Dear Friend,
You are going through the toughest part right now, you are not yet sure that life without the alcohol can be just as good or better than with it, and you are missing out on what you perceive as the "fun" part.
From my experience, and you'll have to trust me on this one, it will get better.
You need to quit worrying so much about what others may or may not think of you because you have decided to fix this problem. And you need to be away from people and environments that make you feel less than comfortable. If you need to get rid of some friends and make new ones, that is a price of your health. Any real friend should understand that you are doing what you think is best.
With that said, it will be difficult to hang around with old drinking buddies for two reasons, 1. they make you see the old idealized "good times" in your mind, and 2. they likely look at your quitting as a unspoken signal that you think you are now better than them because you are in control and they aren't. (even if you aren't preachy, you are showing them up by your actions)
I would suggest that you make up a new Freeper name just for now so that you can respond anonymously to these replies if you would like to. Or you can just listen.
The last and maybe most important point, you state that:
"I'm a very proud, spiritual Christian, but I'm even too ashamed to pray, at least at length, since both He and I know that I am the problem."
I think you are being WAY TOO HARD on yourself here. You have the gift of faith but you are imaging that God is judging you negatively for your faults which you are attempting to fix. I would encourage you to pray long and hard on what you wrote, and maybe even write out in longhand exactly why this statement must be false. You need to get God on your side and not view him as just another person that thinks you are a loser.
Because you are not.
I am sure that many Freepers will be praying hard for you, and will give you advice. We all respect your struggle and want you to find happiness. But you need to get your head straight.
Your Friend,
Rob