A Member of the Assemblies of Charismatic Orthodox of America
A Bridge of Apostolic Unity.
Repeat offenses, Homlessness, and the overall Recidivism Rate has been greatly reduced within the community, directly because of CC - Sober Living."
Fun Fact
A Day in the Life of a Sober Living Student
A Students Day:
is ordered, intentional, and rooted in the rhythms of Charismatic Orthodox monastic life. Each day is structured to remove chaos and replace it with prayer, discipline, labor, silence, and spiritual formation. Nothing is accidental. Nothing is wasted.
Participants live among the monks of ACOA and submit to a shared Rule of Life designed to establish sobriety through sacred order and community.
Morning Prayer
The day begins at 9:00 AM with morning prayer. This is a gathered time of Scripture, prayer, and quiet reflection. Participants are taught to pray with reverence and attention, often using the Psalms and the Jesus Prayer, setting the heart and mind toward God before any other activity begins.
Silence is observed before and after prayer to cultivate inward attentiveness and discipline.
Breakfast and Shared Labor
At 10:00 AM, the community gathers for breakfast. Meals are taken communally and intentionally. Scripture is read aloud during meals, reinforcing that nourishment of the soul accompanies nourishment of the body.
Participants may be assigned to assist the monks in meal preparation and cleanup, learning obedience, service, and attentiveness through shared responsibility.
Daily Chores and Monastic Work
Following breakfast, participants engage in daily labor, which may include:
- House cleaning and maintenance
- Gardening and groundskeeping
- Chicken coop care and animal maintenance
- General monastery upkeep
This work is not busywork. Manual labor is understood as spiritual discipline, teaching responsibility, humility, patience, and stewardship. Silence is often observed during work periods to reinforce focus and inner order.
Periods of Silence
Throughout the day, scheduled times of no speaking are observed. Silence is not punishment, but formation. It allows participants to confront restlessness, regulate thought patterns, and cultivate sobriety of mind as well as body.
Evening Formation: Class and Study
From 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, participants attend theological classes and guided study. Instruction is rooted in Charismatic Orthodox theology, focusing on repentance, discipline, prayer, spiritual authority, and Christian maturity.
This is formal formation, not group therapy. Participants are trained to understand sobriety as a spiritual ordering of life, grounded in obedience and faithfulness.
Night Prayer and Lights Out
At 9:30 PM, the community gathers for night prayer, closing the day in thanksgiving, repentance, and stillness before God.
Following prayer, lights out is observed. Silence is maintained through the night, marking a clear end to the day and reinforcing discipline, rest, and order.
Formation, Not Treatment
This is not a recovery house, therapy environment, or casual retreat.
It is monastic formation.
Men are rebuilt not through counseling alone, but through prayer, work, silence, obedience, and shared life. Sobriety is sustained by sacred routine and accountability within a living spiritual community.
Clay County Sober Living exists to form men who leave with lives reordered—rooted in Christ, disciplined in habit, and prepared to walk in sobriety beyond the monastery walls.