑only group grounding recovery and faith development in the story of Mary Magdalene. Through scripture, reflection, and shared experience, women are invited to explore healing, identity, and discipleship in ways that honour their lived realities. Retreat days, meditation, and spiritual practices further deepen this journey.
Faith formation at Recovery Church extends beyond gatherings. One‑to‑one pastoral support, coaching, and prayer accompany individuals as they develop resilience, spiritual awareness, and confidence to lead. Leadership is intentionally grown from within the community, enabling people to discover their gifts and serve as worship leaders, facilitators, and spiritual companions.
Recognised as a vital pillar of recovery in Newcastle, Recovery Church weaves spirituality into the wider fabric of the city’s recovery landscape. It stands as a living expression of church at the margins—where worship meets lived experience, and where faith becomes a source of restoration, belonging, and hope.