Feb 25, 2016 3 min read

WAYNESBURG – The First Baptist Church of Waynesburg is holding a “Recovery Sunday” service Sunday to engage the community in a conversation about the heroin epidemic.

“It’s caused so much pain and it cannot be avoided any longer,” said the Rev. Ed Peirce, senior pastor.

At the 10 a.m. worship service, recovering addicts and people who have lost family members to heroin overdoses will speak about their experiences. During a brief luncheon at 11 a.m., Peirce said state and county officials are expected to share their perspective on the issue.

After lunch, the church at 303 W. High St. will show an edited version of the movie “An Appalachian Dawn,” about a Kentucky town that dealt with a drug problem.

“We have had several families in the church whose lives have been touched by addictions,” Peirce said. “When there’s addiction in the family, it affects everyone.”

More than two years ago, the church started a support group ministry, called On Eagles Wings, for families dealing with the addictions of a member of their family. Peirce said that he and the people in that group wanted the church to have the special service Sunday as a continuance of a town hall gathering in October at the Greene County Courthouse, where county officials and community members discussed the drug epidemic. After the October meeting, the Coalition for a Brighter Greene was established, Peirce said. It’s a grassroots organization made up of community members that want to promote drug abuse awareness, prevention and recovery.

The coalition has put together a coordinated showing of “An Appalachian Dawn” that will happen across the county April 8. Peirce said various churches around the county will participate by showing the full three-hour movie at 6 p.m.

Peirce said the coalition, which he’s a member of, isn’t the only group trying to spread awareness about the heroin epidemic.

The Rolling Meadows Church of God in Franklin Township is also spearheading a community march through Waynesburg, Peirce said. The March for Greene Committee, made up of members of several churches in the area, organized the march that is scheduled for May 14.

“The march will make a statement of our unity and our determination to see this through,” Peirce said.

After the march, the committee will have a resource fair at the fairgrounds for families and people suffering from addiction to gather information on treatment programs and recovery options.

“What we want to do is shine a bright light on all of the programs and recovery options that are already available in Greene County,” he said.