Author Archives: Cheryl D

7th Tradition Letter

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7th Tradition Letter (aka “Passing the Basket”)
The basket is now being passed.

Tradition Seven: “Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.” We have no dues or fees, but we do have expenses. These include rent for the listserver and web page, bank fees, and contributions to OIAA and GSO. Contributions are appreciated, and can be made by check or by PayPal. To keep you informed, the Treasurer’s Report of our contributions and expenses is posted in the ‘For Members’ section on our website. See procedures below.

To Contribute by Check:
Per group conscience, please make checks payable to [ Treasurer’s Name ] with “GROW” in the memo line and mail to:

[ Treasurer’s Address ]

If you want confirmation of contribution, please include your e-mail address.

To Contribute by PayPal:
To contribute using PayPal, first read “Important Note About PayPal” below so you do this safely. Then, go to PayPal’s secure website: (https://www.paypal.com/us/)

  • If you don’t already have an account, sign up for a PayPal account
  • Click the Send Money tab
  • Enter an amount and recipient’s email, which is:[ PayPal email address set up by Treasurer]
  • PayPal will send confirmation of your payment.

**Important Note About PayPal**

  • If you choose to use PayPal, please remember that PayPal is a safe money-exchange operation if (and only if) you follow the safety recommendations posted on the PayPal website.
  • To safely and securely access the PayPal website or your account, open a new web browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox) and type in the PayPal URL (https://www.paypal.com/us/) to be sure you are on the real PayPal site.
  • PayPal will send confirmation of payment. They will never ask for your password in an email. Always assume any email from PayPal asking for a reply is a scam and do not reply.
  • To learn more about protecting yourself from fraud, visit the PayPal Security Center. Click “Security Center” on the bottom of any PayPal page.
  • If you are at all uncomfortable using PayPal, consider sending your contribution by check.

Sponsor List Announcement

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Dear Women of GROW,

Grateful Recovering Online Women supports sponsorship. We offer this list to you of women who are willing to sponsor on-line. Many of us have found there is nothing like a live voice at the end of the phone, or a warm hug in a f2f contact when we are overwhelmed with a problem in our lives. On-line sponsorship can add another dimension to your recovery as on-line meetings have.  Please be aware that you can also ask anyone in GROW to be your sponsor. Online sponsors are not limited to this list. Know that it may take a few trials to find the right fit for you in a Sponsor.

For more information about sponsorship, please visit our web page on sponsorship (g-r-o-w.com/member-welcome/trusted-servants/online-sponsors/) in GROW’s members only section (password: sobertodayhow2484). You can also find AA’s “Questions and Answers on Sponsorship” at www.aa.org/assets/en_US/p-15_Q&AonSpon.pdf.

List of Available Sponsors
[ List sponsor names and information]

Phone numbers of many on the above list are available upon request.

[Name]
Sponsor Listkeeper

 

Sponsor List Invitation

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Dear Women of GROW,

You can enhance your sobriety by offering to sponsor other alcoholics and share what has been given to you with others. If you would like to offer your name as a potential online sponsor in this group, please review the GROW web page on Sponsorship at g-r-o-w.com/member-welcome/trusted-servants/online-sponsors/ (Password: sobertodayhow2484). You might also refer to AA’s pamphlet “Questions and Answers on Sponsorship” at aa.org/assets/en_US/p-15_Q&AonSpon.pdf.

If after reviewing this information, you want to add your name to our list, please send me the following information:

  • name
  • geographic location
  • sobriety date
  • telephone number (if you wish)
  • current e-mail address
  • whether you are interested in being a temporary sponsor for a new member to GROW

You will then be added to our Available Online Sponsors list which is sent to the group each month and to those who ask about sponsorship (whether on a temporary or permanent basis). Know the list is updated every month, and you must affirm your desire to stay on the list from month to month.  Please know that you may be asked to sponsor newcomers and be alert to a suggested response time of 48 hours.

Thank you,
[Name]
Sponsor Listkeeper

Temporary Mentor Letter 1

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Hi [ New Member Name ],

I am [ Mentor Name ], Temporary Mentor for GROW. I see that you joined GROW recently and I’d like to welcome you! In the past, some members have found our information overwhelming at first, so we created this position (Temporary Mentor) as a helpful resource should you have questions and/or concerns about how our group and/or AA works.

Each month, our Sponsor Listkeeper sends out a list of women in GROW who have volunteered to sponsor our members. For your convenience, I include the current list at the bottom of this note. You can watch for shares from these women on the mailing list. When you read a share that touches you personally or that reflects what you want in sobriety, I recommend that you write to them. After you know them better, you can ask them to sponsor you. Please be aware that you can ask anyone in GROW to sponsor you. You do not have to limit your choices to the List of Available Online Sponsors. In case you would like to contact our Sponsor Listkeeper, you can write to her at [ SLK e-mail ].

Just a reminder that you can learn more about AA by visiting one of these links:

  • The Alcoholics Anonymous General Services Office and information such as the AA Big Book (titled “Alcoholics Anonymous”) or the “12 Steps and 12 Traditions,” along with many pamphlets as well as links to local resources for AA.
  • AA’s Online Intergroup (OIAA) where you can find meeting lists as well as real-time phone numbers and other Internet types of meetings.
  • AA’s Grapevine magazine with stories and audio stories and Grapevine subscription options.

Each month, our Sponsor Listkeeper sends out a list of women in GROW who have volunteered to sponsor our members. When you read a share that touches you personally or that reflects what you want in sobriety, I recommend that you write to them. After you know them better, you can ask them to sponsor you. The Sponsor Listkeeper can send you a list of available sponsors in GROW.  Please be aware that you can ask anyone in GROW to sponsor you. You do not have to limit your choices to the List of Available Online Sponsors. In case you would like to contact our Sponsor Listkeeper, you can write to her at [SLK e-mail].

It would be my pleasure to correspond with you by email (or phone) so if you’d like some help, just let me know. Thanks.

[ Temporary Mentor Name ]
GROW Temporary Mentor

Temporary Mentor Letter 2

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Hi [ New Member Name ],

I haven’t heard from you, so I assume that you have settled in nicely in our group. If you have any questions, the offer of help still stands. Please feel free to contact me.

[ Temporary Mentor Name ]
GROW Temporary Mentor

12th Step Opportunity Letter

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I am responsible….
When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always to be there. And for that: I am responsible.

Step Twelve: “Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.”

Here in Grateful Recovering Online Women, we offer you an opportunity to work the Twelfth Step through serving on our 12th step committee. This is a great way to reach out and have the hand of A.A. there for the suffering alcoholic.

If you would like to serve on this committee, just hit reply, I will sign you up. Before you know it, you will be growing by sharing your experience, strength and hope.

“The joy of living is the theme of A.A.’s Twelfth Step, and action is its key word. Here we turn outward toward our fellow alcoholics who are still in distress. Here we experience the kind of giving that asks no rewards. Here we begin to practice all Twelve Steps of the program in our daily lives so that we and those about us may find emotional sobriety. When the Twelfth Step is seen in its full implication, it is really talking about the kind of love that has no price tag on it.” (12 x 12, page 106)

[ 12th Step Listkeeper Name ]

Weekly Format Letter

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Welcome to the Sunday meeting of Grateful Recovering Online Women.

My name is [ Topic Leader Name ] and I am an alcoholic.

Let’s start the meeting with a moment of silence, followed by the Serenity Prayer, for the alcoholic who still suffers both in and out of these rooms.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Our preamble is as follows:

Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership: we are self-supporting through our own contributions. A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution: does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

Remember, who you see here, what you read here, when you leave here, let it stay here. (Anonymity refers to personal information and personal issues – not the message of recovery.)

“How It Works” from Chapter Five of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous:

Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves. There are such unfortunates. They are not at fault; they seem to have been born that way. They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty. Their chances are less than average. There are those, too, who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest.

Our stories disclose in a general way what we used to be like, what happened, and what we are like now. If you have decided you want what we have and are willing to go to any length to get it — then you are ready to take certain steps.

At some of these we balked. We thought we could find an easier, softer way. But we could not. With all the earnestness at our command, we beg of you to be fearless and thorough from the very start. Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely.

Remember that we deal with alcohol–cunning, baffling, powerful! Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all power–that One is God. May you find Him now!

Half measures availed us nothing. We stood at the turning point. We asked His protection and care with complete abandon.

Here are the steps we took, which are suggested as a program of recovery:

  1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol–that our lives had become unmanageable.
  2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
  3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
  4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
  5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
  6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
  7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
  8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
  9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
  10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
  11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
  12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

Many of us exclaimed, “What an order! I can’t go through with it.” Do not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles.

We are not saints. The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines. The principles we have set down are guides to progress. We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection.

Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventures before and after make clear three pertinent ideas:

  1. That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives.
  2. That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism.
  3. That God could and would if He were sought.

And our 12 Traditions:

  1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A. A. unity.
  2. For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority–a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
  3. The only requirement for A. A. membership is a desire to stop drinking.
  4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A. A. as a whole.
  5. Each group has but one primary purpose — to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.
  6. An A. A. group ought never endorse, finance or lend the A. A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
  7. Every A. A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
  8. Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
  9. A. A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
  10. Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
  11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.
  12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.

Topic for the week:

[ Introduce the Topic of the Week – Remember that we do not include links to sites outside GROW except links to the AA, Grapevine, and GROW websites. ]

You may include URLs (e.g., http://www.g-r-o-w.com – no link – or http://www.aa.org/ – linked), but do not create the link that would automatically take the reader to that URL address. Some programs automatically create links when a URL is entered, so you will need to remove the link. If you need help with this, please contact a GROW Trusted Servant.

An excerpt from the Big Book on pages 83-84.

If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Are these extravagant promises? WE THINK NOT. They are being fulfilled among us, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.

Anonymity Statement: Please remember that “Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.” What you hear here and who you “see” here, let it stay here.

Thanks for attending this meeting.

“The Preamble is Reprinted with permission of the A.A Grapevine, Inc.”
“The Steps and Traditions are Reprinted with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.”

Weekly Leader Reminder Letter

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Dear [Name]:

I’m sending you a friendly reminder that you are scheduled to chair this upcoming Sunday. I’ll be attaching a clean copy of the updated meeting format to this email. Let me know if you have trouble opening it or copying it to an email. Please remember not to add any urls in your post!

**Please reply to this email to verify your availability to lead this Sunday. You must send your meeting lead email on Saturday night, no later than Sunday morning, to ensure that ladies in various time zones will receive the meeting on Sunday morning.

If, for some reason you cannot chair the meeting this Sunday, please let me know before Saturday so I can find a replacement leader.

*For a list of meeting topics that have been previously used, visit the GROW website: www.g-r-o-w.com, then go to the Members section and use the password: sobertodayhow2484

Thank you for your service!

[Name]
-Weekly Leader Listkeeper

Weekly Topic Leader Message

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My name is [ Weekly Topic Leader Listkeeper Name ]. I am an alcoholic, and I’m also your Weekly Leader Listkeeper. I am taking volunteers for the [ time period ].

Here is the calendar of our upcoming leaders scheduled to chair. A big GROW thank you to all who are committed to growing in service.

Month: [ Month ]
[ Date, Name ] Step Meeting
[ Date, Name ]
[ Date, Name ]
[ Date, Name ] Service Meeting [February and August only]

Here is your opportunity to volunteer to lead a weekly meeting, choosing a topic that relates to your individual experience, strength and hope or a topic you would like to hear about, that relates to alcoholism recovery. The requirements necessary to lead a meeting are 90 days of continuous sobriety and a member of GROW for more than 30 days.

[The April 2019 GROW business meeting designated the first meeting of the month to be a STEP MEETING. Please limit your lead share to the step of the corresponding month.]

[The October 2021 GROW business meeting designated the last meeting of February and August to be a SERVICE MEETING. Please limit your lead share to Service in AA.]

If you would like to volunteer, just hit reply and let me know which available date you would be willing to lead. Here are the available dates:

[ Month, Day ] Step Meeting
[ Month, Day ]
[ Month, Day ]
[ Month, Day ]
[ Month, Day ] Service Meeting [February and August only]

We try to give thoughtful attention to those who would like to lead a meeting around their A. A. anniversary. If the date requested is already filled, you will be offered another available date. Around Wednesday or Thursday of the week before you’re set to chair, I’ll contact you and pass on the meeting format. If, for some reason you cannot do the meeting on your selected Sunday, please let me know as soon as possible so I can find a replacement leader.

If you would like to be added to the on-call meeting leader list, please reply and let me know. You will be added to a list of volunteers who are willing to quickly post a weekly topic when the scheduled chair is unavailable. The only requirement is that you are available to check your email every Saturday/Sunday and respond quickly to a request from the Weekly Leader Listkeeper, so she can find someone to chair in a timely manner.

I look forward to hearing from each and every one of you. The topic meeting is a great way of saying “hi” and letting us all get to know you better. Thank you for your participation and thank you for letting me be of service.

[ Name ]
Weekly Leader Listkeeper

P.S. As our membership is *growing*, we are getting duplicate names. When you respond please include your name and the first initial of your last name.

Common Duties Description

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Trusted Servant Common Duties

  • Must be a member of Business List
  • Smooth and uninterrupted volunteer service to GROW depends upon your ability to carry out your commitments. If a Trusted Servant finds that she cannot meet all the duties listed in her Job Description, she will inform the Secretary and/or Business Meeting Chair that she is unable to fulfill her responsibilities. Working with the Trusted Servant and the Steering Committee, the Secretary and/or Business Chair will then seek alternatives for assuring all duties are covered (including securing a temporary back-up or advertising the position on the main list). If a member of the Steering Committee is concerned that not all items in a job description are being met, she may bring her concern to Secretary and/or Business Meeting Chair, who will work with the Trusted Servant to assure their duties are covered.
  • Must be able to reply to business and steering committee email within 48 hours. If unable to do so, should inform the steering committee in advance, or in the case of a computer related problem, make every effort to telephone another group member who can let the Steering Committee know.
  • Lack of response to business, steering committee, or direct personal email by another trusted servant for a period of seven consecutive days will be reason for a temporary replacement chosen by the steering committee.
  • Lack of response to business, steering committee, or direct personal email by another trusted servant for a period of fourteen consecutive days will be reason for temporary replacement by steering committee until a permanent replacement can be chosen by the next business meeting.
  • Provide successor with all necessary information, including names of celebrants collected while in transition, job guidelines and letter templates; and serve as a mentor for a period of time to ensure continuity of service.
  • Be able to cut, copy, paste, and save to a folder.

Birthday Listkeeper Description

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Birthday Listkeeper

  • 6 month term
  • 6 months sobriety
  • 6 months membership in GROW
  • Must be member of Business List.
  • Sends a notice to the group toward the end of each month, asking who is celebrating 30 days, 3-, 6-, 9-, 18-month, or any multiple of annual birthdays, in the following month (requesting replies to be sent privately).
  • Develops a list of celebrants for each month.
  • At the end of each week — or early in the morning on the day of each birthday — sends to the group a list of these members celebrating 30 days, 3-, 6-, 9-, 18-month, or any multiple of annual birthdays during the coming week (or on that day).
  • At the end of each month, sends a letter to the group with a list including all the celebrants for that month and the total MONTHS of sobriety that were celebrated.
  • Reminds celebrants they are invited to share personal stories on or around their annual sobriety anniversary.
  • Common duties and requirements to all Trusted Servant positions is described here.
  • Wording for letters commonly used are provided in the links below:

Business Meeting Chair Description

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Business Meeting Chair

  • 2 year term
  • 5 years sobriety
  • At least one year membership in GROW
  • Must remain member of Business List.
  • Moderate business meetings; keep discussions focused on agenda.
  • Keep track of and review all discussions.
  • Be responsible for keeping the issues clear. If a motion is offered, be sure that it is stated clearly and distinctly so that all know what they are discussing and voting on.
  • Set agenda for meetings, placing items on the agenda in the order received.
  • Review all incoming proposals to ensure that they have not been finalized/approved within 1 year. If the proposal was finalized/approved during the last Business Meeting, inform the member of the 1-year Group Conscience revisit decision and table the item to the next Business Meeting.
  • Work closely with other trusted servants, especially the Secretary.
  • Serve as temporary back-up to the Secretary.
  • Serves on GROW’s “Mini-Steering Committee” with the Secretary and Listkeepers to address questions/concerns/issues from any member of GROW.
  • Provide a summary report of any activity involving the Steering Committee at the next Business Meeting following such activity. (The Business Chairperson may appoint a designee to provide the report).
  • Know all group conscience decisions and guide group to adhere to them.
  • Have knowledge and good understanding of A.A. Traditions and A.A. Service Manual.
  • Have understanding of Group Conscience Guidelines and A.A. guidelines and how to apply them.
  • As much as possible, remain fair and unbiased, willing to listen and be flexible. (At times the Chair will need to remain flat-footed. Refer to A.A. Service Manual)
  • Have knowledge and good understanding of A.A. Concepts.
  • Review all posts from both business and main list for items which should be brought to the business meeting.
  • Be prepared for an increase in both public and private correspondence.
  • Be accountable for answering questions.
  • Writes and files minutes at end of each 3-day period for business list.
  • Writes and files a summary at end of each 3-day period for main list.
  • Counts votes during group conscience decisions.
  • Announces results of votes in business meeting minutes.
  • Receives information from Secretary if elections are needed.
  • If more than one volunteer for a position, calls for election, and counts votes.
  • Common duties and requirements to all Trusted Servant positions is described here.
  • List of Trusted Servant letter templates are provided here.

Grapevine Rep Description

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Grapevine Representative

  • 1 year term
  • 1 year sobriety
  • 1 year membership in GROW
  • Must be member of Business List.
  • Member of Steering Committee.
  • The GVR will inform the group of the topic presented in that month’s Grapevine.
  • Sends a form letter to the membership which shares the tools of the Grapevine both print and online.
  • Either as part of the Grapevine Form Letter or in a separate message to GROW members, the GVR will share a link to the Grapevine Calendar of Events (at www.aagrapevine.org/calendar).
  • The GVR will receive a 1-year subscription to the Grapevine (print and online) paid for by the GROW Treasurer.
  • Common duties and requirements to all Trusted Servant positions is described here.
  • Wording for letter commonly used is provided in the link below:

Greeter Description

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Greeter (2 positions)

  • 1 year term
  • 1 year sobriety
  • 1 year membership in GROW
  • Must be member of Business List.
  • Checks e-mail several times a day for Listkeepers’ notice about inquiries from potential members.
  • Sends initial response to potential new member, using Greeter Letter #1 as approved by group conscience.
  • Keeps track of inquiries.
  • After receiving appropriate response (sometimes need to clarify Third Tradition adherence or being female) sends to Listkeeper to subscribe them to the list.
  • After receiving confirmation from listkeeper that the subscription has been accepted, sends Greeter Letter #2, as approved by group conscience, to the new member.
  • Sends announcement to the group introducing new member to the group. (Place in subject line: New Member <email address>)
  • Sends copy of current Weekly Topic to new members as they join.
  • Responds to questions from new members regarding the group.
  • Works closely with Listkeeper.
  • Common duties and requirements to all Trusted Servant positions is described here.
  • Wording for letters commonly used are provided in the links below:

GSR Description

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GSR

  • 2 year term
  • 2 years sobriety
  • 1 year membership in GROW
  • Must be member of Business List.
  • Serves on Steering Committee.
  • Links GROW with A.A. as a whole, serving as group contact with the General Service Office (GSO) of Alcoholics Anonymous (includes providing postal address).
  • Be listed as the group contact in the International Meeting Directory.
  • Anticipate heavy increase in correspondence.
  • Provide GSO with group information as necessary.
  • Keep group members informed of general service activities, information about conferences and conventions, and pertinent mail, including the newsletter Box 4-5-9, which is the GSO’s primary communication tool.
  • Assist the group in solving a variety of problems, especially those related to the Traditions, drawing on all the services offered by GSO when appropriate.
  • Post to the group excerpts from Conference Approved material as needed.
  • Answer group questions regarding A.A. literature, Traditions, Concepts, etc.
  • Be familiar with the group conscience process and help guide the group through group conscience decisions as necessary.
  • Keep the group informed, via quarterly reports to the GROW business list, of discussions which may affect the group or A.A. as a whole.
  • Post the GSO Calendar of Events each month to the GROW list. The Calendar is contained in the back pages of the current quarterly Box 4-5-9. Recommended Language: “You can find the GSO Calendar of Events on pages 11-12 [depending on the month] of the 4-5-9 Newsletter [Note: link to the newsletter changes for each issue].”
  • The new GSR is responsible for informing the GSO of the following:
    • Group name and service number.
    • The new GSR’s name, address and phone number.
    • The previous GSR’s name (for removal from the mailing list).
  • Common duties and requirements to all Trusted Servant positions is described here.

Listkeeper and Alternate Listkeeper Description

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Listkeeper and Alternate Listkeeper

  • 2 year term (1 year as back-up; 1 year as primary listkeeper)
  • 2 years sobriety
  • One year membership in GROW
  • Must be member of Business List.
  • Serves on Steering Committee.
  • Serves on GROW’s “Mini-Steering Committee” with the Business Meeting Chair and Listkeepers to address questions/concerns/issues from any member of GROW.
  • GROW Administration Password will be changed every two years, starting in April 2015.
  • Determine the need for and conduct a roll call of GROW members when there are disruptive email issues. Our Listkeepers will determine when the issues warrant a Roll Call, and the particulars of when and how shall be left to the discretion of the Listkeepers.
  • Deal with all requests in the administrative mailboxes to subscribe, unsubscribe, or change email addresses on the lists.
  • Maintain two-month archive of all such requests.
  • Receive and forward to greeters all requests for new membership, checking grow-owner@oso-aa.org several times a day to assure prompt processing of inquiries.
  • Process all former members who wish to rejoin the group as new members.
  • Occasionally correspond with requesters prior to forwarding to greeter to clarify the nature of the request.
  • Maintain two-month archive of these requests.
  • Maintain copy of greeter letter to fill in temporarily for absent greeters if no backup greeter is available.
  • Evaluate each piece of bounced mail and determine if it’s from a nonsubscribed member, a malfunctioning mail server, a full mailbox, a member who has left her ISP without a forwarding address, or is a misdirected email to the Listkeeper.
  • Deal appropriately with each piece of bounced mail, including forwarding, redirecting, returning, answering, archiving, or deleting it.
  • Occasionally assist individual members in troubleshooting email delivery and posting problems and use of their email programs, at the discretion of the Listkeeper.
  • Unsubscribe members whose mail is undeliverable according to pre-established protocol. This protocol includes bouncing mail for up to 24 hours.
  • Deal with tech staff at the listservice when mailing list software is unresponsive or list is not sending mail.
  • Archive 10 digests and business digests.
  • Maintain copies of current Guide to Email Etiquette.
  • Subscribe all trusted servants to the business list prior to the start of each business meeting.
  • Post intermittent messages about new problems.
  • Post status reports about server problems.
  • Contact listservice when list-approval (i.e. Listkeeper) names need to be changed. Assist with sending new or revised introductory letters to listservice for distribution to new members.
  • Work with Chair and Secretary to deal with disruptions, in keeping with Our Common Welfare Guidelines, as approved by group conscience.
  • The Listkeeper and Sponsor Listkeeper will coordinate to ensure that when someone unsubs, if that person is listed on the Sponsor List, her name will be deleted from the list of available sponsors as well.
  • Common duties and requirements to all Trusted Servant positions is described here.
  • Wording for letters commonly used are provided in the links below:

OIAA Representative Description

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OIAA Representative

  • 1 year term
  • 2 years sobriety
  • 1 year membership in GROW
  • Serves on Steering Committee.
  • Must be a member of Business List.
  • Subscribes to OIAA as a representative for GROW, linking our group with the online service structure.
  • Participates in the bi-annual elections and the business of the Intergroup as the primary voter for the group.
  • Each group has one vote in OIAA — through their representative or their alternate — and no individual can have more than one vote. OIAA suggests that each representative only serve one member group.
  • The OIAA Representative will ask the Listkeeper to provide the number of new members each month and will use the Birthday Listkeeper’s end-of-month summary to collect the anonymous sobriety birthday information.
  • Use the GROW business list to keep the group informed of discussions which may affect the group or online A.A. as a whole.
  • Use the GROW business list to receive input from the group and express the group conscience to OIAA.
  • Provide successor with all necessary information, including job guidelines; and serve as a mentor for a period of time to ensure continuity of service.
  • Make quarterly reports of OIAA activities during GROW business meetings.
  • Common duties and requirements to all Trusted Servant positions is described here.

Secretary Description

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Secretary

  • 1-year term
  • 2 years sobriety
  • One-year membership in GROW
  • Must be member of Business List
  • Adheres to confidentiality of private emails
  • Serves on the Steering Committee
  • Works closely with the other Trusted Servants including privately and discreetly informing members who stray from the guidelines
  • Maintains a current list of trusted servants and term dates
  • Serves on GROW’s “Mini-Steering Committee” with the Business Meeting Chair and Listkeepers to address questions/concerns/issues from any member of GROW
  • Maintains a list of emergency contact phone numbers of all trusted servants for use by trusted servants, not for general distribution
  • Calls for nominations/volunteers
  • Confirms nominees will accept and serve
  • Announces new trusted servants
  • Sends Steering Committee Welcome Letter to all new trusted servants
  • Informs the business chair if elections are needed for trusted servants
  • Sends FYI Letter and GROW Mail List Guidelines monthly to GROW membership
  • Acts as a focal point to receive complaints when Trusted Servant(s) do not fulfill responsibilities, and works with the Steering Committee and the Trusted Servant to resolve performance issues
  • When a Trusted Servant becomes unavailable or unwilling to fulfill her duties, works with the Steering Committee to fill the position
  • Conducts a Group Inventory every 2 years (in even-numbered years) between the Business Meetings of April and October by sending out the 12 Questions on our website. Three questions will be sent to the group each week over a 4-week period. Each week’s responses will be summarized, posted back to the group, and the results discussed and reviewed by members at the next Business Meeting to determine if action needs to be taken. These will be posted in addition to the Weekly Topics.
  • In the event that the current Greeter and / or Listkeeper is unable to complete the task of their respected positions, the Secretary will put out a call to the membership for help to fulfill those tasks needed until the current Greeter and / or Listkeeper issue is resolved. The Secretary’s call to the membership would include a prerequisite of having served in those requested positions so that they may assume those duties quickly and efficiently.
  • Common duties and requirements to all Trusted Servant positions is described here.
  • Wording for letters commonly used are provided in the links below:

Sponsor Listkeeper Description

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Sponsor Listkeeper

  • 6 month term
  • 1 year sobriety
  • 6 months membership in GROW
  • Must be member of Business List.
  • Maintains a list of group members who are willing to sponsor online, including: first name, last initial, DOS, email address, location of residence.
  • Twice each month sends reminders to the group that the list is available upon request.
  • Forwards sponsor list to members when requested.
  • At least once each month, mails sponsor list to the group (see Sponsor List Announcement form letter). May want to resend if someone on the list drops out mid-month.
  • Each month, invites GROW members to volunteer to be online sponsors (see Sponsor List Invitation form letter).
  • Each month, verifies that each woman on the list of available online sponsors want to continue to serve as a temporary or permanent sponsor (see Sponsor List Confirmation form letter).
  • The Sponsor Listkeeper will work with the Temporary Mentor to assure that newcomers who want a sponsor are assigned a temporary sponsor.
  • Common duties and requirements to all Trusted Servant positions is described here.
  • Wording for letter commonly used is provided in the link below:

Temporary Mentor Description

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Temporary Mentor

  • 1 year term
  • 1 year of continuous sobriety
  • 1 year membership in GROW
  • Must be a member of the Business List
  • Will be a member of the Steering Committee
  • Read GROW mail daily to note when the Greeter introduces new members in order to contact the new member privately to offer additional support in making  solid connection with the Group and/or AA.
  • About 2-3 days after she joins, contact each new member to explain your position as Temporary Mentor (TM), offering to answer questions or provide guidance until the member feels comfortable in the GROW group.  (see Temporary Mentor #1 form letter).
  • Work with the Sponsor Listkeeper to assign a Temporary Sponsor when requested and provide new members a link to the Sponsor Listkeeper.
  • Refer the newcomer to other online AA resources, as well as ways to find face-to-face AA resources.
  • Maintain working relationship with, and assist new member as needed with learning, GROW email etiquette guidelines.
  • Each month, the Temporary Mentor will send a short letter reminding GROW members of AA resources available to them.
  • Common duties and requirements to all Trusted Servant positions is described here.
  • Wording for letters commonly used are provided in the links below:

Treasurer Description

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Treasurer

    • 2 year term
    • 2 years sobriety
    • 2 years as a member of GROW
    • Must be a member of Business List.
    • Serve on Steering Committee.
    • Maintain a checking account in the name of the Treasurer.
    • Ensure that the Webkeeper Backup has access to the account so it may be acccessed in the event of an emergency.
    • Set up a PayPal account; share this password with the Webkeeper Backup.
    • Send weekly passing-the-basket announcement to the group, using the 7th Tradition Announcement Template as approved by group conscience. Be sure to include your postal mailing address for mail-in contributions.
    • Deposit collections in a timely manner.
    • Pay all group expenses per the distribution below and maintain a prudent reserve of $122.00:
      • Make bi-annual contributions before GROW Business Meetings, to GSO (The General Service Office, Grand Central Station, PO Box 459, New York, NY 10164-0423; Group Service # 633230).  Allocate 80% of the total available contribution amount to GSO.
      • Allocate 20% of GROW’s total available contribution amount to OIAA
      • $24.00 monthly to OSO-AA (PayPal: dean.collins@insightplanners.com) ($144 – 6 months expenses)
      • $50.00 annual subscription to Grapevine magazine
      • Up to $300 per year to Dean Collins dba Insight Planners, or other professionals, for consulting services on GROW’s WordPress-based website.
    • Submit semi-annual reports (prior to each business meeting).

12th Step Volunteer Listkeeper Description

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12th Step Volunteer Listkeeper

  • 6 month term
  • 1 year sobriety
  • 6 months membership in GROW
  • Must be member of Business List.
  • Maintains a list of members and email addresses of those willing to write 12 Step letters.
  • Reviews GROW email daily to determine who could use extra support.
  • Forwards those letters to the 12th Step Committee.
  • Places in subject line “12th Step Call”.
  • Receives letters from Listkeeper or Greeter of new members who need immediate support and forwards these to 12th Step Committee.
  • Once a month, verifies that members of the 12th Step Committee are current GROW members and wish to continue their membership on the 12th Step Committee.
  • Sends out monthly announcements to the group regarding Step opportunities, using 12th Step Opportunity Letter as approved by group conscience.
  • Notifies the Secretary if unavailable for a period of time. Secretary will either assume the above responsibilities or work with the Steering Committee to assure the duties are performed in the 12th Step Volunteer Listkeeper’s absence. The 12th Step Volunteer Listkeeper will provide a current list of 12th Step Volunteers to the Secretary when she notifies her of the temporary absence.
  • Common duties and requirements to all Trusted Servant positions is described here.
  • Wording for letter commonly used is provided in the link below:

 

Website Administrator Description

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Website Administrator

  • 5 year term
  • 4 years sobriety
  • 4 years GROW membership
  • Must be familiar with WordPress and the administration of Websites
  • Member of Business List
  • Non-voting member of the Steering Committee
  • Maintains GROW Server account
  • Maintains a periodic backup of the GROW database
  • Maintains GROW website updates (WordPress, theme, and plugins)
  • May seek professional services to resolve technical issues up to an annual limit of $300
  • Consults with Steering Committee before making substantial design or content changes to GROW website
  • Supports Webkeeper and Topic Archivist on WordPress site issues
  • Provides Webkeeper and Topic Archivist with all necessary information and passwords to access all web accounts and web server
  • Provides the Webkeeper’s email address to the web hosting service and designate her as co-owner
  • As owner of the g-r-o-w web account, helps ensure that the annual service fee is paid. If necessary, provide copies of invoice/receipt to GROW Treasurer for reimbursement
  • Upon retirement, transfers website account to successor, provide successor with all necessary information, including job guidelines, and serve as a mentor during the transition to ensure continuity of service.
  • Common duties and requirements to all Trusted Servant positions is described here

Webkeeper Description

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Webkeeper

  • 5 year term
  • 2 years sobriety
  • 2 years GROW membership
  • Must be member of Business List
  • Non-voting member of the Steering Committee
  • Should be familiar with WordPress and website management
  • Maintains public website (g-r-o-w.com) for GROW to provide information about Alcoholics Anonymous and for the purpose of attracting new members. Information should include:
    • Info about Alcoholics Anonymous
    • Info about GROW
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Our Guiding Philosophy
    • Guide for Email Etiquette
    • Traditions in Cyberspace
    • How to become a member
  • Maintains the password-protected private section on g-r-o-w.com to provide GROW members with information about GROW, including:
    • List of trusted servants and job descriptions
    • Info about how we conduct business
    • Group conscience decisions
    • Common Welfare Guidelines
    • Archives in keeping with group conscience guidelines
    • Important Addresses
  • Works closely with the Business Meeting Chair and the Steering Committee to ensure that pertinent group history is preserved in the member’s section of the GROW website and that archived materials are accessible to GROW members
  • Consults with Steering Committee before making substantial design changes to GROW website that have not been dictated by group conscience decisions
  • Posts all business meetings and keep updated throughout the business meeting
  • Ensure that any material posted on g-r-o-w.com appropriately protects the anonymity of anyone mentioned
  • Upon retirement, transfers website account to successor, provide successor with all necessary information, including job guidelines, and serve as a mentor during the transition to ensure continuity of service
  • Common duties and requirements to all Trusted Servant positions is described here

Listkeeper Letter

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Important Addresses

Listkeeper’s Address: grow-owner@oso-aa.org

(Use this address to change your subscription, or to unsubscribe, resubscribe or ask questions about GROW-related email problems).

Send shares to the List use this address: grow@oso-aa.org
(Use this address for all your shares or posts of any sort to the regular list. Address your share to ONLY the grow@oso-aa.org address. If another address is included (even if in the ‘Cc or ‘Bcc field) the email will bounce).  The list is set up to accept messages that are addressed to Grow only. The individual(s) you send messages in addition to GROW will probably receive the message; however, the Grow list will not.

NOTE: Please do not post subscription change requests to GROW because they are too easily overlooked.

GROW Website:

http://www.g-r-o-w.com

To access the member’s section, you’ll need the following password:

Password: sobertodayhow2484

The GROW Website provides members with all of the information listed in this email, plus business meeting updates, and an archive section. Check the Website for what is happening in GROW.

Personal Webpages

Each member has a password protected personal webpage where she can make changes to her account, such as:

-vacation (disable mail delivery)
-unsubscribe
-change her account from regular mail to digest or visa versa

http://oso-aa.org/mailman/listinfo/grow_oso-aa.org

If you lose your password, you can retrieve it here:

http://oso-aa.org/mailman/options/grow_oso-aa.org

Scroll down the page to the lower part, under the blue bar titled “Password Retrieval.” Click on “remind” and your password will immediately be sent to the email address you use for GROW.

If you do not feel comfortable making your own changes, please address all such requests to the listkeeper’s email box, which is: grow-owner@oso-aa.org

Weekly Leader Listkeeper Description

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Weekly Leader Listkeeper

  • 12 month term
  • 6 months sobriety
  • One year membership in GROW
  • Must be member of Business List.
  • After the letter “Weekly Topic Leader Message ” has been sent to the group, a waiting period of at least 24 hours is encouraged so that all members may have a chance to reply.
  • At the beginning of each month, send the current month’s schedule of meeting chair dates and corresponding leaders to the group.
  • At the beginning of each month, send the Weekly Topic Leader Message form letter for the 3rd unfilled month. Schedules should be completed no more than three months in advance.
  • Send the Weekly Leader Letter to the upcoming leader on the previous Wednesday, reminding them of their scheduled meeting lead on the following Sunday. Attach a clean copy of the meeting format. Make sure they reply, verifying their availability to chair the upcoming meeting.
  • Maintain a list of on-call meeting leaders that are willing to replace the Topic Leader, if the scheduled leader hasn’t responded to emails or has not posted a meeting by Sunday morning (8 AM PST).
  • Allocate the first meeting of each month to the corresponding Step by identifying the Step as the topic next to the date on the volunteer lead request message.
  • Allocate the last meeting in February and August by identifying Service as the topic next to the date on the volunteer lead request message.
  • At the beginning and middle of each month, post the corresponding Tradition and invite members to share on that topic anytime during the month.
  • Common duties and requirements to all Trusted Servant positions is described here.
  • Wording for letters commonly used are provided in the links below:

Online Sponsors – 062718

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Available Online Sponsors

Women who have volunteered to sponsor GROW members.

  • Amanda D. Texoma, Sherman TX, USA Dos: August 3, 2016 email
  • Hilarie L. Mount Shasta, CA, USA DOS: April 4, 2014 email
  • Julie M. Northern NJ, USA DOS: March 19, 2007 email
  • Karrie C. Virginia, USA DOS: November 13, 2013 email
  • Laurie C. Missouri, USA DOS: February 26, 1999 email
  • Stephers C. Lansing, IL, USA DOS: November 7, 2011 email
  • Nicole W-P Miller, IN, USA DOS: June 19, 2000 email
  • Sarah K. California, USA DOS: March 1, 2010 email
  • Fran G. U.K. DOS: December 24, 2010 email
  • Mary S. USA DOS: December 25, 1975 email
  • Cara A. Floyd’s Knob, IN, USA DOS: June 17, 2014 email
  • Lynn H. Michigan, USA DOS: September 30, 1996 email
  • Nydia B. Beligium (CET) DOS: August 13, 2008 email
  • Mary Dianne K. Baton Rouge, LA, USA DOS: August 15, 2017 email
  • Michelle M. DOS: September 22, 1987

Jun 24: “Firsts” in Sobriety

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“Firsts” in Sobriety

This week, I’ve chosen ” Firsts” in sobriety as our Topic. We can all relate to this topic of “Firsts” – some of ours may be the same, some may be different, but we all have them. As for me, here are some of the “Firsts” that I remember:

  • Not stopping at the beer store on my way home from work
  • Stopping at a convenience store instead to get milk/cream for the coffee I make for my home group
  • Identifying myself as an alcoholic for the first time (I thought I would choke on the word but I’m still here)
  • Identifying my fears
  • Attending a family drinking Christmas party sober for the first time in my adult life
  • Being the designated driver at the party…Woo Hoo!
  • My compulsion to drink was removed once I made the decision to get and stay sober
  • The right sponsor for me at the time (she’d not put up with any B.S. – she knew me so well)
  • I could drive anywhere day or night without the fear of being caught by the police
  • I was told that I didn’t have to quit drinking for life – but just for today
  • earing someone’s 5th Step
  • Doing my own 5th Step
  • Helping to put on meetings at the men’s jail, a treatment centre, hospital, and a women’s correctional facility
  • Getting married
  • Buying a home
  • Joining an online AA group

I have many, many more “Firsts” since I got sober which are too numerous to mention. However, as I look at the ones I’ve written, they are actually some of the blessings I have received since I started working the AA program. How neat is that!

I am interested in reading about your “Firsts” in sobriety. As always, please feel free to respond to this topic or share on anything that is bothering you. Please do not include URLs in your share.

Hugs to all, Laura G. 6/17/1989

Jun 17: Emotional Sobriety/Emotional Hangover

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Emotional Sobriety/Emotional Hangover

Hey friends. Karrie here-alcoholic.

This week’s topic is on the solution for emotional hangovers–emotional sobriety. Step 10 in the twelves and twelve says this:

“When a drunk has a terrific hangover because he drank heavily yesterday, he cannot live well today. But there is another kind of hangover which we all experience whether we are drinking or not. That is the emotional hangover, the direct result of yesterday’s and sometimes today’s excesses of negative emotion–anger, fear, jealousy, and the like. If we would live serenely today and tomorrow, we certainly need to eliminate these hangovers. This doesn’t mean we need to wander morbidly around in the past. It requires an admission and correction of errors now. Our inventory enables us to settle with the past. When this is done, we are really able to leave it behind us. When our inventory is carefully taken, and we have made peace with ourselves, the conviction follows that tomorrow’s challenges can be met as they come.”

I seem to get more of these emotional hangovers then I would care to. The good news is, that today I can see them faster and am willing to do something about my emotional state sooner. Granted I still have a ways to go. But I have discovered that the answer is in workings the steps. That’s how I get some emotional sobriety. BUT that’s not always easy to do when I’m feeling sorry for myself. My sponsor always says “poor me, poor me, POUR me another drink”. It always irritates me when she says that but it’s the truth. When I wallow in self pity, anger, resentments, etc etc…I head down into a deep hole. It’s a place that leads me to a drink. We are either moving towards a drink or moving away from one.

The meeting is now open for discussion on emotional sobriety/emotional hangovers or anything else that will keep you from taking a drink today.

Jun 10: The Trappings of Texting

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The Trappings of Texting

I love to text. I text with my husband, my friends, my family and my co-workers all day long. I send messages, emesis, photos, memes, gifs, videos and links to articles. One time my husband was in a text-less situation for several days and I felt like my right arm had been cut off. I can even text and send hand-drawn images from my watch!

My sponsor hates to text. She abhors it. She says, “People can hide behind texting. It doesn’t enhance the ‘we’ of our program. It actually does the exact opposite, allowing us to isolate and mask our true feelings.” She’s okay with quick, non-personal messages like, “I’m on my way,” “Running late – be there in 10” or “I called – please call me ASAP”, but that’s it.

I’m beginning to agree with her. How often can we tell something’s not right with someone simply by hearing a certain inflection in their voice or by observing other non-verbal cues? How often have we been misled by taking a text the wrong way?

How often have we suffered from FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) due to group texts about friends going out drinking, to a party or to happy hour? “Poor me – sobriety sucks – I suck,” leading us right down that dark rabbit hole of self-pity and self-loathing. Our disease loves it, laughing all the way, while twisting that sharp knife of FOMO around and around in our gut, jeopardizing our hard-won sobriety.

How often have we suffered the horror, shame and guilt from hastily sending a snarky comment about someone to that exact same person by mistake, ruining that relationship forever? Written words cannot be taken back – they are eternal.

All this misery stemming from tiny black letters on a rectangular piece of plastic, small enough to fit in our hands. It’s ridiculous; another addiction.

I recently developed a huge resentment over a text. Our adult niece, whom we raised, texted us that her boyfriend had just purchased a diamond for her engagement ring. A text. Not a phone call – a text. I was instantly filled with rage saying, “WTF?! Only a TEXT??! This is a HUGE event in her life and after ALL we’ve done for her, she doesn’t even think we deserve a PHONE CALL??!” I was so upset that I didn’t even respond. I felt unloved, unappreciated, disappointed and disrespected.

Luckily, our program kicked in and I immediately did a mental Fourth Step, realizing how all those feelings boiled down to one single thing – my big fat ego with its self-righteous expectations. As we say, “Expectations are the stair steps to resentments” and I had just sprinted right up those stairs! I knew all these things in my head, but my heart and gut refused to connect to it.

Texting is how Millennials communicate. I know our niece loves, respects and appreciates me with all her heart. I was most likely the first person she wanted to share her excitement with and what did I do? I stomped my foot and made it all about me. Crazy, right?

I fessed up about all this to my sponsor the next day. I had written out a Fourth Step by then, using the four-column technique, and read it to her. She confirmed the insanity of my feelings. She said our niece is probably feeling confused and hurt because I didn’t respond. After all, I’m the one who fostered this style of communication with her and here I am, all pissed off because that’s exactly what she did! It had nothing negative to do with me.

After working with my sponsor, my head, heart and gut began to unify. I felt much lighter and acted on her suggestion to call our niece and sincerely share in her excitement. We had a wonderful hour-long chat and my resentment completely dissolved.

My emotional sobriety had been restored through the use of the tools provided in the rooms of AA. Who knows how long this resentment would have festered had I not used them? In the past, I most definitely would have drank “at it” in order to numb my feelings. I am now willing to feel my feelings, as uncomfortable as they may be, and to work through them. This is yet another example of the miracles of our program and I am grateful for it.

Has texting ever jeopardized your physical and/or emotional sobriety? Has it ever been the root of a resentment? How do you guard yourself from the trappings of texting?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Thank you for letting me chair and share. Love to all – xoxoruthb 4/13/15

Jun 03: Step One

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Step One

At all the face-to-face meetings I’ve attended, Step One is a frequent topic because it is the foundation upon which sobriety is built. If we are to prosper in the program, newcomers must fully understand the power of the disease of alcoholism. One way we try to foster that understanding by telling our own stories.

The first time I arrived at AA, I knew I was an alcoholic, but I didn’t believe my life was unmanageable. Others were convinced about unmanageability but questioned if they were really alcoholics. Telling our stories exposes new people to a wide range of personal experiences, at least a few of which they will hopefully be able to relate.

For me, it was hearing people with sobriety describing my own behaviors that helped me accept my powerlessness. The outstanding one was when a man said he knew where every 7-11 store was within a five-mile radius of his home, and he never went to the same store twice in a row because he didn’t want the clerk to know how much he drank. That statement hit me like a brick because it described me. There were many more aspects of my life that I didn’t recognize as unmanageable until I heard AAers describe them as consequences of their drinking.

Hearing your stories made all the difference for me, and I hope it will be helpful to our members who are new to or struggling with sobriety. Therefore, I invite you to share on the first step this week.

Step One: We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable.

May 27: Growing

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Growing

We have learned that the satisfaction of instincts cannot be the sole end and aim of our lives. If we place instincts first, we have got the cart before the horse; we shall be pulled backward into disillusionment. But when we are willing to place spiritual growth first–then and only then do we have a real chance. – Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions, p. 114

I’m Julie and still a grateful alcoholic. This reading above reminds me that I have grown and changed. I am not the person that I used to be. Today, I have learned to put my faith in the God of my understanding first. When I remember to pause and trust God, anything is possible. The key here is to pause… Sometimes I fall short and then I have to use the 10th step. But, it doesn’t happen as often as it used to and that is growth.

Today my goal is to continue to grow. I don’t fear failure or success like I used to. I’m grateful when things are comfortable but I’m aware that life gives me opportunities for growth. Some I may like more than others. But I don’t fear life as something I must endure. I am no longer existing but living. I have had experience of facing challenges head on in sobriety, and I have seen that my faith in my God gets me through, always.

So I am growing and I am grateful. I will keep coming back. I hope you do, too.
Please share on this topic or anything that’s on your mind. Thank you for allowing me to be of service.
Happy Memorial Day!
Julie K
5/17/12

May 20: The AA Group – home or away, f2f or online

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The AA Group – home or away, f2f or online

Welcome especially to ladies joining us, if this is your first Grow weekly topic meeting I’m glad you found us. Congratulations to anniversary and milestones too. If you’re new to AA, it was suggested to me that I listen for the similarities not the differences.

I’ve recently been reflecting on my journey with different home groups that I’ve been part of in AA and of times I’ve travelled with home group members, doing service beyond my group or geographical location. I recall many happy times car sharing and hitting the road to attend a convention, a service meeting, to carry the message to a prison or treatment centre or to support a new meeting. I have great memories of the fun, the laughs, the openness and intimacy, the feeling of joy at being sober, of experiencing the “camaraderie” our Big Book describes. And the bonds and unity with my fellow home group members being strengthened and deepened through these shared times. I have nearly always been able to have a face to face home group, for which I’m so grateful. But I’m also grateful I needed to reach out and be part of an online email home group too, the love and support here has carried me at times.

I joined my first f2f home group at a week sober. I got the tea-making service post a week later. I cried into that tea pot most weeks for my first year! But I was loved anyway. Later on I became group secretary, then later served as GSR. That was where I really began to experience the wonder of “one alcoholic talking to another”.

That was where I learned about carrying the message into prisons, the AA helpline, about turning up to a service meeting and making a commitment. I’m grateful to all those members in that first home group and first intergroup and first area for showing me how service would help me grow. For me, my weekly grounding comes from being part of an AA group. Somewhere I can do service, be of use, carry the message that was carried to me, but also a place to get strength and inspiration, a place to get that “different perspective” that I so often need. It’s also where I can feel connected, that I’m not alone, and get a hug (even email hugs make a difference to my day!!).

I love our weekly topic meetings here. I love how safe our Grow group is and I’m grateful for all the women who’ve done service here over the years to help us stay that way and function within the AA Traditions. I am grateful I get to check in with our weekly topic meeting or the monthly step & tradition meeting or the Grapevine topic meeting just by looking at my emails.

I had post natal anxiety a few years ago, where my mental health was in crisis, and at times I couldn’t leave my house let alone get to a meeting. I reached out to fellowship and members came to my home every Sunday for months for a meeting. Someone brought an old set of banners, people came with food to share afterwards, we took turns chairing and choosing topics. It was beautiful. It kept me “in” the fellowship. Back then I didn’t know about how supportive being in online AA could be. I also had no idea that my f2f home group would actually be in my home for a while! Travel has played a part in my sobriety. I relocated cities at almost 5 years sober, countries at 12 years and again at 16 years and then cities last year. In each place I’ve lived I’ve joined a group and done service, and felt part of. I’ve always sought out fellowship and meetings on holidays too and it makes me smile at some of the adventures I’ve had searching for a meeting venue abroad in a new and strange place. And that feeling of taking a seat, seeing the 12 Steps & 12 Traditions on the walls, the silence or prayer at the beginning and that feeling in my bones and in my heart that “I’m home”.

One of the few times I took an overseas trip for work, the meeting room turned out to be on the same street as my hotel and the meeting time meant I could do the meeting before dinner and the evening with colleagues. Such a god job!

One of the things I love about being a member here in Grow is the variety of experiences and bits of AA history and stories I hear from you. They inspire me to keep coming back and to keep growing. This week our topic is the AA group home or away – online or f2f. Please share on this or whatever you need to. The meeting is yours.
In fellowship
Sophie

May 13: Outlook on Life Will Change

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Outlook on Life Will Change

On pg. 84 of the Big Book, the ninth step promises states that,
“Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.”

I had a situation happen this weekend that would have normally put me in a tail spin. Drunk or sober, I tend to fly off the handle emotionally when I go through a break up. I have always had separation anxiety and repeated unhealthy cycles to keep myself from being alone. This time was different. Way different.

I felt God’s presence very strongly. I felt at peace with my decision to end a toxic relationship. I stood up for myself and was able to feel serenity in the fact that I was indeed following God’s will. I felt like something in me had shifted. Like God was truly doing for me what I had never been able to do for myself.

I’ve never been able to end a relationship and be ok with it. I’ve always dreaded the loneliness that followed and so on. This time my outlook on life has changed completely. I see my life today in a positive way. I went through this situation and knew how to handle it. What a miracle!! The glass is half full today instead of half empty.

I have been basking in this new outlook all day. I have had many God moments recently but this one takes the cake. I am truly sitting in an answered prayer right now. I have asked God to change me over and over in the last few months. I have been working with a therapist and my sponsor on a new way of thinking. And suddenly, this weekend, I can see how God has done for me what I could never do for myself before.

He has given me a new outlook on life. A healthy, positive outlook that only focuses on today and his presence with me right now. What a great feeling it is to not sit in misery today, resenting my new single relationship status. What a relief to not be repeating the same tail spin cycle again. The sunlight of the Spirit is shining bright in my life today. This truly is a miracle for me.

Please share your experience with this part of the ninth step promises. I would love to hear how your outlook has changed through this program and share in your sunlight story too.

This meeting is now yours. Thanks for being here.

May 06: Page 164

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Page 164

Hi ladies of GROW, welcome to the new members, and congratulations to those celebrating anniversaries. My name is Ruth F. and I am an alcoholic.

I have the privilege of suggesting a topic for this week. I mulled over a couple of ideas and then the last paragraph on page 164 of the BB kept coming up.

“Abandon yourself to God as you understand God. Admit your faults to Him and to your fellows. Clear away the wreckage of your past. Give freely of what you find and join us. We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit, and you will surely meet some of us as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny. May God bless you and keep you – until then.”

I have always liked this paragraph. What’s not to like, right? For me, It gives me hope and sums up the program for me. I admit I had some difficulty wrapping my head around the word “trudge.” I looked it up in “The Little BIG BOOK DICTIONARY”. There are 2 meanings listed. One is to “move oneself slowly”, and the other is “to walk or march steadily; usually with difficulty”.

So, in the back of my mind, I think of trudging as moving forward, however long it takes. I have been doing some sidestepping and backward walking for a while now. Time passes so quickly and days can turn into weeks, even months before you realize it..

Some of the warning signs for me are the addictive behaviors that crop up. These can include; spending too much money, obsessing, being dishonest and hiding what I am doing.

I have had to get really honest with my support system including my husband, sponsor, and counselor. Returning to f2f meetings have been important to me in order to stop hiding. I finally told my sponsor how long it’d been since my last f2f meetings and was shocked after I figured it out. I am grateful to a wonderful sponsor who helped me to be accountable while encouraging me, in a loving way to get my butt to meetings. It can feel good, to be honest, and follow directions. I could not afford to let any more time get past me without taking action.

So, I will keep on trudging forward along this road of happy destiny because I know it’s progress, not perfection, and I am not alone. I am so grateful for this program and for all of you. I am interested in your take on this paragraph and what it might mean to you.

Thank you for allowing me to be of service and to stay sober.
Ruth F.
2/14/99

Apr 29: The Serenity Prayer

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The Serenity Prayer

Hi! I’m Julie and still a grateful alcoholic. I thank you for allowing me to be of service to the group this week.
For the topic this week, I am suggesting the long form of the Serenity Prayer.

Serenity Prayer
(The Long Form)
God, grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change
Courage to change the things I can,
and the Wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace.
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it.
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life, and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.
Amen

When I came to AA, I dove in and looked for as many resources as possible to help me on my daily sobriety. Thanks to technology I was able to download an app on my smartphone called the 12 step companion.

It’s basically the Big Book on my phone. I love it because it’s always with me.

They have a section of prayers and here is where I first saw the long form of the serenity prayer. I love the long form because it sums up how simple my life can be if I follow a few suggestions.
I ask for help in accepting life on life’s terms.

I ask for courage to take action.

I trust that in my right mind, with the help of my God, I can decipher what’s up to me and what’s not.

I live one minute, one hour, one day at a time.

Trying to enjoy as many of the moments as possible.

Trusting that the good will outweigh the not as good. And then not as good will move along as quickly as it comes.

Remembering there is a God and it’s not me. If I keep letting go and letting God be in charge, I can be happy. It’s my choice.

And finally trusting that if I try my best each day I will be rewarded when my time on earth is through.

It really can be so simple and it truly works.

There’s a lot of life going on for me. Working, married, mom of two little girls. It’s so great that I’m able to enjoy it. Be present for it.

Accept it and live it.
This is why I’ll keep coming back!
Please feel free to share on this topic or anything that’s on your mind.

Julie K
5/17/12

Apr 22: The Second Promise

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The Second Promise

This week, our topic for discussion is the second Promise which states: “We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.”

Recently, I’ve read several statements on social media like: ‘Don’t judge me by my past behaviour; I don’t live there anymore.’

Another one is: ‘Even though there are days I wish I could change some things that happened in the past, there’s a reason why the rear-view mirror is so small and the windshield is so big – where I’m headed is much more important than what I’ve left behind.’

I’ve been sober for awhile now and, thanks to our program, I have dealt with things that I did when I was drinking through forgiveness, making amends, and changing my ways. I know today that I had to go through those things in order to get to where I am today.

I don’t regret my past, for it is one of my greatest assets. All I have to do is remember what it used to be like, and I am filled with gratitude for the kind of life I am living today.

Do you have remorse or bitterness of your actions in your past? If not, how did you get rid of these feelings? Are you grateful for the kind of life you have today?

I’d love to hear from you this week on this topic or on anything else that’s on your mind.

Hugs, Laura G.
6/17/1989

Apr 15: Emotional Sobriety

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Emotional Sobriety

Good Morning Sober Sisters!!

Today marks the 8th year of my sober journey. It is no longer about alcohol for me. In the 12 & 12 pg. 116-117 it states, “we were still trying to find emotional security by being dominating or dependent on others”. It goes on to say “right relations with people who understand us; we don’t have to be alone anymore.” How those words ring true for me. I lived many years either controlling the situation/person or being the “VICTIM”. Today, I seek to do HIS will by living spiritual principles and my reward is sanity and emotional sobriety!!! PRICELESS I rely on my HP whom I choose to call God and the “people who understand me”…that includes YOU! Please share your experience with emotional sobriety or sobriety in general. Thank you for being part of my journey…God is good!

In love and service,
Statia H.
DOS: 04/15/2010

Trusted Servants 04/2018

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Trusted Servants

  • 12 Step Volunteer Listkeeper (4/18-10/18): vacant
  • Birthday Listkeeper (4/18-10/18): Kristin email
  • Sponsor Listkeeper (4/18-10/18): Susan P. email

Trusted Servants who make up the Steering Committee:

  • Business Meeting Chair (10/16 – 10/18): Danna McD. email
  • GSR / OIAA Backup (10/16 – 10/18): Joan B. email
  • Grapevine Rep (GVR): (10/17 – 10/18): Sophie R. email
  • Greeter (4/18-4/19): Gigi D. email
  • Greeter (4/18-4/19): Cheryl B. email
  • Listkeeper (4/8-4/19): Nancy C. email
  • Listkeeper Alternate* (4/18-4/20): Karen H. email
  • Secretary (10/17 – 10/18): Karrie C. email
  • Temporary Mentor (4/18-4/19): Louise H. email
  • Treasurer (10/17-10/19): Sue W. email
  • Webkeeper (non-rotating position): Tanya C. email
  • Webkeeper Backup (10/16 – 10/18): Cheryl D. email
  • Weekly Leader Listkeeper (4/18-4/19): Amanda D. email
  • Immediate Past Business Meeting Chair: Gigi D. email
  • Immediate Past GSR/OIAA Backup: Tanya C. email
  • Immediate Past Secretary: Laura G. email

*Becomes Listkeeper at end of term.

Apr 08: Spiritual Awakening and the Importance of Service

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Spiritual Awakening and the Importance of Service

“The last fifteen years of my life have been rich and meaningful. I have had my share of problems, heartaches and disappointments, because that is life, but also I have known a great deal of joy, and a peace that is the handmaiden of an inner freedom. I have a wealth of friends and, with my A.A. friends, an unusual quality of fellowship. For, to these people, I am truly related. First, through mutual pain and despair, and later through mutual objectives and new-found faith and hope. And, as the years go by, working together, sharing our experiences with one another, and also sharing a mutual trust, understanding and love-without strings, without obligation-we acquire relationships that are unique and priceless.

There is no more “aloneness,” with that awful ache, so deep in the heart of every alcoholic that nothing, before, could ever reach it. That ache is gone and never need return again.

Now there is a sense of belonging, of being wanted and needed and loved. In return for a bottle and a hangover, we have been given the Keys of the Kingdom.” (Keys of the Kingdom, Big Book)

We had a traveling book study where we would finish off with this reading from a story in the big book. It always hit home. The lines “There is no more “aloneness,” with that awful ache, so deep in the heart of every alcoholic that nothing, before, could ever reach it. That ache is gone and never need return again.” In working the 12 steps again and again, I no longer feel like the loneliest person in the room. In addition, remaining active in a Homegroup and general service, I developed a sense of belonging and purpose which has changed my life outside AA. By living in the triangle, life isn’t so bad. Dealing with the highs and the lows, sobriety has taught me to remain active in our three legacies. As a result, the thirst is and has stayed gone.

Topic: spiritual awakening and the importance service. If you are new in sobriety, the topic is modified: how you are working towards achieving a spiritual awakening.

In love and service,
Nicole

0418 – Final Summary

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Final Summary of April 2018 Business Meeting

Twenty-eight participants signed up for the April 2018 Business Meeting. Thank you to everyone who took an interest, and a special thank you to those who participated through it all. During the meeting, we considered 13 proposals and made 12 Group Conscience decisions. One proposal addressing Roll Calls was withdrawn and a new one submitted in its place. The substitution was approved and adopted.

Perhaps the most substantive proposal that was considered was the Report & Proposal to create a new GROW website based using a WordPress platform. We made a unanimous decision to accept the proposal. Workgroup members include: Tanya C (Workgroup Leader & Webkeeper), Cheryl D (Webkeeper Backup), Laurie C, Gigi D, and Allison M. The workgroup will continue to implement the steps they outlined in the proposal, and they will present the proposed new website and related job descriptions in the October 2018 business meeting.

Except for the website and one other proposal (a reminder in the Weekly Meeting Format Letter that we discourage the use of URLs in GROW mail), all other proposals resulted from the review of Trusted Servant job descriptions.

Group Conscience Decisions

  • GROW will create new website using WordPress as its platform to be hosted on the current host (oso-aa.org). The workgroup will present the proposed website in October 2018 that will include revised job descriptions for the Webkeeper and Webkeeper Backup as well as for a new Trusted Servant position of Website Administrator.
  • GROW will participate in the OIAA monthly meeting by providing the following anonymous data about our group: (1) Total membership number and number of new members and (2) Total amount of sobriety for members celebrating sobriety birthdays.
  • Amend Treasurer’s Job Description to reflect actual practices and constraints: (a) Delete line item directing Treasurer to submit monthly reports to the Steering Committee. (b) Change period for distributions to GSO from quarterly to semi-annual consistent with our Business Meetings.
  • Add language about not using URLs in messages to blank “Topic for the week” section of the Weekly Meeting Format Letter.
  • Delete references in the GSR job description to the OIAA Representative including the position title and two bullets describing the GSR’s involvement with OIAA. Consistent with this change, also delete references to GSR in OIAA Rep job description.
  • Delete three duties from the Greeter job description that are not relevant to the job.
  • Amend the existing bullet in the Grapevine Representative job description that calls on the GVR to lead one meeting a month and add sentences to the Grapevine Form Letter inviting members to share on the month’s theme. Amend existing duties in the Weekly Leader Listkeeper job description to specify the timing.
  • Amend the bullet referring to a 12th Step Back-up to delete that reference.
  • Add a bullet to the OIAA Representative’s job description to submit monthly anonymous information about GROW to OIAA.
  • Add a bullet to the Listkeepers’ job description about providing monthly information about GROW to the OIAA Representative.
  • Edit the existing bullet under the Listkeepers’ Job Description to call for Roll Calls of the GROW membership be done only when there are disruptive email issues, as recommended by oso-aa.org technical support. Our Listkeepers will determine when the issues warrant a Roll Call.

There were no proposals that received “I disagree” votes; therefore, no minority opinions were needed. The only item to carry forward to the October meeting will be the presentation of the new GROW website design and related job descriptions.

This final summary concludes our GROW April 2018 Business Meeting. Special thanks to our Webkeepers, Tanya and Cheryl, for posting decisions and minutes on our website. Also, thanks to our Listkeepers, Nancy C and Karen H, for their work in getting members signed up for the meeting. By the way, you do not have to ask the Listkeepers to unsubscribe you from the Business Meeting; they will do the unsubs in a couple of days.

Thank you all for being here. A special thanks to those who participated in discussions and voting. You made this meeting a great success!

The meeting is now adjourned.

Respectfully submitted, danna M | Business Meeting Chair dmcd.grow@zoho.com

0418 – Fifth 3-day Period Minutes

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Fifth 3-Day Period

During the fifth 3-day session, we voted on three proposals. There were no discussions, and no new proposals were submitted. Fourteen (14) people voted for each of the proposals, and all votes were “I agree.” Therefore, we have three new Group Conscience Decisions:

Results of Voting

Proposal 11.5 OIAA Representative’s Job Description
Add a bullet to the OIAA Representative’s job description to submit monthly anonymous information about GROW to OIAA.

Recommended Language: (new 6th bullet)
Each month, provide OIAA with (1) the number of members in GROW and the number of new members that month and (2) the total amount of sobriety for members who celebrated an anniversary in that month.

Proposal 12.5: OIAA-related bullet – Listkeepers’ Job Description
Add a bullet to the Listkeepers’ job description about providing monthly information about GROW to the OIAA Representative.

Recommended Language: (new 7th bullet)
Provide the OIAA Representative with the total number of GROW members and the number of new members each month.

Proposal 13.5: OIAA-related bullet – Listkeepers’ Job Description
Edit the existing bullet under the Listkeepers’ Job Description to call for Roll Calls of the GROW membership be done only when there are disruptive email issues, as recommended by oso-aa.org technical support. Our Listkeepers will determine when the issues warrant a Roll Call.

Recommended Language (Listkeepers’ Job Description):
Conduct a roll call every year. Determine the need for and conduct a roll call of GROW members when there are disruptive email issues. Our Listkeepers will determine when the issues warrant a Roll Call, and the particulars of when and how shall be left to the discretion of the Listkeepers.

 

There are no more discussions or proposals. Since there were no “I disagree” votes, there is no need to wait for a minority opinion or a revote.

This was a very easy meeting! There was not one single negative vote even though we had a mountain of proposals. Of course, most of the proposals resulted from the Trusted Servants’ reviews of their job descriptions, making some work for our webkeepers.

The most outstanding action we took was approving the Web Workgroup’s report and proposal for GROW’s website. A huge thanks goes out to the workgroup, which includes Tanya C (Workgroup Leader & Webkeeper), Cheryl D (Webkeeper Backup), Laurie C, Gigi D, and Allison M. They will continue to work on the new website and job descriptions which will be presented to us in the October 2018 Business Meeting.

I will send out a summary of the entire meeting shortly, at which time I will adjourn the meeting.

Respectfully submitted, danna M | Business Meeting Chair dmcd.grow@zoho.com

0418 – Fourth 3-day Period Minutes

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Fourth 3-Day Period

During the fourth 3-day session of our April 2018 meeting, we voted on four proposals and discussed three new proposals. This is going to be an easy one. On all four of our proposals, the vote (of 16 for each) was unanimously in favor of the proposal; therefore, we have four new group conscience decisions.

Results of Voting
Proposal 7.3: Greeters Job Description

Delete the following three duties from the Greeter job description that are not relevant to the job:

  • If new member does not have access to the web, forwards group information, as requested.
  • Sends resubscription requests to the Listkeeper.
  • Communicates with the GROW 12-Step Volunteer Listkeeper about women who may need extra support.

 

Proposal 8.3 Grapevine Rep Job Description
Amend the existing bullet in the Grapevine Representative job description that calls on the GVR to lead one meeting a month and add sentences to the Grapevine Form Letter inviting members to share on the month’s theme.

Recommended change in job description: The GVR will chair one meeting a month on inform the group of the topic presented in that month’s Grapevine.
Recommended change in Grapevine Form Letter, Add the following language to the first paragraph as follows:
This month’s topic is: [from aagrapevine.org/]. This month’s feature story in print is: [from aagrapevine.org/] – summary available online. This month’s online feature story is: [from aagrapevine.org/]. Note that in order to read entire article, one has to subscribe; however, there is usually one that is available to read in its entirety. I encourage you to share on this month’s Grapevine theme or feature story. When you do, please put “Grapevine Topic:” in the subject line of your message.

Proposal 9.3 Weekly Leader Listkeeper Job Description

Amend existing duties in the Weekly Leader Listkeeper job description to specify the timing as follows:

Amend existing bullet and add a new bullet to address non-related duties:
Send the one-month schedule of meeting chair dates and corresponding Weekly Leaders to the group on a monthly basis (in addition to posting regular weekly reminders of the meeting topics). At mid-week, re-post the Sunday meeting topic e-mail letter.
Add language specifying timing on two existing bullets:
At mid-week before the new meeting provide weekly topic leader with clean copy of meeting format.
At the beginning of each month, post Step and Tradition discussion topics to correspond with the month.

Proposal 10.3 12th Step Volunteer Listkeeper Job Description

Amend the bullet referring to a 12th Step Back-up to delete that reference as shown below:

Recommended Language (for 12th Step Listkeeper):
Notify 12th Step Back-up, Group the Listkeeper and Greeters Secretary if unavailable for a period of time. (Backup will then Greeters and/or Listkeepers Secretary will either assume the above responsibilities or work with the Steering Committee to assure the duties are performed in the 12th Step Volunteer Listkeeper’s absence). The 12th Step Listkeeper will provide a current list of 12th Step Volunteers to the Secretary/Greeters/Listkeepers when she notifies her of her temporary absence.
Recommended Language (for Greeters and Listkeepers Secretary):
In 12th Step Volunteer Listkeeper’s temporary absence, either alert 12th Step volunteers of a need for support or work with Steering Committee to assure these duties are covered.
For Listkeepers’ job description, delete three existing bullets referring to 12th Step activities.
Greet, correspond with, introduce and subscribe emergency 12th Step calls.
Forward names to 12th Step Listkeeper.
Maintain two-month archive of these names.

Discussion of New Proposals
This one will be very easy. There was little discussion on the three new proposals, and all comments supported the proposals. In the fifth 3-day session, we will vote on these proposals.

Please do not submit your vote until you receive the official “Call for Votes” message.

The three proposals we will vote on are:

Proposal 11.5: Add a bullet to the OIAA Representative’s job description to submit monthly anonymous information about GROW to OIAA.
Proposal 12.5: Add a bullet to the Listkeepers’ job description about providing monthly information about GROW to the OIAA Representative.
Proposal 13.5: Edit the existing bullet under the Listkeepers’ Job Description to call for Roll Calls.
There are no more proposals to consider during this meeting. I will announce the results of voting on Tuesday, April 17th. If no more proposals have been submitted by then, we will adjourn the meeting.

Thank you all for your service to GROW!

Respectfully submitted, danna M | Business Meeting Chair dmcd.grow@zoho.com

0418 – Third 3-day Period Minutes

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Third 3-Day Period

During the third 3-day session of the April 2018 GROW Business Meeting, we voted on four proposals and discussed five more proposals. Your votes were unanimous on all of the proposals. We are, therefore, adding four more new Group Conscience decisions. While there was broad agreement on two of the five proposals being discussed, three proposals generated some conversation.

Results of Voting
Proposal 1.2: OIAA Representative Job Description

GROW will participate in the OIAA monthly meeting by providing the following anonymous data about our group: (1) Total membership number and number of new members and (2) Total amount of sobriety for members celebrating sobriety birthdays.

The OIAA Representative will ask the Listkeeper to provide the number of new members each month and will use the Birthday Listkeepers end-of-month summary to collect the anonymous sobriety birthday information.

Sixteen (16) participants voted “I agree” (no one voted “I disagree”) on the proposal to provide anonymous data about GROW to OIAA each month. Therefore, the proposal passes.

**** The Chair now realizes that the proposal did not include adding anything to the OIAA Representative’s job description to reflect this decision. We will discuss a new proposal that adds a new bullet to the job description during the fourth 3-day session of our meeting.

*** The Chair further realizes that, in order to provide the information, our Listkeepers will have to keep a tally of new members each month to give this information to the OIAA Rep. We will discuss a new proposal that adds a new bullet to the job description during the fourth 3-day session of our meeting.

 

Proposal 2.2: Treasurer Job Description

Amend Treasurer’s Job Description to reflect actual practices and constraints: (a) Delete line item directing Treasurer to submit monthly reports to the Steering Committee. (b) Change period for distributions to GSO from quarterly to semi-annual consistent with our Business Meetings.

Eighteen (18) participants voted “I agree” on the proposal to delete one task from the job description and to change the frequency of distributions to GSO from quarterly to biannual consistent with our Business Meetings. There were no “I disagree” votes on the proposal. Therefore, the proposal is unanimously approved and adopted.

Proposal 3.2: URL Reminder

Add language about not using URLs in messages to blank “Topic for the week” section of the Weekly Meeting Format Letter.

Recommended Language (add to the Weekly Meeting Format Letter as shown):

Topic for the week: [ Introduce the Topic of the Week – Remember that we do not include URLs to sites outside GROW except links to the AA, Grapevine, and GROW websites.]

Eighteen (18) participants voted “I agree” on the proposal to add a reminder to our Weekly Topic Leader Message form letter that GROW discourages the use of URLs in messages to the list. No one voted “I disagree” on the proposal; therefore, it is approved and adopted.

Summary of Discussions
On two of the five proposals being considered during Session 3, comments were in general agreement. These were Proposal 7.2 (Greeter Job Description) and Proposal 9.2 (Weekly Leader Listkeeper Job Description). There were comments that disagreed with or that would amend the proposal for Proposal 6.2 (Listkeeper Job Description – Roll Call), Proposal 8.2 (Grapevine Representative Job Description), and Proposal 10.2 (12th Step Volunteer Listkeeper Job Description).

Some commenters on Proposal 6.2 (Listkeeper Job Description – Roll Call) felt that conducting a roll call every year is a valuable service. That we have decided to submit information on the number of members to OIAA each month underscored this point. A few participants questioned the need for doing a roll call at all except when there are problems with the list.

Update on Proposal 6.2: The person who submitted the proposal decided to withdraw the current language and substitute language that roll calls of the GROW membership be done only when there are disruptive email issues, as recommended by oso-aa.org technical support. Therefore, we will consider this change as a new proposal (13.4) during the fourth 3-day session. We will not vote on Proposal 6.2.

Comments on Proposal 8.2 (Grapevine Representative (GVR) Job Description) generally agreed with the proposal but would amend it on the question of what to put in the “Subject:” of messages on the Grapevine topic. Commenters agreed that the GVR should not lead a meeting every month but that she should send a monthly message to the group about the Grapevine theme and featured article.

The proposal called for the GVR to invite members to share on the theme or article, and commenters suggested that the invitation should include a request that members include “Off Topic” in the subject line of their shares. Several commenters felt that the subject line should include “Grapevine Topic.”

Agreeing with the latter, the Chair has modified the proposal to include the suggested language in the revised Proposal 8.3 for purposes of voting during the fourth 3-day session. Please do not vote on this proposal until you receive the “Call for Votes” message.

On Proposal 10.2 (12th Step Volunteer Listkeeper), questions arose as to whether the Greeters/Listkeepers are the appropriate Trusted Servants to notify if the 12th Step Listkeeper is temporarily unavailable to monitor messages and notify the committee of need for support. A participant pointed out that the Secretary already maintains a list of committee members and is the appropriate person to handle TS-related absences.

The Chair has changed the proposal to reflect the correct Trusted Servant (changing Greeters/Listkeepers to Secretary) responsible for managing TS absences. We will vote on this revised proposal during the fourth 3-day session. Please do not vote on this proposal until you receive the “Call for Votes” message.

During the fourth 3-day session of our meeting, we will vote on four proposals. We will discuss two new proposals that represent areas where job descriptions need to be changed to reflect Group Conscience decisions made earlier in this meeting: Proposal 11.4 (OIAA Job Description) will add monthly reporting to OIAA to the OIAA Representative’s job description and Proposal 12.4 (Listkeepers Job Description) will add providing a monthly tally of new members to the Listkeeper job descriptions so they can provide this information to the OIAA Representative. A third new Proposal 13.4 (Roll Calls) has been submitted that would eliminate regularly scheduled Roll Calls and authorize the Listkeepers to determine when a Roll Call is needed due to excessive problems with the mailing list or to cull members who no longer participate in GROW.

The Chair will request your comments on these issues during the fourth 3-day session in upcoming messages.

Respectfully submitted, danna M | Business Meeting Chair dmcd.grow@zoho.com

0418 – Second 3-day Period Minutes

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Minutes for Second 3-day Period

During the second 3-day period of our April 2018 Business Meeting, participants voted on one proposal and discussed four new proposals.

Results of Voting on Proposal 4.1 – GROW Website

Of the 28 members on the business list, 21 voted in favor of the proposal. No one voted against it. Therefore, we have a unanimous Group Conscience decision, and the workgroup is now authorized to complete the tasks outlined in their Report/Proposal. We want to thank the workgroup for their ongoing efforts to improve GROW’s website: Tanya C (Workgroup Leader & Webkeeper), Cheryl D (Webkeeper Backup), Laurie C, Gigi D, and Allison M.

Group Conscience Decision:

GROW will create new website using WordPress as its platform to be hosted on the current host (oso-aa.org). The workgroup will present the proposed website in October 2018 that will include revised job descriptions for the Webkeeper and Webkeeper Backup as well as for a new Trusted Servant position of Website Administrator.

Workgroup Report/Proposal:
The workgroup proposes creating new website using WordPress as its platform. This allows for an archival, user-friendly, device-responsive solution that has plagued our current website. We recommend hosting it with our current host (oso-aa.org). The cost of hosting will not change from our current contributions. The cost for building the new website will be $0 as it will be built by members of the workgroup.

The process for building the new website will take 5-6 months to complete, and it is the intent of the workgroup to migrate the content of the old website to the new website without any major changes. However, due to the nature of the new platform (WordPress) there may be some deviation in its structure. It is the intent of the workgroup to note any such deviation and present it as a proposal for approval in the October business meeting.

Proposed detail timeline:

Set up the site and structure – 2 weeks
Copy content over 30 pages a month; current website has 91 pages – 3 months.
Review and test – one month
Copy content over 30 pages a month; current website has 91 pages – 3 months.
Discuss and iron out roles and description of trusted servants – admin, web-keeper and backup web-keeper. Prepare proposals to present in October – 2 weeks
Copy content over 30 pages a month; current website has 91 pages – 3 months.
Standards and rules (category/tags) for web-keepers, checklist for admin – 1 week
Copy content over 30 pages a month; current website has 91 pages – 3 months.
Prepare proposal(s) to be approve for site deviation(s) – 1 week
Copy content over 30 pages a month; current website has 91 pages – 3 months.
Projected total time – 4 1/2 months – 6 months (to allow for life events)
The workgroup recommends adding an Admin trusted-servant position with a specific list of functions to manage and oversee the backend of the website. We also recommend modifying the roles of webkeeper and backup webkeeper to the functions of maintaining the content of the website. We recommend that all these positions be rotating and voting members of the steering group. The specifics and detailed responsibilities of these roles will be presented in the October meeting.

It is our intent from this proposal is to get approval from the membership to proceed with building the new website.

It is outside the scope of this proposal to 1) review and modify the role of the Treasurer to be the keeper of the domain and host as they are the ones that transfer payment to those pertinent entities and 2) to review the contributions paid to oso-aa.org.

Discussions on Proposals Addressing Trusted Servant Job Descriptions:

During the second 3-day session, participants had the opportunity to discuss changes that were proposed to several positions as a result of reviews by Trusted Servants to assure their own position descriptions were up-to-date and accurate. The TS positions discussed in this session were: OIAA Representative, Treasurer, and GSR.

Comments were brief and generally supportive of the job description edits. The number of participants commenting on each proposal were: six on Proposal 1.2 (OIAA Rep), seven on Proposal 2.2 (Treasurer), and four on Proposal 5.2 (GSR). For Proposal 2.2, past Treasurers commented that the Rationale section of the proposal was not entirely accurate; however, they were in favor of the proposed job description edits.

Proposal 3.2 called for adding a reminder to the Weekly Meeting Format Letter that GROW’s policy is to discourage the use of URLs in posts to the mailing list. All comments supported the proposal. Comments supported this proposal.

In the third 3-day session, we will vote on Proposals 1.2, 2.2, 3.2, and 5.2. Please do not submit your vote on any of these until you receive the official “Call for Votes” message.

In the third 3-day session, we will also discuss several more proposals aimed at updating current Trusted Servant job descriptions. Given the limited comments on and general approval of these job description proposal in the second 3-day session, we will consider all remaining proposals at this time:

Proposal 6.3 (GROW Roll Call timing)
Proposal 7.3 (Greeters job description)
Proposal 8.3 (Grapevine Rep job description)
Proposal 9.3 (Weekly Leader Listkeeper job description)
Proposal 10.3 (12th Step Volunteer Listkeeper)

Respectfully submitted, danna M |Business Meeting Chair dmcd.grow@zoho.com

0418 – First 3-day Period Minutes

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First 3-Day Period

We had an extremely quiet first 3-day session in which we considered one proposal. The Workgroup submitted their report and proposal for how to go about modernizing the GROW website. Six participants commented, all agreeing with the ideas outlined in the report. Given the unanimity of the comments, we will vote on Proposal 4.1 in the second 3-day session.

Also in the second 3-day session, we will consider four proposals, three of them representing the Trusted Servants’ review of their own job descriptions:

Proposal 1.2: OIAA Rep Job Description
Proposal 2.2: Treasurer Job Description
Proposal 5.2: GSR Job Description
We will also consider Proposal 3.2 adding a reminder about not using URLs in messages in the Weekly Meeting Format Letter.

If you would like to participate in our business meeting, please send a note to our Listkeepers (Nancy C. & Karen H.) at grow-owner@oso-aa.org/, and they will be sure you are on that list.

Respectfully, danna M | Business Meeting Chair

0418 – Proposal 13: OIAA-Related Bullet – Listkeepers’ Job Description

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Proposal 13: OIAA-related bullet – Listkeepers’ job description

Proposal 13.4: Edit the existing bullet under the Listkeepers’ Job Description to call for Roll Calls of the GROW membership be done only when there are disruptive email issues, as recommended by oso-aa.org technical support. Our Listkeepers will determine when the issues warrant a Roll Call.

Recommended change in job description: (Listkeepers’ Job Description)
Conduct a roll call every year. Determine the need for and conduct a roll call of GROW members when there are disruptive email issues. Our Listkeepers will determine when the issues warrant a Roll Call, and the particulars of when and how shall be left to the discretion of the Listkeepers.

Rationale: GROW started doing Roll Calls when we were having significant problems with our members receiving and sending e-mails through our server. Some e-mail services were not sufficiently up-to-date to be compatible with our servers. The problems that led to the need for a Roll Call have been resolved. Our tech support person at oso-aa.org advises us that Roll Calls may be necessary when disruptive e-mail issues arise. Therefore, the need to conduct a Roll Call is dependent on two factors: unmanageable disruption of delivering/receiving e-mails through GROW or need to cull members who no longer use or want our service.

Summary of Comments on Proposal 13

There are no more discussions or proposals. Since there were no “I disagree” votes, there is no need to wait for a minority opinion or a revote.

Results of Voting on Proposal 13

The vote was unanimously in favor of the proposal, therefore, the proposal is approved and adopted.

Group Conscience Decision:

Edit the existing bullet under the Listkeepers’ Job Description to call for Roll Calls of the GROW membership be done only when there are disruptive email issues, as recommended by oso-aa.org technical support. Our Listkeepers will determine when the issues warrant a Roll Call.

Recommended change in job description: (Listkeepers’ Job Description)
Conduct a roll call every year. Determine the need for and conduct a roll call of GROW members when there are disruptive email issues. Our Listkeepers will determine when the issues warrant a Roll Call, and the particulars of when and how shall be left to the discretion of the Listkeepers.

0418 – Proposal 12: OIAA-Related Bullet – Listkeepers’ Job Description

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Proposal 12: OIAA-related bullet – Listkeepers’ job description

Proposal 12.4: Add a bullet to the Listkeepers’ job description about providing monthly information about GROW to the OIAA Representative.

Recommended change in job description: (new 7th bullet)
Provide the OIAA Representative with the total number of GROW members and the number of new members each month.

Rationale: A Group Conscience decision approved during this meeting authorizes the OIAA Rep to provide anonymous information about GROW to OIAA each month. The OIAA Rep does not have access to some of the information, so our Listkeepers will have to provide it. This proposal is a follow-up to the Group Conscience decision.
.

Summary of Comments on Proposal 12

There are no more discussions or proposals. Since there were no “I disagree” votes, there is no need to wait for a minority opinion or a revote.

Results of Voting on Proposal 12

The vote was unanimously in favor of the proposal, therefore, the proposal is approved and adopted.

Group Conscience Decision:

Add a bullet to the Listkeepers’ job description about providing monthly information about GROW to the OIAA Representative.

Recommended change in job description: (new 7th bullet)
Provide the OIAA Representative with the total number of GROW members and the number of new members each month.

0418 – Proposal 11: Changes to 12th Step Volunteer Listkeeper’s Job Description

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Proposal 11: Changes to 12th Step Volunteer Listkeeper’s job description.

Proposal 11.4: Add a bullet to the OIAA Representative’s job description to submit monthly anonymous information about GROW to OIAA.

Recommended change in job description: (new 6th bullet)
Each month, provide OIAA with (1) the number of members in GROW and the number of new members that month and (2) the total amount of sobriety for members who celebrated an anniversary in that month.

Rationale: A Group Conscience decision approved during this meeting authorizes the OIAA Rep to provide this information. This proposal is a follow-up to the Group Conscience decision.

Summary of Comments on Proposal 11

There are no more discussions or proposals. Since there were no “I disagree” votes, there is no need to wait for a minority opinion or a revote.

Results of Voting on Proposal 11

The vote was unanimously in favor of the proposal, therefore, the proposal is approved and adopted.

Group Conscience Decision:

Add a bullet to the OIAA Representative’s job description to submit monthly anonymous information about GROW to OIAA.

Recommended change in job description: (new 6th bullet)
Each month, provide OIAA with (1) the number of members in GROW and the number of new members that month and (2) the total amount of sobriety for members who celebrated an anniversary in that month.

0418 – Proposal 10: Changes to 12th Step Volunteer Listkeeper’s Job Description

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Proposal 10: Changes to 12th Step Volunteer Listkeeper’s job description.

Proposal 10.3:

Edit the bullet referring to a 12th Step Back-up to delete that reference as shown below:

Recommended change in job description:
Notify 12th Step Back-up, Group the Listkeeper and Greeters if unavailable for a period of time. (Backup will then Greeters and/or Listkeepers will either assume the above responsibilities or work with the Steering Committee to assure the duties are performed in her absence).

Rationale: The bullet is out-of-date and inaccurate. There is no 12th Step Back-up, nor has there been for some time. The Listkeepers and Greeters can take the lead on covering her duties while the 12th Step Listkeeper is out of pocket, particularly by contacting the Steering Committee to find people who can cover the job.

Summary of Comments on Proposal 10

 

Results of Voting on Proposal 10

The vote (of 16) was unanimously in favor of the proposal, therefore, the proposal is approved and adopted.

Group Conscience Decision:

Amend the bullet referring to a 12th Step Back-up to delete that reference as shown below:

Recommended Language (for 12th Step Listkeeper):
Notify 12th Step Back-up, Group the Listkeeper and Greeters Secretary if unavailable for a period of time. (Backup will then Greeters and/or Listkeepers Secretary will either assume the above responsibilities or work with the Steering Committee to assure the duties are performed in the 12th Step Volunteer Listkeeper’s absence). The 12th Step Listkeeper will provide a current list of 12th Step Volunteers to the Secretary/Greeters/Listkeepers when she notifies her of her temporary absence.
Recommended Language (for Greeters and Listkeepers Secretary):
In 12th Step Volunteer Listkeeper’s temporary absence, either alert 12th Step volunteers of a need for support or work with Steering Committee to assure these duties are covered.
For Listkeepers’ job description, delete three existing bullets referring to 12th Step activities.
Greet, correspond with, introduce and subscribe emergency 12th Step calls.
Forward names to 12th Step Listkeeper.
Maintain two-month archive of these names.

0418 – Proposal 9: Changes to Weekly Meeting Listkeeper’s Job Description

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Proposal 9: Changes to Weekly Meeting Listkeeper’s job description.

Proposal 9.3: Amend existing duties in the Weekly Leader Listkeeper job description to specify the timing as follows:

Amend existing bullet and add a new bullet to address non-related duties:

Send the one-month schedule of meeting chair dates and corresponding Weekly Leaders to the group on a monthly basis (in addition to posting regular weekly reminders of the meeting topics).
At mid-week, re-post the Sunday meeting letter.
Add language specifying timing on two existing bullets:

At mid-week before the new meeting provide weekly topic leader with clean copy of meeting format.
At the beginning of each month, post Step and Tradition discussion topics to correspond with the month.

Rationale: This proposal results from the Trusted Servant’s review of her current job description. The current job description does not make clear when these actions should occur. Specifying the timing will be helpful to people who are new in the position.

Summary of Comments on Proposal 9

 

Results of Voting on Proposal 9

The vote (of 16) was unanimously in favor of the proposal, therefore, the proposal is approved and adopted.

Group Conscience Decision:

Amend existing duties in the Weekly Leader Listkeeper job description to specify the timing as follows:

Amend existing bullet and add a new bullet to address non-related duties:
Send the one-month schedule of meeting chair dates and corresponding Weekly Leaders to the group on a monthly basis (in addition to posting regular weekly reminders of the meeting topics). At mid-week, re-post the Sunday meeting topic e-mail letter.
Add language specifying timing on two existing bullets:
At mid-week before the new meeting provide weekly topic leader with clean copy of meeting format.
At the beginning of each month, post Step and Tradition discussion topics to correspond with the month.

0418 – Proposal 8: Changes to Grapevine Representative’s Job Description

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Proposal 8: Add language about not using URLs in messages to the Weekly Meeting Format Letter.

Proposal 8.3:

Amend the existing bullet in the Grapevine Representative job description that calls on the GVR to lead one meeting a month and add a sentence to the Grapevine Form Letter inviting members to share on the month’s theme.

Recommended change in job description:
The GVR will chair one meeting a month on inform the group of the topic presented in that month’s Grapevine.

Recommended change in Grapevine Form Letter (Add a sentence to the first paragraph as follows)
This month’s topic is: [from aagrapevine.org/]. This month’s feature story in print is: [from aagrapevine.org/] – summary available online. This month’s online feature story is: [from aagrapevine.org/]. Note that in order to read entire article, one has to subscribe; however, there is usually one that is available to read in its entirety. I encourage you to share with the group on this month’s Grapevine theme or feature story.

Rationale: This proposal results from the Trusted Servant’s review of her current job description. Leading the weekly meeting is one of the most popular activities for members of GROW, and we quickly fill weekly slots. To reserve one meeting a month for the GVR would prevent many members from having that opportunity. Instead, the GVR will send a monthly message to the group highlighting the magazine’s theme for the month and inviting others to share on that topic.

Summary of Comments on Proposal 8

Results of Voting on Proposal 8

The vote (of 16) was unanimously in favor of the proposal, therefore, the proposal is approved and adopted.

Group Conscience Decision:

Amend the existing bullet in the Grapevine Representative job description that calls on the GVR to lead one meeting a month and add sentences to the Grapevine Form Letter inviting members to share on the month’s theme.

Recommended change in job description: The GVR will chair one meeting a month on inform the group of the topic presented in that month’s Grapevine.
Recommended change in Grapevine Form Letter, Add the following language to the first paragraph as follows:
This month’s topic is: [from aagrapevine.org/]. This month’s feature story in print is: [from aagrapevine.org/] – summary available online. This month’s online feature story is: [from aagrapevine.org/]. Note that in order to read entire article, one has to subscribe; however, there is usually one that is available to read in its entirety. I encourage you to share on this month’s Grapevine theme or feature story. When you do, please put “Grapevine Topic:” in the subject line of your message.

0418 – Proposal 7: Changes to Greeters’ Job Description

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Proposal 7: Changes to Greeters’ job description.

Proposal 7.3: Delete the following three duties from the Greeter job description that are not relevant to the job:

If new member does not have access to the web, forwards group information, as requested.
Sends resubscription requests to the Listkeeper.
Communicates with the GROW 12-Step Volunteer Listkeeper about women who may need extra support.

Rationale: This proposal results from the Trusted Servants’ review of their job description. Three bullets in the job description have historically not been done and should be removed. The first listed above is irrelevant, especially because if someone has access to e-mail, they have access to the web. The second is not needed because requests to resubscribe have not been received by the Greeters. The third is no more relevant to Greeters than to any other GROW member and should not be included as a specific duty for the Greeters.

Summary of Comments on Proposal 7

 

Results of Voting on Proposal 7

The vote (of 16) was unanimously in favor of the proposal, therefore, the proposal is approved and adopted.

Group Conscience Decision:

Delete the following three duties from the Greeter job description that are not relevant to the job:

If new member does not have access to the web, forwards group information, as requested.
Sends resubscription requests to the Listkeeper.
Communicates with the GROW 12-Step Volunteer Listkeeper about women who may need extra support.

0418 – Proposal 6: Changes to Listkeepers’ Job Description

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Proposal 6: Changes to Listkeepers’ job description.

Proposal 6.3: Change the line item in the Listkeepers’ job descriptions to reflect the actual need for GROW mailing list roll calls from every year to every third year or if list management problems arise.

Rationale: The change results from the current Trusted Servant’s review of the existing job description. The oso-aa.org administrator has informed our Listkeepers that the roll call is only needed when there are problems with the functioning of the list. Therefore, our Listkeepers recommend changing the frequency to once every three years unless unforeseen problems come up.

Recommended Language (amend the following bullet as shown): Conduct a roll call every third year or if needed to address list management problems when they arise. The particulars of when and how shall be left to the discretion of the Listkeepers.

Summary of Comments on Proposal 6

The person who submitted the proposal decided to withdraw the current language and substitute language that roll calls of the GROW membership be done only when there are disruptive email issues, as recommended by oso-aa.org technical support. Therefore, we will consider this change as a new proposal (13.4) during the fourth 3-day session. We will not vote on Proposal 6.2.

Results of Voting on Proposal 6

No voting on Proposal 6.2 as proposal was withdrawn as written and resubmitted revision in proposal 13.

Group Conscience Decision:

[  –  ]

0418 – Proposal 5: Changes to GSR Job Decription

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Proposal 5: Changes to the GSR Job Description.

Proposal 5.2: Delete references in the GSR job description to the OIAA Representative including the position title and two bullets describing the GSR’s involvement with OIAA.

Rationale: This proposal results from the review of position descriptions by the Trusted Servant serving in the position. The current GSR, whose term began two years ago, reports that she has had no interaction with the OIAA Representative or with OIAA. Given that the two organizations are very different, it doesn’t make sense for the GSR to be the OIAA Rep’s backup.

Summary of Comments on Proposal 5.2

 

Results of Voting on Proposal 5

Seventeen (17) participants voted “I agree” on the proposal to eliminate mention of the OIAA Representative’s job in the General Service Representative’s job description. No one voted “I disagree;” therefore, the proposal is approved and adopted. Based on participant comments one addition was made to the proposal language for purposes of voting: we added a sentence to remove references to the GSR from the OIAA Rep’s job description.

Group Conscience Decision:

Delete references in the GSR job description to the OIAA Representative including the position title and two bullets describing the GSR’s involvement with OIAA. Consistent with this change, also delete references to GSR in OIAA Rep job description.

0418 – Proposal 4: Website Report and Proposal

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Proposal 4: New Website Proposal

Proposal 4.1: GROW will create new website using WordPress as its platform to be hosted on the current host (oso-aa.org). The workgroup will present the proposed website in October 2018 that will include revised job descriptions for the Webkeeper and Webkeeper Backup as well as for a new Trusted Servant position of Website Administrator.

Workgroup Report/Proposal:
The workgroup proposes creating new website using WordPress as its platform. This allows for an archival, user-friendly, device-responsive solution that has plagued our current website. We recommend hosting it with our current host (oso-aa.org). The cost of hosting will not change from our current contributions. The cost for building the new website will be $0 as it will be built by members of the workgroup.

The process for building the new website will take 5-6 months to complete, and it is the intent of the workgroup to migrate the content of the old website to the new website without any major changes. However, due to the nature of the new platform (WordPress) there may be some deviation in its structure. It is the intent of the workgroup to note any such deviation and present it as a proposal for approval in the October business meeting.

Proposed detail timeline:

Set up the site and structure – 2 weeks
Copy content over 30 pages a month; current website has 91 pages – 3 months.
Review and test – one month
Discuss and iron out roles and description of trusted servants – admin, web-keeper and backup web-keeper. Prepare proposals to present in October – 2 weeks
Standards and rules (category/tags) for web-keepers, checklist for admin – 1 week
Prepare proposal(s) to be approve for site deviation(s) – 1 week
Projected total time – 4 1/2 months – 6 months (to allow for life events)
The workgroup recommends adding an Admin trusted-servant position with a specific list of functions to manage and oversee the backend of the website. We also recommend modifying the roles of webkeeper and backup webkeeper to the functions of maintaining the content of the website. We recommend that all these positions be rotating and voting members of the steering group. The specifics and detailed responsibilities of these roles will be presented in the October meeting.

It is our intent from this proposal is to get approval from the membership to proceed with building the new website.

It is outside the scope of this proposal to 1) review and modify the role of the Treasurer to be the keeper of the domain and host as they are the ones that transfer payment to those pertinent entities and 2) to review the contributions paid to oso-aa.org.

We will now have three days to discuss this proposal. Discussions will close at the end of the day on Wednesday, April 4.

A follow-up note to Proposal 4.1: We did not acknowledge the members of the Website workgroup. Our thanks to: Tanya C (Workgroup Leader & Webkeeper), Cheryl D (Webkeeper Backup), Laurie C, Gigi D, and Allison M. I am assuming that these women will answer questions about the proposal.

Summary of Comments on Proposal 4.1

 

Results of Voting on Proposal 4.1

Of the 28 members on the business list, 21 voted in favor of the proposal. No one voted against it. Therefore, we have a unanimous Group Conscience decision, and the workgroup is now authorized to complete the tasks outlined in their Report/Proposal. We want to thank the workgroup for their ongoing efforts to improve GROW’s website: Tanya C (Workgroup Leader & Webkeeper), Cheryl D (Webkeeper Backup), Laurie C, Gigi D, and Allison M.

Group Conscience Decision:

GROW will create new website using WordPress as its platform to be hosted on the current host (oso-aa.org). The workgroup will present the proposed website in October 2018 that will include revised job descriptions for the Webkeeper and Webkeeper Backup as well as for a new Trusted Servant position of Website Administrator.

0418 – Proposal 3: URL’s in the Weekly Meeting Format Letter

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Proposal 3: Add language about not using URLs in messages to the Weekly Meeting Format Letter.

Proposal 3.2: Add language about not using URLs in messages to blank “Topic for the week” section of the Weekly Meeting Format Letter.

Rationale: Rationale: In April 2017, we decided to discourage the use of URLs – other than those to AA, Grapevine, and GROW website – in messages to our membership. A sentence was added to the monthly “GROW Guidelines for Email Participation” and the corresponding GROW webpage. Recently, a weekly meeting topic went out to our group containing a link to YouTube. Adding the approved language to the weekly meeting format letter will help avoid this.

Recommended Language (add to the Weekly Meeting Format Letter as shown): Topic for the week:
[ Introduce the Topic of the Week – Remember that we do not include URLs to sites outside GROW except links to the AA, Grapevine, and GROW websites. ]

Summary of Comments on Proposal 3.2

Four (4) participants commented on this proposal, all of them supporting it because it improves members’ understanding of AA organizations and events, as was raised in responses to the Group Inventory questions. We will vote on Proposal 11.5 during the fifth 3-day period of our meeting.

Results of Voting on Proposal 3.2

Eighteen (18) participants voted “I agree” on the proposal to add a reminder to our Weekly Topic Leader Message form letter that GROW discourages the use of URLs in messages to the list. No one voted “I disagree” on the proposal; therefore, it is approved and adopted.

Group Conscience Decision:

Add language about not using URLs in messages to blank “Topic for the week” section of the Weekly Meeting Format Letter.

0418 – Proposal 2: Changes to Treasurer’s Job Description

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Proposal 2.2: Changes to Treasurer’s Job Description FYI Letter

Amend Treasurer’s Job Description to reflect actual practices and constraints: (a) Delete line item directing Treasurer to submit monthly reports to the Steering Committee. (b) Change period for distributions to GSO from quarterly to semi-annual consistent with our Business Meetings.

Rationale: Rationale for Proposal 2.2 (a): In October 2013, by group conscience decision, a line was added to the Treasurer’s Job Description stating that the Treasurer would submit monthly reports to the Steering Committee. This has only happened twice – in the first two months after the decision was made. Since then, Treasurer’s reports have been submitted only for the Business Meetings in April and October. Further, it is not clear that monthly Treasurer’s Reports add anything to the effective operations of GROW, especially since no one has raised the lack of them as an issue. Therefore, we should delete that line item duty from the current Treasurer’s job description.

Rationale for Proposal 2.2 (b): Since we started archiving Treasurer’s Reports on GROW’s website in 2013, distributions to GSO have been made sporadically:
Date Amount
Apr-17 $711.04
Oct-16 $1,014.61
Apr-15 $611.35
Sep-14 $1,661.58
Jan-14 $ 260.29
Apr-13 $357.44
Oct-13 $351.66
During this period, distributions have never been made quarterly as required in the Treasurer’s job description. One reason for this is that, on a quarterly basis, total donations have not always been sufficient to cover both the Prudent Reserve and a donation to GSO. Therefore, GROW should make distributions to GSO every six months just prior to the Business Meeting and be included in the regular Treasurer’s Report. This is consistent with the way it has actually been done.

Summary of Comments on Proposal 2.1

Results of Voting on Proposal 2.1

Eighteen (18) participants voted “I agree” on the proposal to delete one task from the job description and to change the frequency of distributions to GSO from quarterly to biannual consistent with our Business Meetings. There were no “I disagree” votes on the proposal. Therefore, the proposal is unanimously approved and adopted.

Group Conscience Decision:

Amend Treasurer’s Job Description to reflect actual practices and constraints: (a) Delete line item directing Treasurer to submit monthly reports to the Steering Committee. (b) Change period for distributions to GSO from quarterly to semi-annual consistent with our Business Meetings.

0418 – Proposal 1: Changes to OIAA Representative’s Job Description

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Proposal 1: Changes to OIAA Representative’s job description.

Proposal 1.2: GROW will participate in the OIAA monthly meeting by providing the following anonymous data about our group: (1) Total membership number and number of new members and (2) Total amount of sobriety for members celebrating sobriety birthdays.

The OIAA Representative will ask the Listkeeper to provide the number of new members each month and will use the Birthday Listkeepers end-of-month summary to collect the anonymous sobriety birthday information.

Rationale: OIAA asks that each group representative participates in an ongoing monthly meeting. Many group reps do this by mentioning who they represent and providing some statistics about their group such as, but not limited to: total number of members, number of new members last month, number of shares last month, either total sober years celebrated in the previous month OR the number of members celebrating. All information provided to OIAA by GROWs representative would be completely anonymous, containing no identifying information; only raw numbers would be shared at the OIAA level.

Summary of Comments on Proposal 1 (after approval of proposal)

**** The Chair now realizes that the proposal did not include adding anything to the OIAA Representative’s job description to reflect this decision. We will discuss a new proposal that adds a new bullet to the job description during the fourth 3-day session of our meeting.

**** The Chair further realizes that, in order to provide the information, our Listkeepers will have to keep a tally of new members each month to give this information to the OIAA Rep. We will discuss a new proposal that adds a new bullet to the job description during the fourth 3-day session of our meeting.

Results of Voting on Proposal 1

Sixteen (16) participants voted “I agree” (no one voted “I disagree”) on the proposal to provide anonymous data about GROW to OIAA each month. Therefore, the proposal passes.

Group Conscience Decision:

GROW will participate in the OIAA monthly meeting by providing the following anonymous data about our group: (1) Total membership number and number of new members and (2) Total amount of sobriety for members celebrating sobriety birthdays.

The OIAA Representative will ask the Listkeeper to provide the number of new members each month and will use the Birthday Listkeepers end-of-month summary to collect the anonymous sobriety birthday information.

0418 – OIAA Representative Report

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Apr 2018 – OIAA Representative Report

Hi, I’m Jenny, an alcoholic and your GROW OIAA Representative, reporting on OIAA activities over the past six months.

  • OIAA had a huge server crash and lost some member info. It took about two months for them to rebuild after the crash. Group representatives continue to trickle back into the meeting.
  • OIAA has several active service groups:
    Public Information Committee – provides info and help regarding online AA, meeting locations (physical and online), and other AA info: they respond to around 25-50 queries a month.
    12th step committee – 327 requests for help in January alone. Very active.
    Welcome committee – not sure how that works.
    Unity Committee – Liasons between GSOs and Online AA.
  • Treasurer is new as of Jan 2018.
  • Currently there are not a lot of OIAA members that participate in the month-long Tradition & Concept online meeting. Most people participate during the monthly “Group Report” where group representatives give some statistics about their group – new members, years of sobriety celebrated in their group recently, participation at conferences or other online services, etc. There are also reports from the OIAA sub groups and requests for people to participate in some service categories where membership is lacking. It is not necessary to be an OIAA member to participate in their service groups or to be a participant in the OIAA meeting; however, voting is limited to official group representatives.
  • GROW does not currently contribute financially to OIAA – there is a helpful review of that group conscience in the Business Meeting archives on the GROW webpage.
    There are opportunities for GROW to increase our participation in OIAA, perhaps initially through providing info at the monthly Group Report.
    Jenny | OIAA Rep for GROW

0418 – GVR Report

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Apr 2018 – GVR Report

I’m Sophie, an alcoholic and our Grapevine Rep for Grow.

Each month I send out the main theme from the Grapevine magazine as a topic for us Grow-ers to share on if we wish. I include one full article copied and pasted into the email. Alongside this I send out info about how to participate in the magazine.

I have received positive feedback from a few of members who either subscribe to Grapevine themselves or gift subscriptions and a couple of our members who’ve signed up for the daily Grapevine quotes by email.

As GVR, I’m also allowed to email any of our group any articles in full if they tell me the name of the article and month/year of publication. So far no one has requested me send them anything.

I’m grateful to be of service to our group. Thank you.

In love and fellowship, Sophie | GVR for GROW

0418 – GSR Report

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Apr 2018 – GSR Report

Summary of GSR Reports sent to grow members in the past 6 months:

GSR Report – October 2017
In the Box 459 Newsletter, there is a lengthy article on the history of the Central Office in New York and central offices in so many other location. It discusses the evolution of AA from a hard-to-find fellowship to one that is easy to access for meeting information and/or having someone to talk to – very interesting.

There is also an article about OIAA, which would lead one to believe it is alive and well contrary to the experience of reps in this group.

There is a report on the 2016 Southeast regional forum in Orlando, an introduction of two new staff members at the General Service in New York and five new Class B Trustees.

here is also a calendar of events around the world.

Anyone can access the newsletter at https://www.aa.org/newsletters/en_US/en_box459_fall17.pdf

GSR Report March 2018
The recent issue of box 459 has some articles that are quite touching. The first is about AA in China and the difficulty in getting it established and available. There is an additional article about AA in Cuba, Asia, and Russia. Puerto Rico is trying to keep meetings going after the hurricanes and there is a report on that too.

Lastly, there is information about Public Service Announcements in video. I looked at a few of them and continue to be so grateful to our adherence to traditions. The PSA videos don’t promote, but do inform.

As always, there are dates and places for many AA functions world wide for the next few months.

The issue is available on line. Follow the link to a pdf file: https://www.aa.org/newsletters/en_US/en_box459_spring18.pdf

Submitted by Joan Bancroft | GSR for GROW

0418 – Treasurer’s Report

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Apr 2018 – Treasurer’s Report

Donations
Balance from October 2017 $894.44
PayPal donations to GROW $335.24
Ally – check donations to GROW $402.00
Total donations $1,631.68

Distributions
GSO $1,384.68
Dean Collins / oso-aa.org $72.00
Reimbursement fro Grapevine (Sophie F. donated it back to GROW) $50.00
International exchange fees $2.84
Prudent Reserve $122.16
Total distributions $1,631.68

Total donations $1,631.68
Total distributions $1,631.68
Final balance $0.00

0418 – Listkeepers’ Report

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Apr 2018 – Listkeepers’ Report

Our membership as of March 31, 2018 is 350 list members and 40 of those are digest members. (This number is always a little larger than our actual count because some members have two subscriptions – one for regular posts and one for digests, and some members have 2 regular list addresses.)

Nancy and I both want to thank Karen and Susan for their great service to GROW as Greeters. We all enjoyed working together!

Respectfully submitted, Louise H and Nancy C | GROW Listkeepers

0418 – Business Meeting Chair Report

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Apr 2018 – Business Meeting Chair Report

“Mini” Steering Committee Activities
In April 2016, by Group Conscience Decision, we decided that the Business Chair, Secretary, and Listkeepers would be the main contacts when minor issue arose that needed Steering Committee Attention. If that “Mini” Steering Committee could not resolve the issue, it was to bring it to the full Steering Committee for resolution. Since October 2017, only one minor conflict arose which was resolved quickly with no need to elevate to the full Committee.

Review of Trusted Servant Job Descriptions
In April, I committed to ask Trusted Servants to review their current job descriptions posted to our website and identify any outdated or incorrect duties. As you know, I forgot about this, forcing everyone to do their reviews over the past week. I did not ask the Webkeeper or Webkeeper Backup to review their job descriptions, as they are working on a project that will involve this task.

I have received responses from all Trusted Servants! THANK YOU!!! Twelve job descriptions were reviewed. Five job descriptions were approved as is. Two job descriptions required minor changes that were not substantive, and they have been corrected on the webpage (see he bottom of this report).

Trusted Servants identified changes for seven job descriptions that would alter job duties assigned by Group Conscience decision. These changes will require discussion and decision-making by the participants of our Business Meeting. The positions we will discuss include:

General Services Representative (GSR)
Grapevine Representative (GVR)
Greeters
Listkeeper(s)
OIAA Representative
Treasurer
Weekly Leader Listkeeper
In order to make significant progress on the proposal for our website, I will defer presenting these proposals until the second 3-day session. Then, I will present these proposed changes in small batches over two or three 3-day sessions.

Job Description Changes Made without Business Meeting Review

Secretary – addition to bullet: Knows how to access job descriptions and form letters (particularly the monthly FYI and GROW Guidelines letters) necessary to carry out the tasks.

Temporary Mentor – edit to one bullet: About one 2-3 days after she joins, contact each new member to explain your position as Temporary Mentor (TM), offering to answer questions or provide guidance until the member feels comfortable in the GROW group. (Send letter # 1 – see below)

Delete the following bullet: If the TM has not heard from the new member in about 7 – 10 days, send letter #2. (see below)

If you think any of these changes should be discussed in our meeting, please let me know as soon as possible.

Respectfully yours, danna M. GROW | Business Chair dmcd.grow@zoho.com

0418 – Secretary’s Report

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Apr 2018 – Secretary’s Report

Outgoing Trusted Servants

12 Step Listkeeper (10/17-4/18): Amanda D. amandabauman26@icloud.com
Birthday Listkeeper (10/17-4/18): Allison M. paonia.allison@gmail.com
Sponsor Listkeeper (10/17-4/18): Cheryl B. cab7thtradition@gmail.com
Greeters (4/17-4/18): Susan P. susan.poplawski@gmail.com
Greeters (4/17-4/18): Karen H. fromie10@gmail.com
Temporary Mentor (4/17-4/18): Gigi D. telperion2@comcast.net
Listkeeper (4/16-4/18): Louise H. wemerrilymeet@gmail.com
Weekly Leader Listkeeper (4/17-4/18): Sherrie W. thesherrie@earthlink.net
Incoming Trusted Servants: (March 26, 2018 new trusted servants)

12 step listkeeper (4/18-10/18): Cara A. caracadams@gmail.com
Birthday Listkeeper (4/18-10/18): Kristin pequenogato2@gmail.com
Sponsor Listkeeper (4/18-10/18): Susan P susan.poplawski@gmail.com
Greeters (4/18-4/19): Gigi D. telperion2@comcast.net
Greeters (4/18-4/19): Cheryl B. cab7thtradition@gmail.com
Temporary Mentor (4/18-4/19): Louise H. wemerrilymeet@gmail.com
Listkeeper Alternate (4/18-4/20): Karen H. fromie10@gmail.com
Weekly Leader Listkeeper (4/18-4/19): Amanda D. amandabauman26@icloud.com

Our Trusted Servants – April 2018

12 Step Listkeeper (4/18-10/18): Cara A. caracadams@gmail.com
Birthday Listkeeper (4/18-10/18): Kristin pequenogato2@gmail.com
Sponsor Listkeeper (4/18-10/18): Susan P. susan.poplawski@gmail.com
Trusted Servants who make up the Steering Committee:

Business Meeting Chair (10/16-10/18): Danna M. dmcd9999@zoho.com
GSR / OIAA Backup (10/16-10/18): Joan B. joanb333@gmail.com
VR (10/17-10/18): Sophie R. sophieflook@gmail.com
Greeter (4/18-4/19): Gigi D. telperion2@comcast.net
Greeter (4/18-4/19): Cheryl B. cab7thtradition@gmail.com
Listkeeper (4/8-4/19): Nancy C. cybergram@eastlink.ca
Listkeeper Alternate (4/18-4/20): Karen H. fromie10@gmail.com
Secretary (10/17-10/18): Karrie C. chaneykarrie@gmail.com
Temporary mentor (4/18-4/19): Louise H. wemerrilymeet@gmail.com
Treasurer (10/17-10/19): Sue W. scwill@optonline.net
Webkeeper (non-rotating position): Tanya C. tanyaq42@gmail.com
Webkeeper Backup (10/16-10/18): Cheryl D. cdematt@earthlink.net
Weekly Leader Listkeeper (4/18-4/19): Amanda D. amandabauman26@icloud.com
Immediate Past Business Meeting Chair: Gigi D. telperion.1214@gmail.com
Immediate Past GSR/OIAA Backup: Tanya C. tanyaq42@gmail.com
Immediate Past Secretary: Laura G. lmgraham1989@rogers.com
Respectfully, Karrie | GROW Secretary

0418 – Business Meeting Agenda

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Apr 2018 – Business Meeting Agenda

Additional individual emails will be coming, to which you can respond.
Trusted Servant (TS) Positions – Incoming & Outgoing TS identified (posted separately)
Semi-Annual Reports: GSR, GVR, OIAA, Treasurer, Listkeeper, Secretary, Business Meeting Chair (posted separately)
Business Items (each will be posted separately to facilitate discussion and voting)

Below are the proposals received to date that we will discuss during the Business Meeting. The following list contains brief summaries rather than the full proposal language as it will be presented. If you have an item that you would like to have addressed, or if I have not accurately represented an item that you recommended, please email me privately and I will add it to the Agenda.

Proposal 1.1: Changes to OIAA Representative’s job description.
Proposal 2.1: Changes to Treasurer’s job description.
Proposal 3.1: Add language about not using URLs in messages to the Weekly Meeting Format Letter.
Proposal 4.1: Website report and proposal.
Proposal 5.1: Changes to GSR job description.
Proposal 6.1: Changes to Listkeepers’ job description.
Proposal 7.1: Changes to Greeters’ job description.
Proposal 8.1: Changes to Grapevine Representative’s job description.
Proposal 9.1: Changes to Weekly Meeting Listkeeper’s job description.
In order to give us ample time to discuss and make decisions on the website conversion, Proposal 4.1 will be the only proposal presented for discussion during the first three-day session.

The rest of the proposals, excluding Proposal 3.1 (Weekly Meeting Format Letter), present recommendations from current and prior Trusted Servants based on reviews of their job descriptions to assure they are current and accurate. Because the recommended changes represent substantive changes to the Trusted Servant’s job as approved by Group Conscience, your approval is necessary. They will be presented for discussion at the beginning of the second and third three-day sessions.

Two additional job descriptions were changed without a proposal, as they were not substantive. They were (deletions in strikeout/blue, additions in bold/red):

Secretary: Knows how to access job descriptions and form letters (particularly the monthly FYI and GROW Guidelines letters) necessary to carry out the tasks.

Temporary Mentor: About one 2-3 days after she joins, contact each new member to explain your position as Temporary Mentor (TM), offering to answer questions or provide guidance until the member feels comfortable in the GROW group. (Send letter # 1 – see below)

Also, delete the following bullet: If the TM has not heard from the new member in about 7 – 10 days, send letter #2. (see below)

Respectfully yours, danna M. GROW | Business Chair dmcd.grow@zoho.com

0418 – Business Meeting Welcome

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Apr 2018 – Business Meeting Welcome

Greetings, and welcome to the April 2018 Business Meeting of Grateful Recovering Online Women (GROW).

I am danna, a recovering alcoholic, and your Business Chair for this meeting. Thank you for participating!

This is a closed meeting, open only to members of GROW, for the discussion of business as it relates to our group. Our business meetings run in three-day segments and last no more than 29 days.

I will post each Agenda item, one by one, in separate emails and **ask that you respond to each accordingly.** This makes it easier to “tally” the responses and suggestions to each item. We will have a three-day period of open discussion on each Agenda item. This, hopefully, will allow all members regardless of work schedules, time zones, etc. to participate and comment. At the beginning of the fourth day, I will post the results or consensus of our discussions.

Before we begin, let’s have a moment of silence to reflect on why we are here, followed by the Serenity Prayer.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen.

In this Business Meeting, let us be guided by The Twelve Traditions:

Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity.
For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority — a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking.
Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole.
Each group has but one primary purpose–to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.
An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.
Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.
Let us all keep in mind our Unity of Service statement from the Grapevine of September 1998:

“Unity seldom means that we all agree on everything. Nor is unity served by setting aside our concerns and conforming to the majority opinion (or the vocal minority) . . . Unity is best achieved by a full hearing of all points of view . . . time for all of those involved to step back from emotional responses . . . as well as careful consideration and prayer for that which will best serve the group or AA as a whole.”

Thank you for being here and for your dedication to GROW.

Respectfully submitted, danna M. | GROW Business Chair dmcd.grow@zoho.com

2018 Business Meeting – April

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2018 Business Meeting – April

(topics are listed below are in order of presentation)

Apr 01: Progress not Perfection

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Progress not Perfection

Many of us exclaimed, “What an order! I can’t go through with it.” Do not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles.
We are not saints. The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines. The principles we have set down are guides to progress. We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection.

Greetings GROW family, once again, my name is Julie and I am an alcoholic. I am grateful to be this week’s chairperson, a small, tangible way to say thank you to all of you for helping me stay sober.

So, that being said, the topic I have chosen is the familiar phrase, ‘Progress, Not Perfection’. And here is how I came up with it…. All week I have been trying to think of the absolute perfect topic, should it be step four oriented? Step oriented? Spirituality? Big book focus? Should I just wait til the last minute and see what happens? What would be perfect? And on Friday morning I realized that I was falling into my ever so familiar trap (or defect) of being paralyzed by perfectionism and doing nothing. I am not even going to touch the not-so-spiritual motive behind my perfectionism. I was instantly reminded of a quote (Voltaire, I believe) “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good”. I knew if I prayed, and asked for guidance, the topic would come, and it did. That phrase that reminds me that AA does not ask (or require ) me to be perfect, just to try. To try to be a tiny bit better, to take baby steps of progress, in all of my affairs. And that I can do.

I am constantly amazed at the divine words our Big Book offers us. How it Works outlines exactly that, how this life of recovery works. There are no secret chapters or strategies. There are these simple (not easy) steps offered up, or suggested. Even after going through the steps and being sober for a few years, when I think of incorporating ALL of the steps and actions into ALL of my affairs, I get a feeling of ‘there is no way I can do that’. But our brilliant AA pioneers tell us that we just aim for progress in these things, and that I can do. So I feel safe enough to try. We celebrate each other’s progress in meetings, sponsor- sponsee relationships and other ways.

I am learning to be satisfied with progress, instead of beating myself up for not being perfect. When I stop and think of the difference between the woman I am today compared to the woman I was before I quit drinking, there are gigantic differences, differences that can only be explained by the miracle of sobriety. But, unlike the TV shows I Dream of Jeannie, and Bewitched, those changes were not instant. They happened gradually, in almost imperceivable steps of progress. Things like being a tiny bit more tolerant of others, having a few moments of thinking less about me, realizing that I may not know everything that everyone else should be doing, that what I am doing is not working, so maybe try something new. All the things that help me keep moving away from a drink instead of rushing towards one.

Progress is doable for me. Good is doable for me. So I am willing to follow suggestions offered up by loving people, who follow the same suggestions. Today I know that I am ‘perfectly imperfect’ or ‘perfect with room for improvement’. Over time, like everything else AA offers me, I have the gift of being able to apply this tool of Progress Not Perfection to all aspects of my life, work, relationships, and health. What a gift. Once again I got the better deal.

Looking forward to your thoughts on Progress, Not Perfection.
Thank you for helping me stay sober.
Julie A
6/18/2003

Mar 25: Fellowship

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Fellowship

“But there exists among us a fellowship, a friendliness, and an understanding, which is indescribably wonderful.” BB pg 17

Hi Ladies. My name is Alison B and I am an alcoholic. Welcome to the new gals and congratulations to those celebrating a milestone this month. I’m traveling this week and am waiting for a topic to reveal itself to me. I flew to California for my daughter’s baby shower; I really wanted to rub her belly and feel my grandson kick. She is due in about 5 weeks, so that belly is getting ripe! Lol.

Ok, it’s the end of an amazing week of AA Fellowship for me, hence the topic choice. I live in a region of Michigan that has little “fellowshipping” outside of the AA meetings. And this past week has been spent traveling to see friends and family in another California. I realized that my friends are mostly all members of Alcoholic Anonymous. As one of my girlfriends shared, though it has been years since “the clan” has all been together, it was as if we somehow transcended time. Our camaraderie, community, sisterhood and fellowship remains unchanged as time passes. It is the essence of our beings. We have survived the alcoholic storm that befell us all, and thrive in our AA Fellowship together. It was a beautiful week. I was able to reconnect with my old home group in two different regions of California that I once called home.

There is such a powerful positive energy or force in the collective spirit of sober women. I was able to celebrate my 25th sober birthday with these beautiful ladies. There is no substitute for the good old face to face meetings in my opinion. The hugs, the pats, hand holding, Kleenex fetching, care and love I have found in the rooms of AA is unparalleled. For me, there simply is no replacement for the personal contact with others. Don’t get me wrong, I love GROW too. It compliments my face to face Fellowship.

It is an honor and a privilege to witness the struggles and the spiritual growth of my fellow women in sobriety. What does Fellowship mean to you?

Thank you for the wonderful birthday wishes this past week!
Alison B

Mar 18: How to Find Happy Sobriety

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How to Find Happy Sobriety

BB Acceptance pg. 417- Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless I accept life completely on life’s terms, I cannot be happy.

12 and 12 Step One, pg 21- Our admissions of personal powerlessness finally turn out to be firm bedrock upon which happy and purposeful lives may be built.

12 and 12 Step Twelve, pg 119- With clear understanding and right, grown-up attitudes, very happy results do follow.

Bob B., an AA speaker, talks about serenity and happiness in sobriety. This is just one of many speakers that you will find to listen to. If you haven’t listened to speaker meetings, you can find some by searching YouTube.

I bring this topic to you today because I have found myself in a place where happiness is just not there sometimes. I have sponsees that have issues with happiness in sobriety as well.

So, instead of just sitting in that funk, I have started working the steps again, VERY thoroughly, digging deep with a new online sponsor. It’s amazing how quickly my perspective has changed. It’s amazing how quickly my happiness returned, just from taking the action of rereading the Big Book and reflecting on its message. Listening to speakers also really helps my perspective on life.

If you aren’t happy in sobriety after working the steps, something is wrong. Life happens but we get to choose today how to react. You have a choice this very minute whether you smile or roll your eyes in disgust. You have a choice in an hour whether you enjoy where you are in your life or complain for whatever reason.

Choose happiness. I choose happiness today, despite the perils of this world. I hope you will join me in sharing your journey to happiness in sobriety or where you hope you to be when you complete the steps, if you haven’t done so yet.

The meeting is open to any and all shares. Smile!! ??

Mar 11: It’s an Inside job

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It’s an Inside Job

Hi everyone,
My name is Nydia and I’m an alcoholic. Congrats to all celebrating a sober anniversary and welcome to new ladies in GROW. Thank you for the opportunity to lead the meeting this week.

I sometimes sense a tendency within myself of comparing how I feel on the inside with what other people look like on the outside – deadly for an alcoholic! That just fires up my terminal uniqueness. That is then closely followed by – if I do A, B, C then surely God/ programme/ someone will reward me with X, Y, Z – instant gratification please. Am I not a good AA/ friend/ colleague/ sister/ …? Where is my gold star for all the effort put in?

One way stilling my mind and coming back to myself – in a healthy way – is of course, gratitude (as was all the shares last week). The other way I have found, is to honestly ask myself – through prayer and meditation – what and why do I continue to fear? Where is my sense of desperation and deprivation coming from? What are my motives?

In the end, the answers don’t matter as much as giving myself the space and permission to look within. In that big empty hole is where the healing happens. On page 127 of the big book it is written: “For us, material well-being always followed spiritual progress; it never preceded.” It always reminds me of when a friend said to me, “Nydia, you need to get well on the inside and the outside will change… it’s an inside job.”

I steal from myself and if I want peace, it needs be from within, not without… No booze, man, money or image can fill that empty hole (although I have an interesting time trying, trust me).

Do you relate to this theme? And how have you worked/ working through it?

Thank you.
Nydia

Mar 04: Putting Gratitude In Your Attitude

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Putting Gratitude In Your Attitude

Hi GROW Sisters: I’m Barbara, grateful recovering alcoholic with the help of AA and my Higher Power.

For me, from the very start, gratitude was a way to calm myself and ‘prove’ to myself that AA was working, no matter how bad I felt. I heard others talk about a gratitude list. They said check out the Promises. I tried it, at first skeptically. So, okay, today I didn’t drink; I raised my hand at a meeting; I went to coffee with other AA’ers. And so my list began and grew as I grew in recovery.

Over time, I’d say to my sponsor, ”I prayed today.’ Wow! But then there were days I complained “How can I do a gratitude list?–my best friend just died–there is no way!” She reminded me” You can experience sadness and loss today”. “You can feel the love you had with this friend for so many years.” “You can show up and console the family” –see—you can do it.

My Higher Power and I became more and more in synch. After a while I could explore gratitude within its deeper meaning in my heart and soul—my daily life-the fits and starts of everyday–everything. And once again I would become calm and remind mysel ‘it works if you work it’ one day at a time right along with my Higher Power. I made a new list every day.

I came to AA at 40. I got married (second time) at 50. I got my first car at 60 (Jeep!) and I learned to swim at 70 after a terrible dread of the water. I even lost weight! But life also happened between those lines!

A true and poignant story of my gratitude is that of my Father and me. We were distant for a very long time, and didn’t speak. Finally I started to write to him in the name of my real life cat Peppermint: ‘Peppermint says Mommy had a root canal today.’ ‘Peppermint says Mommy wishes you a happy birthday.’ And so on. This went on for years. One Christmas I sent him a toy stuffed, rabbit fur ‘cat’ that looked like my own sleeping cat. No word from him (tho we finally did reconcile). When he died years later, we entered his house and found the ‘cat,’ all brushed and on a clean chopped meat plastic tray in front of all the other family pictures. We had become a family again.

May you all be grateful and be-calmed tonite. Hgz, b. dos 9/21/83

Feb 25: AA is a We Program

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AA is a We Program

Hello ladies of GROW, my name is Allison and I am an alcoholic. Yesterday I celebrated 3 years of sobriety! I came into GROW on day 1, before I had even attended a f2f meeting, and have been grateful for you wonderful women every day since!

I’d like to suggest as our topic this week: AA Is a We Program, and what that means to each of us.

Reflecting back on the misery of my life before I got here, and the peace and happiness I have found over the past 3 years, I realize the part of the deviousness of my addiction was how it stripped away my relationships one by one, until no one was left. Alcoholism is a jealous disease, and it doesn’t tolerate competitors. I might (but most likely wouldn’t) be able to stay sober on my own – but it’s so much more fun to live in recovery with my friends!

And of course, we know that we have to give away what we get through this program in order to keep it!

I look forward to hearing what you have to say about this topic, or about what is affecting your sobriety today!

Feb 18: Serenity Prayer

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Serenity Prayer

As I look back over the past 21 years, it is praying the Serenity Prayer, sometimes as a mantra, that has helped me so much.

Just this past Tuesday my oldest son had surgery that seemed to go well but the next day he was found to have several blood clots in his lung and the lung was collapsed. I have been praying the Serenity Prayer steadily since my dear daughter-in-law called me. Good news, his lung is ok now and he will be on blood thinners for several months.

Then this morning the sewer backed up in my shower and in the tub in my other bathroom………………my landlords came over right after I called and fixed the problem and even cleaned the shower and tub!

Those are just 2 examples of when I used the Serenity Prayer just this week.

I always used to say at meetings that for me, one of the biggest things was “wisdom to know the difference”.

I’d love to hear from you ladies, who wish to share, your experience with the Serenity Prayer or anything you may need to discuss!

I’ll close with the complete Serenity Prayer, AA groups usually use the first 4 lines.

The complete Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful
world As it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all
things right If I surrender to His Will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life And supremely happy with Him
Forever and ever in the next.

Amen.

(prayer attributed to Reinhold Neibuhr, 1892-1971)

Feb 11: Phrases and Slogans

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Phrases and Slogans

It’s great to be here sober this morning, and to be part of this amazing group of recovering women. Heartfelt thanks to all of you who took the time to drop me a note to help me celebrate my 30 year anniversary this past week. Believe me, I don’t talk about attaining 30 years to brag. There were a whole lot of people (angels really), spiritual messages and divine intervention that kept me sober during some of my darkest days. I know without a doubt that sobriety is a gift and i will be forever grateful to those who have helped me hang on. Some who have helped me through are members of this group.

I don’t ever want to forget where I came from. At one time in my life, I was unable to do the most basic things without drinking. I had to drink before going to any kind of social gathering. By the end, I even had to drink on my lunch hour so I could get through a work day.

In my earliest days of sobriety, I remember some women saying to me, “If you can’t hang in there one day at a time, hang in there for just this moment.” It was one of many phrases that I was able to absorb and repeat over and over as I tried to figure out how to stay sober. The slogans also made a difference, particularly “Easy Does It – But Do It.” A friend of mine in early recovery said that when you are newly sober, it’s as if an entire ocean of information is being thrown at you, and all you can take away each day is a thimbleful. So each day I would take home my thimbleful of tips to stay sober, usually in the form of slogans and short phrases. Some other phrases that really impacted my ability to be sober include:

  1. Carry the message, not the drunk.
  2. You’re where you’re supposed to be.
  3. It will happen in God’s time, not my time.
  4. You may not get what you want, but you always get what you need.
  5. We walk in the shadow of tragedy, and eternal vigilance is the price we pay for sobriety.

Here’s another sentence that really made a huge difference in my recovery. Once an old-timer said to me fairly early in my sobriety, “If you’re feeling off-balance, you’re either not living in the moment or you’re fighting against God’s will.” I have turned that over and over in my mind on many occasions.

I would love to hear any slogans or phrases that have made a difference in your recovery. As always, feel free to share on this topic, or any other topic that you need to share on.

Together we can do what none of us can do alone.

Thank you all for being part of this group and for letting me lead this week.

Hugs to all who need or want one.
Valerie D DOS 2/8/88

Feb 04: Alcohol’s Control Over Us

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Alcohol’s Control Over Us

A reading in my “A Day at a Time” meditations book resonated with me.

“Now that I am in the Program, I am no longer enslaved by alcohol and other drugs. Free at last from the morning after tremors, the dry heaves…. Free from working out the alibis and hoping they won’t unravel, free from blackouts, free from watching the clock until I can get that desperately needed first drink/drug.”

Wow, exact picture of me in my using days! Alcohol told me if I could work that day, interact with other people or hide in my house, had to borrow money for more booze, had to hide more booze, was too high to stay up with the kids or spend the day in bed. Alcohol convinced me that the evening before that I could not remember was ok, that I was still a together person at work, that I did not have an alcohol problem. King alcohol constantly whispered in my ear, louder than my common sense, children or spouse. King alcohol changed what I heard to its own benefit, ever defending its dominate position in my life.

I am so happy to be free today! I have regained my life, my vision, my finances and my joy. Thanks to God and this program I am free from the chains of my addiction and will ever be grateful, as long as I follow my program.

Thanks for letting me lead this week.

Hugs,
Lynn H. DOS 9/30/96

Jan 28: Time

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Time

Last Tuesday I honored the fact that I have not picked up a drink for the past 29 years. I have never been much of a birthday person. I don’t enjoy them and I find them painful. They reminded me of all the bad old memories and feelings, the body memory of why I drank and what the consequences were. I felt obligated to celebrate them but inside, I hated them.

I have known people in AA with a lot of years who have nothing that I want; some newcomers are more sober. I’ve known some old-timers that have a lot that I want. The length of time a person has been sober has little to do with the quality of sobriety that they have, from what I can see.

Relapse is a part of my story. I first came to AA in 1986; I relapsed at 2 1/2 years sober. I only drank for a day. I did it because I was a drug addict and I wanted to be sure I was also an alcoholic. I stepped into the nearest liquor store and bought some beer, with the clever plan to drink two and leave four in the fridge. I proved to myself that day that I cannot drink like a normal person, but oh how I hated to give up my time. It has taken me years to get over the pride of that one! The only reason I share my birthday now is because it might help another woman.

Please share this week on time in the program. What value does sober time have for you? What do you like and dislike about AA birthdays? Are they meaningful to you, and if so, why.

Jan 21: Connecting with your Higher Power

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Connecting with your Higher Power

I apologize for being so late getting the topic out today. No excuses. Dysfunctional thinking (or not thinking). My brain has been on vacation all week! In fact, my mental disconnection applies to more than our meeting …

I am going through a phase of backing off the connection with my Higher Power. I’m not angry or disappointed. There is no particular reason, but I am not praying much, and I am not feeling that presence. This has been going on for a couple of weeks. And this is not the first time it’s happened in sobriety. It can last from weeks to months. The longer it lasts, the more likely I am to become irritable, impatient, and just plain ol’ unpleasant.

But I’m not really worried about it. I am still engaged in the program of AA and applying the steps in everything I do. My HP knows what I think and feel before I am aware. “He” probably saw this coming long before it started. “He” is loving and forgiving and will indulge my distance. He will let me take care of things and be amused when I run into my own character defects. He knows that those defects will bring me back, humbled and willing to begin again.

In my early days, I would have been anxious and guilty, feeling like a failure in the program and a disappointment to my God. Today, I know that my Higher Power loves me and will always be there for me, no matter what. It’s okay to take a few steps back now and then. I am not a failure. I haven’t completely disconnected. I’ve just gone quiet for a while. This, too, shall pass.

So, I invite you to share about your connection with your Higher Power. Do you ever “disconnect?” How does it make you feel? And what do you do about it? Of course, please share on anything you need to this week.

Jan 14: Being an Example

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Being an Example

Being an Example, knowingly or not.

On January 9th, Tuesday, I celebrated 30 continuous years of sobriety. I see it as 10,957 days because for 23 years, I had to drink every day so every day without having to drink is a little miracle.

Wednesday night is my home group meeting and another woman there, J, celebrated 40 years of sobriety that day. I asked my sponsor to give both of us our medallions because of the wonderful symmetry I hope to make clear in a minute.

Over 35 years ago, when J had only been sober a couple of years, her young son was killed getting off the school bus. Though she could only cry and rock herself for comfort, she came to meetings. At every meeting, she sat and sobbed and rocked and listened and did it over again and again – because she did not want to drink. Her only certainty was that working the program of Alcoholics Anonymous would help her stay sober.

She didn’t know that there was a young woman who attended many of the same meetings, who was very new to AA and desperately looking for a way to live her life soberly without a clue to HOW to do that. That young woman watched J. make the choice to come to meetings rather than drink her sorrow away.

What struck that young woman was the idea that if this horrible event did not drive J out of the rooms and into the arms of booze, then how could she have any reservations about staying sober?

I came into the rooms when that young woman had about 5 1/2 years sober and I watched her at meetings. She had social anxiety and would practically vibrate from tension when she shared at a meeting, but she did it any way.

She practiced every suggestion she was given in this program and I was privileged to witness it.

That young woman became my sponsor because I =knew= she had already experienced a way to stay sober through all the difficulties I was facing in my own sobriety. She never suggested I do anything that she had not already had to do before me. She told me the story of J’s grief and how it ingrained in her the realization that nothing, absolutely nothing, is a reason to drink.

So the three of us were standing at the head of the table with a total of 105 years of sobriety among us. Me with my 30 years, my sponsor with 35, and J with 40 years that day. I was struck with awe that because of J’s example so many years ago, my sponsor worked her own program harder than ever and she became the example I clung to in my own program of recovery. Definitely a goose bump moment for me.

Thanks to them I have learned that the right choice in every situation is whatever is most gentle and loving of me and my sobriety. As long as I do that I can have a sober life beyond my wildest dreams. I do, no matter what happens.

Please feel free to share on whatever you need to share in order to stay sober another day. This is your meeting and your chance to do what is best for your own recovery.

Thanks, Mari Ann

Jan 01: Step 1

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Step 1

Happy New Year ladies!!! Given it is January, Step 1 Month, and the month of my AA sobriety date I would like to share my experience, strength and hope regarding Step 1.

Step One
We admitted at we are powerless over alcohol – that our lives had become unmanageable.

Who cares to admit complete defeat? Practically no one, of course. Every natural instinct cries out against the idea of personal powerlessness. It is truly awful to admit that, glass in hand, we have warped our minds into such obsession for destructive drinking that only an act of Providence can remove it from us. (12 x 12)

Eleven years ago, I was fortunate enough to have “an act of Providence” completely remove my desire for alcohol on the 24th and 25th of December. The cravings prevented me from putting together more that 4 days of sobriety from March of that year when I started attending AA meetings, until the 24th of December, about 9 months in total.

“Alcohol, now become the rapacious creditor, bleeds us of all self sufficiency and all will to resist its demands.”

During those 9 months I didn’t understand why I couldn’t stop – I was going to meetings, got a sponsor, praying, reading literature, etc. But that amazing Christmas Eve and Christmas Day – oh the relief to have that rapacious creditor off my back – it was that spiritual experience that AAer’s had talked about and it gave me a hope and faith that I had not known before that day. The cravings came back with a vengeance on the 26th and I white knuckled it for the next 5 days. They started to diminish the following week and on my 13th day of sobriety I gave in to the rapacious creditor and drank. It made my head foggy and I got no “ahhhhhhhh” feeling out if it, not even the first drink and I did not like the way it made me feel. On Jan 6, 2007, I started a new day of sobriety and by the grace of a higher power, following the suggestions of the program and the having the support of people in AA, I have been sober ever since and am incredibly grateful for the gift of sobriety.

When I look back, I was fortunate I wasn’t given that Christmas Eve reprieve earlier. While I knew I was an alcoholic at my first AA meeting, I had yet to admit complete defeat – and I had not accepted that my life was unmanageable. I hadn’t received DUI, lost my job, etc – in retrospect I think I still had some control underneath it all – it took utter defeat for me to become truly teachable.

I still remember an Episcopalian priest at my women’s meeting that would wish me a low bottom!!! What???? I loved this woman but couldn’t believe as a priest she would wish such a horrible thing on me! Aha, more will be revealed, right? Now I understand. She wasn’t wishing me a DUI, or the loss of my children – she was wishing me the gift of desperation so I would become teachable and the gift of humility so I would do whatever it took to ensure I never returned to hell in a bottle. I am grateful for my low bottom and the amazing life I have now even though it is not perfect.

I would love to hear to hear your thoughts on what Step 1 means to you and how it has impacted your life.

Thank you all for being here. I could not stay sober without you! You all enrich my life so much!!!

Hugs,
Monica

Dec 31: Untreated Alcoholism

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Untreated Alcoholism

The big book describes dry drunk syndrome and untreated alcoholism with the phrase “restless, irritable, and discontented”. Basically, if you happen to be a sober alcoholic, and find yourself constantly dissatisfied with life, you may be in the thick of untreated alcoholism. It’s obvious to spot untreated alcoholism — when the alcoholic is drinking. How do you spot it when the alcoholic is sober?

In our meetings, we often hear talk about stinking thinking, the insanity of the next drink, character defects, fear, resentments, the fear of relapse, the progressive nature of alcoholism, and how important it is for the alcoholic to stay physically sober.

One thing that I hear little talk about is the behavior and attitudes associated with untreated alcoholism and how it affects the alcoholic and the other people who must be around them. I work with many women who have been physically sober for years, some with double digit sobriety, yet their lives are still filled with turmoil, drama, conflict, unmanageability, glaring defects, more garbage piled onto old garbage that was never cleared, and most significantly I find that NONE of them have never sponsored another person…or if they have it was half asked.

These oldtimers will put on a great front. Happy hallmark meeting shares as they die inside. Or there are the ones that are jaded and unteachable-they hate everything and everyone, but know the big book front and back… using meetings as a place to spread their cheery disposition and have no problem humiliating a newcomer for share…If that’s sober…I don’t want it. I don’t care how much time they have. They would rather suffer and spread their suffering then seek help from someone new or be sponsored by somebody that has less time.

I could be sponsored right now by somebody with a month sober. God doesn’t care about time, why should I? What matters is the message and if they carry it effectively. There is no reason people should suffer having 25 years sober because they think there are above being taught by someone with less time.

We settle for being a dry drunk instead of being catapulted into the 4th dimension and being agents for God???…Why? Pride? Ego? Sloth? It’s starting to piss me off the more of these women come out of the woodwork. Like seriously, something is wrong with our fellowship when slogans and meetings overshadow the Solution. They are just as lost and sick as the newcomer we must start talking about this and what we can personally do each day to help shed light on what seem to be a epidemic in our fellowship. Chronic relapses because we as sponsors are lazy? I am going step up my game this next year. Period.

“They only thought they had lost their egoism and fear; they only thought they had humbled themselves. But they had not learned enough of humility, fearlessness and honesty, in the sense we find it necessary, until they told someone else all their life story. More than most people, the alcoholic leads a double life. He is very much the actor. To the outer world he presents his stage character. This is the one he likes his fellows to see. He wants to enjoy a certain reputation, but knows in his heart he doesn’t deserve it. The inconsistency is made worse by the things he does on his sprees.” pg 73

So are you yourself suffering from a reconstructed ego produced by “time” and refusing to stay teachable?…or are you a product of 90 meetings in 90 days?…or a never worked the Steps but go to meetings everyday?…or worked Steps 1-3 and my sponsor told me to “take my time” (that message kills people btw) or worked them once 10 years ago and chooses to “carry the message” by sharing at meetings just to hear themselves talk?…or untreated altogether alcoholic?? Have you lived with one a untreated drunk?? Do you know anyone suffering in silence? Sponsored any of them?

“We were having trouble with personal relationships, we couldn’t control our emotional natures, we were a prey to misery and depression, we couldn’t make a living, we had a feeling of uselessness, we were full of fear, we were unhappy, we couldn’t seem to be of real help to other people“

The alcoholic is like a tornado roaring his way through the lives of others. Hearts are broken. Sweet relationships are dead. Affections have been uprooted. Selfish and inconsiderate habits have kept the home in turmoil. We feel a man is unthinking when he says that sobriety is enough.

Below is something someone wrote about untreated alcoholism which I love. Private email me if you would like this dudes blog….also the “sign and symptoms of a dry drunk…
Love in the Sunlight of the Holy Spirit!
Hilarie
4.8.14

Untreated Alcoholism

The problem with only achieving physical sobriety is that we may never get any better.
Why?
Because sobriety doesn’t cure insanity, nor does it reduce selfishness. Sobriety doesn’t stop us from constantly whining and complaining, from thinking about ourselves 24/7. How ridiculous it is to get sober but remain mentally and spiritually warped beyond comprehension. In fact, if you’re gonna kick it and not really change, you might as well just keep drinking. At least you’d be making a small economic contribution.
Most addicts are actually more annoying when they’re sober yet untreated, if you can fathom that. We remain needy and obsessed with how we feel all of the time.
Oh no, what am I doing in life?! What am I gonna do today? What am I gonna do tomorrow?! Nobody knows what it’s like to be me. Me! Why do I feel this way? Poor me. Nobody has it this tough! The world owes me! I need a cigarette, I need this, I need that, I need to go to a meeting! I want cookies, I want ice cream, I want… wanh, wanh, wanh, wanh, wanh!
Yup. If all we do is remove the drugs and alcohol, we still act like drug addicts and alcoholics. But, hey, at least we’re sober! What a joke. Addicts and alcoholics can do as much, if not more damage to others by achieving physical sobriety but failing to actually get better.
Once sober, I literally have a volcano of work to do on myself. I must begin to extract the cauldron of poisons that have turned me into a pathologically selfish drug addict. I must extract the poisons of selfishness, self-seeking, dishonesty, fear, and countless others if I am to truly recover. I must take it upon myself to fundamentally change the person I was. I must change the way I act, react and respond. I must change the way I view suffering. I must change the way I approach others. I must change my attitude towards life, work, relationships and family. For sure, I must change from deep within.
Through right action, I begin to enlarge my spiritual life. I begin to accept that I shouldn’t be taking credit for every good thing that happens to me… and I shouldn’t be blaming something else for every bad thing. I begin to realize that the bad stuff is my own fault. It happens when I try to do things my way, when I exert my own selfish will. But the good stuff happens when I let go, when I step back a little and let something guide me that is much greater and more powerful.
Even if you’re an addict and you don’t believe that God is present in your life, maybe you should change your mind because it’s much better to have a humble attitude as opposed to attributing your recovery and success to you and you only.
Why?
Because it’s arrogant not to. Are we really that powerful? Are we really all-knowing? Do we really have it all figured out? Please. Look how small and insignificant we are compared to the entire Universe.

God, give me the courage, power and willingness to walk through discomfort, just like everybody else…

Dry Drunk Syndrome

Those individuals who give up alcohol but fail to do more work will often develop dry drunk syndrome. The symptoms of dry drunk syndrome include:

  • They are likely to have a low tolerance for stress – even the slightest incontinence can send them into a rage.
  • Such people will have few scruples about engaging in unethical behavior.
  • The dry drunk will tend to blame all their problems on other people. They will fail to take responsibility for their own bad decisions.
  • They continue to behave secretively and tell lies.
  • The individual is likely to suffer from loneliness and boredom. They may later use this as a justification to return back to their addiction.
  • They will tend to be full of self-pity. They view their time in recovery as being similar to serving a prison sentence.
  • They are likely to romance the drink This means that they spend a good deal of time thinking about all the good times they had while drinking – even though such good times are usually just in their imagination.
  • This individual tends to be overconfident in their ability to stay sober. They will deny that they need the help of anyone else.
  • Even though this individual is physically sober they are still caught in denial. They just can’t see that their behavior needs to change.
  • The dry drunk will usually suffer from terminal uniqueness. This means that they do not believe the normal rules apply to them, and this can put them in great danger.
  • Such people tend to be full of negativity and resentment. This makes them difficult to be around.

Dec 24: One Day at a Time

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One Day at a Time

All this past week I have been thinking of what to use for a topic for this week’s meeting. . . I looked in Daily Reflections and other daily readers, but nothing “jumped out at me”. Then this morning, I saw my reminder on my phone to send in the topic, and the topic became more clear.

My home group, and many groups in Toronto, use the reading: “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”. This finishes with the line: “Let us therefore live but One Day at a Time”.

I have been anticipating chairing this week. Then yesterday I had a bad headache, didn’t even turn on my computer, and went to bed early. . . forgetting about sending in today’s topic. I firmly believe that my HP uses my body to bring something to my attention. . . that even something good and positive doesn’t need to be over-thought ahead of time .

I too often dwell on the past and all the negative aspects of it. For me, this only magnifies how bad something was. And I also tend to think of days, weeks and months to come, with the hopes, dreams, and dreads (of the past catching up with me, haha) of the future. None of this is productive to my recovery, or progress as a person.

I do not wand to “regret the past or shut the door on it”, but I do want to learn from it, not live in it.

I sometimes wish I could plan the future, but all I can really accomplish is to “do the next right thing”. Some things require preparation, but I cannot plan things out in detail.

All this is Progress, not Perfection.

How have you learned to take One Day at a Time?

In love,
Pat

Dec 17: Complacency

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Complacency

My name is Gail and I am an alcoholic. As I realized I had prayed for a few days I thought, wow. Where was I headed?

My spouse was being himself, I haven’t been to a meeting for over a week. God had answered so many of my prayers and other than saying the serenity prayer so I wouldn’t strangle my partner, I hadn’t prayed.

I do not forget I am an alcoholic. I was sick for a week. Left my Canada home to go to my winter home…so not able to get to a meeting.

Complacency is not good. But I caught it in time. I need my meetings and I need God there at my side to continue to be the Christian woman I strive to be on a daily basis.

Ah a sober one…..

What has happened in your life when you have been complacent with AA and God in the center of your life?

Gail

Dec 10: Step 12, Faith and Action

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Step 12, Faith and Action

Having had a spiritual awakening as result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principals in all our affairs.

Hello GROW,

I recently left a job that was no longer right for me. And I’m not worried that I won’t be able to find another. In fact, I feel confident that I will be looked after: as long as I take action. That means slowly looking for more appropriate work. And turning over any fear that comes up. Faith allows me to act when the time is right.

I learned how to do this by working the steps!

A few weeks ago a member wrote that turning it over or letting go is the action part of faith.

In Step 12 I learn that as a result of a spiritual awakening I’m able to go out into the world and help others. I’m able to apply the principles to anything that comes up; not just drinking.

Sometimes the action is reaching out, sometimes the action is letting go. But faith is what keeps me from acting on fear. This week, I’d like to hear how you practice Step 12. What actions have you been able to take in sobriety thanks to your faith in a Higher Power?

Please feel free to share on this topic or on whatever is happening in your program this week.

Thank you for allowing me to be of service.

Dec 03: Have I Hit Bottom?

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Have I Hit Bottom?

As a newcomer, my sponsor and I attended a 12&12 study where two old-timers would break down the 12 & 12 literature. I recall reading this paragraph with excitement! In active alcoholism, the Court ordered treatment with recommendations that included AA. At a meeting, I met an alcoholic who would buy beer from me two years prior, standing before me with 18 months sobriety. He pointed out that AA could never work for me unless I could answer yes to two questions: am I willing to go to any lengths for my sobriety; and am I entirely done drinking. The answer was no. He told me to go out and get done. So, when reading the 12 & 12 with my sponsor and 2 old-timers, this paragraph resonated with me:

“Why all this insistence that every A.A. must hit bottom first? The answer is that few people will sincerely try to practice the A.A. program unless they have hit bottom. For practicing A.A.’s remaining eleven Steps means the adoption of attitudes and actions that almost no alcoholic who is still drinking can dream of taking. Who wishes to be rigorously honest and tolerant? Who wants to confess his faults to another and make restitution for harm done? Who cares anything about a Higher Power, let alone meditation and prayer? Who wants to sacrifice time and energy in trying to carry A.A.’s message to the next sufferer? No, the average alcoholic, self-centered in the extreme, doesn’t care for this prospect– unless he has to do these things in order to stay alive himself. Under the lash of alcoholism, we are driven to A.A., and there we discover the fatal nature of our situation. Then, and only then, do we become as open-minded to conviction and as willing to listen as the dying can be. We stand ready to do anything which will lift the merciless obsession from us.” 12&12

None of this could work without hitting bottom.

Question: have you hit your bottom? Are you entirely done drinking and willing to go to any lengths for your sobriety? If so, what are you willing to do for your recovery?

“Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path.” HOW, Chapter 5

Please share your experience, strength and hope. If you are unsure about hitting bottom, please share this with us too. Perhaps, our ESH would help the suffering alcoholic in this online room. God bless!

My name is Nicole and I am an alcoholic. Thank you for paying a 12 step call on me.

Nov 26: Dealing With Ego

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Dealing With Ego

Ego is defined by Merriam-Webster as “the opinion that you have about yourself; a part of the mind that senses and adapts to the real world”.

This is the content for Layout P TagOn the other hand, Merriam-Webster’s definition of Humility is: “The quality or state of not thinking you are better than other people; the quality or state of being humble”.

When I drank, I felt I was smarter than and superior to everyone else and I let them know it! I could solve your problems and just about everyone else’s until the hangover hit the next morning at which time my attitude changed to ‘inferior’ and ego-shattering (my self-esteem) and feelings of guilt, shame and remorse set in – how could I have said or done those things the night before? What was wrong with me? Why couldn’t I have stopped drinking after 2 or 3 beers? How could I have been so stupid as to have gotten drunk yet one more time when I promised myself the last time that I would never do this again?

I think that it takes an act of true humility to realize and acknowledge that we have a problem with alcohol (or anything else for that matter). If I practice humility, it allows me to be honest with myself, recognize that I don’t know it all, admit that I need help, and acknowledge that there is a God and our trusted AA family and friends who can help. I didn’t come to AA because of something great and wonderful that I did – rather, I was a sick and sorry individual without any hope of living a meaningful, purposeful, happy life with or without alcohol.

My program teaches me that a big part of being humble is to respect others and offer to help them, especially when they cannot help me in return. It also teaches me to admit that I’ve made mistakes, own up to them, and make amends, if necessary. Instead of comparing myself to others, I can take a measure of my own progress by comparing the person I am today to the person I used to be, because no one’s “outsides” will ever match my “insides”. Repeated inventories and Twelfth-Step work are routine reminders that I must work at preserving my sobriety and keeping my ego in check.

I would like to hear your views on the ego and how you manage to keep it in check. This is your meeting and I would like to hear from all of you; if not this topic, then please share on anything that is bothering you today.

Hugs and best wishes for a great day.

Laura G.

6/17/89

Nov 19: Working the Program

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Working the Program

Hi all. I learned a very important lesson in the last month so I thought I’d share. I have a few things I do consistently to work my program. I call/text my sponsor every day. I commit to 3 weekly F2F meetings. I do a daily meditation and post it to an AA Facebook page. And I do my daily readings on here.

About 3 week’s ago, I started getting complacent. I skipped some F2F meetings. I wasn’t consistent with my sponsor. I wasn’t reading my daily GROW emails. It didn’t take long before I landed myself in the hospital. I was only 1 step away from relapse. I’m not saying I wouldn’t have ended up in the hospital if I had been faithful to my program but I sure would’ve had a better chance. That incident showed me how important it really is to continue working my program to the best of my ability.

What are some things you do to consistently work your program? Thanks all! Have a great week!

Hugs,
Gayla
11/20/15

Nov 12: Sharing the Miracles

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Sharing the Miracles

There have been many little miracles have happened since I got sober. To someone else, they might have had no significance but, for me, the coming together of certain happenings in a way that struck me deeply, and brought great meaning and a sense of a Power who cared and was looking after me, has deepened the bond I have with my Higher Power.

I’m not going to give the dictionary definition of ‘miracle’. Suffice it to say there are many views on what constitutes one. It doesn’t have to be the breaking of natural laws (like rising from the dead or growing new legs after we lost them!).

I’m asking you to share anything you feel was miraculous to you.

Some things stand out for me. But really there have been countless times I’ve stood still and just thought.. . wow.

I’ll share two things that stand out. At a year sober, my friend and I took over the franchise on a leisure centre snack bar. One day we were in dire straits wondering how we would pay the Coca Cola man (this was a long time ago before health consciousness was that developed lol)… we owed him ?184.10.

Now, our little cafe was loved by the people but there was never a huge amount of customers coming through. That day, after handing it over, an unexpected busload of folk came in and guess how much our till showed at the end of the day… ?184.10 (this was 1983…)! We were dumbfounded and in awe. (My partner was newly sober too).

Another time, at many years sober, and struggling as a single parent to even put together the fuel costs, I drove my 13 year old to a fencing competition a few hours’ drive away. I’d packed a simple picnic lunch for us. Our car was an old banger. We got lost on the way, and after futile attempts to find darn Pontefract, even my son agreed we’d have to give up. Feeling a right failure, I began the journey home. Out of nowhere, a sign for Pontefract popped up. In a race against time, we arrived just as it was beginning.

To cut a long story short, our little banger sat among top of the range cars… Jags, Rolls, Mercedes . . it was a very posh private school the competition was being held in. But we were not deterred.. (my son loved his sport and was very talented). However, great feelings of despondency did come over me as we parked up, thinking of how little financially we had… (I’d walked away from a toxic marriage and a 6-bedroomed house with virtually nothing material to my name)

A few hours later, we left there, my son clutching this huge trophy! He’d come first!! Cars didn’t matter… financial status didn’t matter… my guy had the talent and money couldn’t buy that.

We had an amazing drive home.. we shared together, this boy of mine and me, of spiritual values, of it all being an inside job. (He would go on to get a 1st at university and a Masters after. But his greatest achievement to date has been the celebration of 2 years’ sobriety last week. He went on a few years after the fencing victory to discover alcohol)

Please share if you can anything that has left you feeling… wow.

If you can’t think of any (yet), feel free to share about anything related to alcoholism.

With love in fellowship
Louise

Nov 05: Let Go, Let God

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Let Go, Let God

Hi guys! I’m Sarah, alcoholic. So grateful to be of service today and keep my head on solution and not trash ! Lol!

I have experienced some real miracles when I Let go and let god- and listen to that whisper inside my gut- not sure how I come to “let go” sometimes but it usually involves a very high level of pain ?. Today I can let go of custody stuff and my ex and current situations and really trust god – it’s an amazing relationship that I never anticipated and it’s very slowly grown over the years as I have began to trust my higher power. I’m still not sure what it is but it’s good and it’s the good in everyone – that’s how I see God. I am an impatient, imperfect alcoholic women and I get in there and screw things up but when I sit back and think– deep down I know what to do and that’s god for me- and today I know I can trust Him 100% even if it still feels like jumping off a ledge sometimes- can’t wait to hear your experience strength and hope – love you all thanks for keeping me sober today 🙂 oxoxoxox

Sarah K.

Oct 29: Contempt Prior to Investigation

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Contempt Prior to Investigation

Hi! Thank you for allowing me to be of service this week. I’m so excited because this is my first time to Chair a GROW meeting! So here goes!

“There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance- that principle is contempt prior to investigation.” – Herbert Spencer – BB, Appendix II, Spiritual Experience

So, luckily I came into this program with an open mind towards spirituality. I was able to see God working fairly quickly in my life and others. I was able to surrender and keep surrendering. I have also experienced many who cannot come by spiritual experiences this easily.

This quote struck me in a different way as well. The contempt prior to investigation. I am a very quick judge of character. I am quick to come to conclusions and am very stubborn. All character defects that I can own up to today. When I look back, I realize how ignorant I willingly kept myself just because I had chosen to judge a situation first, rather than dig in to see the truth.

My dark and twisty thoughts usually come from holding contempt against someone or something. Whether it be a wrong done or a wish that never came true. But once I decide to investigate and reflect on said contempt, it usually turns out that there is nothing to be upset about.

Going back to the passage stated above, if you are having trouble accepting the Higher Power of this program or the spiritual experiences we talk about, just try to have an open mind. You don’t have to believe in my God. Just be willing to believe in something. Investigate and try it out before you cement your contempt in your mind. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be in “everlasting ignorance” about anything!

I’m glad I didn’t have this contempt. But I do have it in others areas and needed this reminder to stay willing to see the other side before I make judgments.

Please share on this or anything that’s on your mind.

Sending hugs from Texas!

Amanda 8/3/2016

Oct 22: Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys

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Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys

Before I came into the rooms, I thought I didn’t have much of an ego. When I butted into conversations or gave advice, I thought I was just doing my “Mama Bear” thing.

Once I started working with my sponsor, a whole new side of me came to light. She showed me how my Mama Bear-ism was nothing more than my big, fat ego raising its ugly, nosy head. I was shocked! Me? Self-centered? WHAAAA??! I truly had no idea.

At 2.5 years sober, I’ve developed a keen awareness of how unsolicited advice can often be seen as criticism. I must restrain always. However, I can ask, “Are you open for input?” This gives the person the right to grant me permission or to decline. If they agree to it, I go forth. If not, I repeat to myself, “Not my circus; not my monkeys.”

“Not my circus; not my monkeys” has made a profound difference in my life. It keeps me in my own lane. It tells me to ignore conversations and situations I have no business inviting myself into. It stops me from judging. Talk about freeing!!! Talk about serenity!!! Talk about peace!!!

I must admit, though, this newfound peace can feel uncomfortable at times. The lack of stimulating drama and not making everything about me has been quite an adjustment. I’m slowly getting used to a quieter and more present self, as are my family and friends. When they ask if something’s wrong or if I’m okay, I simply give them a smile and say that I’m just listening, which they seem to appreciate.

My efforts to send my Mama Bear back to wherever the h*## she came from are far from perfect, but I am making progress. I’ll keep doing so if I’m completely willing to mind my own circus, mind my own monkeys and no one else’s.

Thank you, my sobriety sisters, for letting me share and chair.

xoxoruth 4/13/15

1017 – Group Conscious Decisions

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2017 October Group Conscious Decisions

  1. Increase the treasury Prudent Reserve to $122.00.
  2. Form a workgroup led by the current Webkeeper to develop a proposal for changing the GROW website and present that proposal at the April 2018 business meeting.GROW’s webkeeper will form a small workgroup (no more 3 or 5 members) that will discuss and develop a proposal to present to the April 2018 business meeting for a path forward in addressing these two workgroup objectives:
    1. How to manage the group’s increasing need for easy access and user friendliness to the GROW website with focus on weekly meeting topics and archival business meeting notes.
    2. How to address the roles of web-keeper and backup web-keeper so that they are accessible to more membership involvement (i.e., making the web-keeper position a rotating one and making the tasks of the roles of web-keeper and backup web-keeper less technical and more about maintaining content on the website.

    Specifically, the proposal to be presented to the April 2018 business meeting will include:

    • Recommended software, web hosting needs, and associated costs;
    • Timeline and steps for website conversion;
    • Recommended changes to the Webkeeper and Webkeeper Back-up positions; and
    • Any other recommendations to accomplish workgroup objectives.
  3. Add a bullet to the Trusted Servant Common Duties section that calls for Trusted Servants to inform the Steering Committee (through the Secretary and/or Business Chair) when they are unable to meet all the duties described in their Position Description.Recommended language:
    (as second bullet under the Trusted Servant Common Duties section at g-r-o-w.com/members/ts/tsdesc.htm#tscommon):

    Smooth and uninterrupted volunteer service to GROW depends upon your ability to carry out your commitments. If a Trusted Servant finds that she cannot meet all the duties listed in her Job Description, she will inform the Secretary and/or Business Meeting Chair that she is unable to fulfill her responsibilities. Working with the Trusted Servant and the Steering Committee, the Secretary and/or Business Chair will then seek alternatives for assuring all duties are covered (including securing a temporary back-up or advertising the position on the main list). If a member of the Steering Committee is concerned that not all items in a job description are being met, she may bring her concern to Secretary and/or Business Meeting Chair, who will work with the Trusted Servant to assure their duties are covered.

  4. Between this meeting (October 2017) and the April 2018 meeting, the Business Meeting Chair will work with prior and current Trusted Servants to review and update their position descriptions to be presented for approval in April.

Oct 15: Complacency

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Complacency

“Complacency can be defined as a feeling of contentment or self satisfaction (I’m cured now), especially when coupled with an unawareness of danger, trouble or controversy (drama). To say an individual is acting complacently means that they are taking things for granted. When we grow complacent, (usually begins with a cocky attitude of boredom), we aren’t doing what we need in order to grow and move forward. We stand still or move in reverse. That’s a dangerous place for me. When a member suggests I have grown complacent, I need to take measures to jump start working the Program in its entirety, daily, as it should be. Gratitude lists, working with others, doing the Steps. Reading the Big Book, reminds me that I have a disease. One that wants me dead but will settle for me drunk. I’m certain the awareness of becoming complacent does not escape me, it’s when I ignore it is when it is a danger.

Are you aware when you decide to stay sober on yesterdays work? What do you do to counteract this dilemma?

The floor is now open for discussion.

1017 – Business Meeting Proposals

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List of Proposals
  • Proposal 2.1: Abolish the position of OIAA Representative.
  • Proposal 3.2: Discuss the creation of a new GROW web site.
    • Proposal 3.3: Form a workgroup led by the current Webkeeper …
    • Proposal 3.4: Form a workgroup led by the current Webkeeper …
  • Proposal 4.2: Increase the treasury Prudent Reserve to $122.00.
  • Proposal 5.3: Trusted Servants will inform the Steering Committee …
    • Proposal 5.4: Trusted Servants will inform the Steering Committee …
  • Proposal 6.4: When a Trusted Servant’s term of service finishes, the vacated position …
    • Proposal 6.5a: (Announcing TS Vacancies – Version A)
    • Proposal 6.5b: (Announcing TS Vacancies – Version B)
  • Proposal 7.4: Update position descriptions
    • Proposal 7.5: Update position descriptions

 

Proposal 1: Establish a Facebook page for GROW.

A private Facebook page would provide an informal meeting area for before and after our meeting – similar to going to coffee after a face-to-face meeting.

Rationale: Social media can provide a tremendous amount of support for members of the group, and I believe the relationships between our members would be strengthened through this. It would give us an area where people could share about things not directly related to sobriety and where our members can get to know each other in a way not really possible in the mailing list. A private Facebook page could offer an informal avenue for getting support and for having fun.

I could create a page and advertise it informally, but would prefer to have a group conscience guide the activity for this. The task of administering or managing the Facebook page could fall under the Webkeeper. As the backup webkeeper I would volunteer to establish and administer the page.

Note: We discussed this proposal during the April business meeting but did not come to a decision on what to do. This document includes not only the original proposal but also a list of questions that arose and summaries of what was said in April. Please read all the way to the end of this document. – Danna GROW Business Chair

[Beginning of notes on Proposal 1]

In order to document our April discussions on this issue, here are questions already raised that should be considered and discussed in October (grouped by common theme):

General

  • Would the private Facebook page be an “official” arm of GROW?
  • Is a Facebook page (even a private one) a violation of AA’s 11th Tradition?
  • What would be the benefits of a private Facebook page for GROW members?
  • Can the Facebook page create any security problems for the e-mail meeting?
  • Should we (and how do we) get feedback from GROW members on the possibility of having a private Facebook page for all members?

Facebook page management

  • How will the private Facebook be administered or managed?
  • Should more than one person be authorized to administer the Facebook page?
  • Do we need to create a new Trusted Servant position to administer the site?
  • If we do need a new Trusted Servants position, what will her job description say?
  • What length of term would the administrator/moderator hold?
  • How will the Facebook page administrator know who is eligible for membership?
  • What would the Facebook page/group do to ensure the anonymity of all GROW members?
  • How will disputes/disagreements be handled in the Facebook group?
  • Do we need to (and how do we) measure the success or failure of the Facebook page?

Relationship to & Impact on GROW’s main mailing list

  • Would the private Facebook page be “advertised” on GROW’s website?
  • How will GROW members be informed of or invited to join the private Facebook page?
  • Will members who leave GROW be asked to leave the Facebook page?
  • Could the Facebook page create a clique within GROW that would make some members feel left out?
  • What impact would the Facebook page have on GROW’s ongoing AA e-mail meeting?

APRIL 2017 SUMMARIES

During the fourth 3-day session, we discussed a new proposal to create a private Facebook page for GROW. The page would offer GROW members a meeting- before- or after-the-meeting and a way to get to know each other better. Discussions were animated, covering a wide range of arguments. Many participants supported the idea; however, many others had concerns about AA’s tradition of anonymity, how the Facebook page would be administered, whether the page would detract from the primary purpose of the mailing list, and the conditions of membership in the private page. Some members felt the page might create a clique within GROW that would damage the e-mail meeting.

Several participants who are members of private Facebook pages shared their experience with the group. The proposal’s author provided a detailed rationale that responded to most of the concerns that had been raised. A couple of participants wondered if we should not bring this question to the entire mailing list. Several members pointed out that accepting this proposal could necessitate creating a new Trusted Servant to administer the private Facebook page and, therefore, a new job description.

With little resolution on the issue and the end of the meeting on the horizon, we will vote on three options: create a private Facebook page with no further discussion, creating a private Facebook page for a six-month trial period and revisiting the issue in the October business meeting, or deferring the discussion until the October business meeting (without creating the page).

Voting on Proposal

Participants voted on one of three options:

  • 7a: Establish a Facebook page for GROW.
  • 7b: Establish a Facebook page for GROW and revisit the proposal during the October 2017 business meeting to assess its performance and impact on the GROW e-mail meeting and decide if it should be continued.
  • 7c: Defer until the October 2017 business meeting a decision on the proposal to establish a private Facebook page for GROW members so that further discussions can take place.

Seventeen participants voted for all of the three options, but no option received the 2/3 majority required to adopt as a Group Conscience decision. Because we have reached no decision by the 17th day of the meeting, we will table the proposal until the October 2017 meeting.

[end of notes on Proposal 1.]

Summary of Discussion on Proposal 1.1 (GROW Facebook page)

  • Many participants commented on Proposal 1.1 (Establish a private Facebook page for GROW).
  • One participant shared the GSO guidelines “General Social Networking Websites” with the group. The guidelines addressed concerns about AA and individual anonymity within the social networking framework.
  • Several members expressed concern that a GROW Facebook page would not be consistent with Tradition 11: “Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.”
  • Some participants expressed concerns about security, potential hacking or vulnerability of personal information. Others were concerned about personal anonymity. Several members said they would not participant in a GROW Facebook page.
  • With much support for the idea, a member suggested that a Facebook page should not be officially affiliated with GROW or AA – that it should be a personal page to which GROW members can be invited and that it should not be used for GROW business or sharing or for AA materials. The personal Facebook page for GROW members would be for socializing only.
  • A participant pointed out that if the page were a personal page not affiliated with GROW, it would not be subject to approval or a vote in the business meeting and that page administration would not be a concern for us.
  • Participants shared their experiences with other similar private group Facebook pages. Some reported fairly negative experiences where posts were inappropriate or argumentative and where the page administrator became more of a “fire fighter.” Others’ experiences were more positive.

Call for Votes on Proposal 1.1 (GROW Facebook page)
Proposal 1.1: Establish a Facebook page for GROW.
A private Facebook page would provide an informal meeting area for before and after our meeting – similar to going to coffee after a face-to-face meeting.

If you agree with this proposal *as is*, please vote “I agree.”
If you disagree with this proposal *as is,* please vote “I disagree.”

Please send your vote to grow-business@oso-aa.org or, if you want to vote privately, to dmcd.grow@zoho.com.

We will take votes through the end of the day on Saturday. I will announce the results on Sunday, October 8th.

Resuits of Voting on Proposal 1.1 (GROW Facebook page)
A total of 21 participants voted (of 28 ‘registered’) on the proposal to establish a private Facebook page for GROW members.

Two (2) participants voted in favor, and nineteen (19) voted against Proposal 1.1. The vote did not meet the requirement for a 2/3 majority vote in favor of the proposal.

Our Business Meeting Guidelines allow three days for the minority opinion to be presented and discussed. If, after hearing the minority opinion, any participant wants to change their vote from “I disagree” to “I agree,” we will conduct a second vote.

At this time, I request that each of those who voted “I agree” on Proposal 1.1 send me a private note letting me know if they plan to post a “minority opinion.”

If the minority does not want to express their opinion, we will close this discussion, and the vote stands. Since the proposal has failed, it cannot be considered again until October 2018.

Proposal 1.2: Minority opinion – Facebook group
Grow business members,

I appreciate all of the discussion that surrounded this topic, and accept the group conscience. What I believe I heard through the discussion is that there would not be objection to an informal group that was announced (in an Off Topic post) to the group once in awhile.

I’ve renamed the group “Test – GROW” to “Growing – Coffee & Chat” and have provide the following description of the group:

This Facebook group was created as an after-meeting location that members of the GROW online meeting can use to get to know each other better and to have discussions that are not part of the meeting.

Note that this Facebook page is not formally affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous or the GROW online meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous.

I will send a note to our group about once a month or so to let people know that some of us meet outside of the meeting for “virtual coffee and conversation” – this happens in F2F meetings frequently and can be analogous to a member introducing herself to a newcomer and inviting them to coffee after the meeting.

Thanks again for the discussion and being part of the group conscience.
Cheryl D.

Process for Proposal 1.2 (Facebook)
The Business Meeting Guidelines allow for people to change their vote after the Minority Opinion is presented. If someone changes their vote, a re-vote would be held. If no majority voters have been persuaded to change their opinion, there will not be another vote. The proposal fails, and it cannot be revisited until October 2018.

We have until end-of-day on Tuesday to see if anyone wants to change their vote on the Facebook proposal. If you want to change your vote, please let me know.

Outcome of Proposal 1.2: (GROW Facebook page)
The Minority Opinion submitted to the group outlined a private Facebook page that would not be officially related to GROW but that would be named “Growing – Coffee & Chat” and would include an informal off-topic message to the Grow list inviting members to join the page. The minority writer also submitted an excerpt from the AA pamphlet “The Group” discussing an informed group conscience.

Many members responded to the Minority Opinion, overwhelmingly opposed to the hypothetical private Facebook page, its name, and any off-topic message to the main list about the page. As a result, the woman who submitted the proposal changed her vote to “I disagree.”

After the changed vote, the final results are one (1) “I agree” and 21 “I disagree.” Therefore, the proposal fails and will not be discussed further.

Consistent with the Business Meeting Guidelines, this proposal cannot be raised again before the October 2018 Business Meeting.

Proposal 2.1: Discontinue the OIAA Rep position.

Rationale: In April 2016, after lengthy discussions and a re-vote, our Group Conscience decision was that: “GROW will remain and continue to send a Representative to Intergroup meetings.” We were to re-visit this decision in October 2016.

We stopped sending GROW contributions to OIAA in October 2014. Checks had not been cashed for months, and members who been our OIAA Rep could not tolerate the language and bickering that went on during the OIAA meetings.

In October 2016, we had a volunteer in place as our OIAA Rep to run for one year until October 2017. To my knowledge, during this past year, we have received no feedback/ or communications regarding OIAA meetings, and no member has raised any concerns about the lack of information regarding OIAA.

For these reasons, it seems that we do not need this service position any longer. We should delete it from our list of Trusted Servants and archive references to it on our website.

Summary of Discussion on Proposal 2.2 (OIAA Rep position)

Discussion of Proposal 2.1 (Proposal 2.1: Discontinue the OIAA Representative position) centered on GROW’s relationship with the larger AA online community and the nature of the OIAA Rep position. A participant shared a Grapevine article, “Living Cyber,” that talked about OIAA’s hospitality suites at International Conventions and OIAA in general.

  • GROW stopped contributing to OIAA about two years ago, and no information has been shared on OIAA activities over the past year.
  • Several participants felt that it is important for GROW to be part of AA’s larger online service structure, that not participating would isolate us from the AA community and that we would not be aware of issues being discussed by OIAA.
  • Another participant pointed out that because OIAA has been unproductive or chaotic in the past does not mean it will continue to be. She said that, even if we are not contributing to OIAA, we should maintain our connection to that group.
  • A participant pointed out that reporting regularly about OIAA activities is required of the OIAA Rep in the job description for that Trusted Servant.
  • Another participant noted that the OIAA Rep job description is out of date and needs to be revised.

Call for Votes on Proposal 2.1 (OIAA Representative)
Proposal 2.1: Discontinue the OIAA Representative position.

If you agree with this proposal *as is*, please vote “I agree.”
If you disagree with this proposal *as is,* please vote “I disagree.”

Please send your vote to grow-business@oso-aa.org or, if you want to vote privately, to dmcd.grow@zoho.com.

We will take votes through the end of the day on Saturday. I will announce the results on Sunday, October 8th.

Results of Voting on Proposal 2.1 (Discontinue OIAA Rep Position)
A total of 20 participants voted (of 28 ‘registered’) on the proposal to discontinue the OIAA Representative position.

Two (2) participants voted in favor, and eighteen (18) voted against Proposal 2.1. This did not meet the requirement for a 2/3 majority vote in favor of the proposal.

Our Business Meeting Guidelines allow three days for the minority opinion to be presented and discussed. If, after hearing the minority opinion, any participant wants to change their vote from “I disagree” to “I agree,” we will conduct a second vote.

At this time, I request each of those who voted “I agree” on Proposal 1.2 send me a private note letting me know if they plan to post a “minority opinion.”

If the minority does not want to express their opinion, we will close this discussion, and the vote stands. Since the proposal has failed, it cannot be considered again until October 2018.

Proposal 3.2: Discuss the creation of a new web site…

Proposal 3.2: Discuss the creation of a new web site and pursue looking into how that would be done.

Rationale: Currently, a Webkeeper must have extensive knowledge of how to create and maintain web pages. There are web site services offered such as WordPress that make it easy to create and manage a web site. This would allow more members the option of signing up for this position and make it possible to make this a rotating position in keeping with AA principles.

Remarks: If this is too loosely worded, perhaps we could tighten it up a bit before the business meeting. I am purposely leaving it vague because it is the discussion I envision getting started, not the web site itself. It will require several rounds of business meetings, I suspect, to vote this in. I myself have had a WordPress account for a number of years and it is very easy to upload, edit and create. I understand that group accounts can go on it but I am not well informed about web sites. I would love to have more input, and if the idea is not workable, then we will find out.

To get us started on a conversation about a new website, I’ve listed some questions for which the answers might help us move forward. If any of these bring something else to mind, please share it with us.

  • Do you the existing GROW website?
  • What information on the existing website do you use most? Least?
  • How do you access the existing site – computer, cellphone, tablet, etc.?
  • What problems have you had getting to and/or using the existing website?
  • What would make it easier for you to use GROW’s website (to be included in a redesign)?

Thank you for your questions, Sue. I am not personally aware of “complaints” about the website from our members; however, there are a number of issues that it would be nice to correct. I’ll give you my impressions based on convesations with our webkeeper and a few other long-time members:

  • The HTML-based website is very cumbersome for our webkeepers. Each line has to be coded separately. In addition to making it a very labor-intensive task, this introduces the possibility for coding errors that could cause long-term problems for users of the site.
  • Because we use HTML coding, very few GROW members are “qualified” to step into the webkeeper positions. This is why we made the webkeeper a non-rotating position and why we get very few volunteers when vacancies in the webkeeper and webkeeper back-up jobs are announced.
  • Today, many people use cellphones and tablets to access the Internet. Our current site isn’t set up to be viewed that way and can be very difficult for those users.
  • There are software packages available today that make adding, editing, and searching for content much easier. Adopting, for example, a content management system (CMS) would make the webkeeper’s job easier and would allow more GROW members to perform it – meaning it could be a rotating position. It would also give the flexibility to design pages that are “friendly” for users of mobile devices.

Proposal 3.3: Form a workgroup led by the current Webkeeper to develop a proposal for changing the GROW website and present that proposal at the April 2018 business meeting.

Summary of Discussion on Proposal 3.3 (GROW Website Workgroup)
Our Webkeeper presented a general plan for a workgroup of from three to five members that would develop a proposal for presentation at the April 2018 business meeting that would address two primary objectives: improving access and user-friendliness (focusing on meeting topics and archival business meeting notes) and revisiting the roles of the Webkeeper and Webkeeper Back-up. She explained that there are a range of options that are not expensive or complicated. She also reminded us of the importance of Keeping It Simple!

The website proposal presented in April 2018 would address:

  • Recommended software, web hosting needs, and associated costs;
  • Timeline and steps for website conversion;
  • Recommended changes to the Webkeeper and Webkeeper Back-up positions; and
  • Any other recommendations to accomplish workgroup objectives.

Ten participants commented on the proposal to form a website workgroup led by our Webkeeper. All comments on this proposal were very supportive. One participant asked if it might be possible to address the desire for a chat area within the new website. The Webkeeper referred back to the two primary objectives of the website workgroup: 1) easy access and user-friendliness and 2) the roles of Webkeeper and Webkeeper Back-up. She said issues like a chat area could be addressed after the new site was up and running successfully.

Call for Votes on Proposal 3.4 (GROW Website Workgroup)
Proposal 3.4: Form a workgroup led by the current Webkeeper to develop a proposal for changing the GROW website and present that proposal at the April 2018 business meeting.

If you agree with this proposal *as is*, please vote “I agree.”
If you disagree with this proposal *as is,* please vote “I disagree.”

Please send your vote to grow-business@oso-aa.org or, if you want to vote privately, to dmcd.grow@zoho.com.

We will take votes through the end of the day on Friday. I will announce the results on Saturday, October 14th.

Results of Voting on Proposal 3.4 (Website Workgroup)
Eighteen (18) participants voted in favor, and no one voted against Proposal 3.4, exceeding the requirement for a 2/3 majority vote in favor of the proposal. Therefore, the proposal is approved and adopted as a Group Conscience decision.

Group Conscience Decision: Form a workgroup led by the current Webkeeper to develop a proposal for changing the GROW website and present that proposal at the April 2018 business meeting.

GROW’s webkeeper will form a small workgroup (no more 3 or 5 members) that will discuss and develop a proposal to present to the April 2018 business meeting for a path forward in addressing these two workgroup objectives:

  1. How to manage the group’s increasing need for easy access and user friendliness to the GROW website with focus on weekly meeting topics and archival business meeting notes.
  2. How to address the roles of web-keeper and backup web-keeper so that they are accessible to more membership involvement (i.e., making the web-keeper position a rotating one and making the tasks of the roles of web-keeper and backup web-keeper less technical and more about maintaining content on the website.

Specifically, the proposal to be presented to the April 2018 business meeting will include:

The website proposal presented in April 2018 would address:

  • Recommended software, web hosting needs, and associated costs;
  • Timeline and steps for website conversion;
  • Recommended changes to the Webkeeper and Webkeeper Back-up positions; and
  • Any other recommendations to accomplish workgroup objectives.

 

Proposal 4.2: Increase the treasury Prudent Reserve to $122.00.

Rationale: In October of 2015, a group conscience decision was made to purchase a yearly Grapevine subscription (both in print and online) at a cost of just under $50. At that time, we did not discuss adding the cost of the subscription to GROW’s Prudent Reserve. Increasing the Prudent Reserve will ensure the new Treasurer can meet our expenses (six months of web hosting at $12/month and a Grapevine subscription at $50 for one year).

Results of Voting on Proposal 4.2 (Increase Prudent Reserve)
Eighteen (18) participants voted in favor, and no one voted against Proposal 4.2, clearly meeting requirement for a 2/3 majority vote in favor of the proposal.

Since we have a unanimous outcome, Proposal 4.2 is approved and adopted as a group conscience decision.

Group Conscience Decision: Increase the treasury Prudent Reserve to $122.00.

Proposal 5.3: Add a bullet to the Trusted Servant Common Duties…

Proposal 5.3: Add a bullet to the Trusted Servant Common Duties section that calls for Trusted Servants to inform the Steering Committee (through the Secretary and/or Business Chair) when they are unable to meet all the duties described in their Position Description.

Recommended Language (as second bullet under the Trusted Servant Common Duties section at g-r-o-w.com/members/ts/tsdesc.htm#tscommon):
Smooth and uninterrupted volunteer service to GROW depends upon your ability to carry out your commitments. If a Trusted Servant finds that she cannot meet all the duties listed in her Job Description, she will inform the Secretary and/or Business Meeting Chair that she is unable to fulfill her responsibilities. Working with the Trusted Servant and the Steering Committee, the Secretary and/or Business Chair will then seek alternatives for assuring all duties are covered (including securing a temporary back-up or advertising the position on the main list). If a member of the Steering Committee is concerned that not all items in a job description are being met, she may bring her concern to Secretary and/or Business Meeting Chair, who will work with the Trusted Servant to assure their duties are covered.

Rationale: GROW has no process or solution for assuring that Trusted Servants have the support they need to fulfill all of the duties listed in their Job Descriptions. While we assume that Trusted Servants will ask for help, we have had several situations in the past where job responsibilities were not met, and no call for help was issued.

This proposal formalizes the process by which a Trusted Servant can ask for help, and other Trusted Servants can provide needed support. Life events can make it difficult to fulfill a Trusted Servant’s role. All Trusted Servants should know that they can, and are expected to, ask for both short- and long-term help. In the case where a Trusted Servant does not ask for help, the Steering Committee should be empowered to take action to assure that all duties are addressed.

Summary of Discussion on Proposal 5.4 (Trusted Servant Common Duties)
As of today, there have been seven comments on Proposal 5.3 (Trusted Servant Common Duties). Two participants felt that the spirit of the recommended bullet was “common sense” and did not need to be codified into a rule for Trusted Servants (TSs). The proposer argued that it helps “to say it out loud” to encourage TSs to seek help when they are not able to meet all the duties listed in their job description. Most participants expressed support for the proposal, understanding the new bullet as a reminder rather than a rule and agreeing that having it written on the webpage would reinforce the importance for our Trusted Servants of asking for and offering help.

Rather than extend the discussion period to encourage more comments, we will vote on Proposal 5.4 (Trusted Servant Common Duties) during the fifth 3-day session.

Call for Votes on Proposal 5.4 (Trusted Servant Common Duties)
Proposal 5.4: Add a bullet to the Trusted Servant Common Duties section that calls for Trusted Servants to inform the Steering Committee (through the Secretary and/or Business Chair) when they are unable to meet all the duties described in their Position Description.

Recommended Language (as second bullet under the Trusted Servant Common Duties section at g-r-o-w.com/members/ts/tsdesc.htm#tscommon):
Smooth and uninterrupted volunteer service to GROW depends upon your ability to carry out your commitments. If a Trusted Servant finds that she cannot meet all the duties listed in her Job Description, she will inform the Secretary and/or Business Meeting Chair that she is unable to fulfill her responsibilities. Working with the Trusted Servant and the Steering Committee, the Secretary and/or Business Chair will then seek alternatives for assuring all duties are covered (including securing a temporary back-up or advertising the position on the main list). If a member of the Steering Committee is concerned that not all items in a job description are being met, she may bring her concern to Secretary and/or Business Meeting Chair, who will work with the Trusted Servant to assure their duties are covered.

Rationale: GROW has no process or solution for assuring that Trusted Servants have the support they need to fulfill all of the duties listed in their Job Descriptions. While we assume that Trusted Servants will ask for help, we have had several situations in the past where job responsibilities were not met, and no call for help was issued.

This proposal formalizes the process by which a Trusted Servant can ask for help, and other Trusted Servants can provide needed support. Life events can make it difficult to fulfill a Trusted Servant’s role. All Trusted Servants should know that they can, and are expected to, ask for both short- and long-term help. In the case where a Trusted Servant does not ask for help, the Steering Committee should be empowered to take action to assure that all duties are addressed.

If you agree with this proposal *as is*, please vote “I agree.”
If you disagree with this proposal *as is,* please vote “I disagree.”

Please send your vote to grow-business@oso-aa.org or, if you want to vote privately, to dmcd.grow@zoho.com.

We will take votes through the end of the day on Friday. I will announce the results on Saturday, October 14th.

Results of Voting on Proposal 5.4 (Trusted Servant Common Duties)
Seventeen (17) participants voted in favor, and no one voted against Proposal 5.4. This exceeded the requirement for a 2/3 majority vote in favor of the proposal. Therefore, the proposal is approved and adopted as a Group Conscience decision.

Group Conscience Decision: Add a bullet to the Trusted Servant Common Duties section that calls for Trusted Servants to inform the Steering Committee (through the Secretary and/or Business Chair) when they are unable to meet all the duties described in their Position Description.

Recommended Language (as second bullet under the Trusted Servant Common Duties section at g-r-o-w.com/members/ts/tsdesc.htm#tscommon):
Smooth and uninterrupted volunteer service to GROW depends upon your ability to carry out your commitments. If a Trusted Servant finds that she cannot meet all the duties listed in her Job Description, she will inform the Secretary and/or Business Meeting Chair that she is unable to fulfill her responsibilities. Working with the Trusted Servant and the Steering Committee, the Secretary and/or Business Chair will then seek alternatives for assuring all duties are covered (including securing a temporary back-up or advertising the position on the main list). If a member of the Steering Committee is concerned that not all items in a job description are being met, she may bring her concern to Secretary and/or Business Meeting Chair, who will work with the Trusted Servant to assure their duties are covered.

Proposal 6.4: When a Trusted Servant’s term of service finishes…

Proposal 6.4: When a Trusted Servant’s term of service finishes, the vacated position will immediately be announced to the whole group so that others might have the opportunity to serve.

Rationale: Even if the serving Trusted Servant is willing to stay on longer than their term, all GROW members should have the opportunity to volunteer for a service position. If no one volunteers, then the serving TS’s willingness to continue into a new term would be gratefully accepted.

Over the years, there have been times when some of us, eager to serve, have stayed on longer than our term. When a willing, experienced, and able person offers to stay on longer than their term, it is very tempting to accept their offer without announcing the service opportunity to all group members. As tempting as it is to do this, it is unfair to our members not to first ask for volunteers from the group at large. Only when no volunteers step forward should we accept the TS’s willingness to stay on in the position, entering into a new term. Even with the frequent scarcity of volunteers, fair is fair: the group at large needs to be offered a chance at service first.

Summary of Discussion on Proposal 6.4 (Announcing TS Vacancies)
Seven participants commented on, and everyone supported Proposal 6.4 (Announcing TS Vacancies) in general. Two questions were raised:

  • What to do about positions where a Trusted Servant had taken the position mid-term (usually because the original TS quit).

Responses to this question were mixed with several participants thinking that a Trusted Servant who volunteered mid-term should get first opportunity to fill the position in the next regular term of office. However, several participants also thought that position vacancies should be open to all GROW members without exceptions. There was no clear group preference on this issue.

Whether the proposal language should be included in a position description.

The Secretary is responsible for announcing and filling vacancies, so the language should be incorporated into her position description. The appropriate bullet already exists (“Calls for nominations/volunteers.”), and the proposal language will be added to the end of that bullet.

The Chair will present two versions of the proposal, the difference addressing a vacancy announcement for a vacancy that was filled during the term of office will or will not be offered to the GROW membership (if the volunteer finishing out the term wants to remain in the position for the new term of office).

Please do not vote until you receive the formal “Call for Votes.”

  • Proposal 6.5a: Announce all vacancies first to the main list.
  • Proposal 6.5b: Announce vacancies first to the main list except when a Trusted Servant who accepted job mid-term wants to continue in that role.

If you agree that all Trusted Servant vacancies should be announced first to the main list, even when a volunteer has accepted the position mid-term and wants to continue in that role, vote “I agree” on Proposal 6.5a. Your vote for version 6.5b will automatically be recorded as “I disagree.”

If you agree that some Trusted Servant vacancies do not need to go to the main list first (in the situation where a Trusted Servant accepted her position mid-term and wants to continue in that role), vote “I agree on Proposal 6.5b. Your vote for version 6.5a will automatically be recorded as “I disagree.”

If you do not agree with either version of the proposal, vote “I disagree” on both Proposal 6.5a and Proposal 6.5b.

Call for Votes on Proposal 6.5a (Announcing TS Vacancies – Ver A)
Proposal 6.5a: When a Trusted Servant’s term of service finishes, the vacated position will immediately be announced to the whole group so that others might have the opportunity to serve. This applies to all Trusted Servant vacancies.

Recommended Language to be added to the 11th bullet in the Secretary job description as follows:
“Calls for nominations/volunteers. When a Trusted Servant’s term of service finishes, the vacated position will immediately be announced to the whole group so that others might have the opportunity to serve. This applies to all Trusted Servant vacancies.”

If you agree that all Trusted Servant vacancies should be announced first to the main list, even when a volunteer has accepted the position mid-term and wants to continue in that role, vote “I agree” on Proposal 6.5a. Your vote for version 6.5b will automatically be recorded as “I disagree.”

If you do not agree with either version of the proposal, vote “I disagree” on both Proposal 6.5a and Proposal 6.5b.

Please send your vote to grow-business@oso-aa.org or, if you want to vote privately, to dmcd.grow@zoho.com.

We will take votes through the end of the day on Monday. I will announce the results on Tuesday, October 17th.

Call for Votes on Proposal 6.5b (Announcing TS Vacancies – Ver B)
Proposal 6.5b: When a Trusted Servant’s term of service finishes, the vacated position will immediately be announced to the whole group so that others might have the opportunity to serve.

Recommended Language to be added to the 11th bullet in the Secretary job description as follows:
“Calls for nominations/volunteers. When a Trusted Servant’s term of service finishes, the vacated position will immediately be announced to the whole group so that others might have the opportunity to serve. When a Trusted Servant position was filled during the term of office, the Secretary can fill the vacancy at the end of the term without announcing it to the main list only if the current Trusted Servant asks to continue in that job.”

If you agree that (in the situation where a Trusted Servant accepted the position mid-term and wants to continue in that role) the vacancy announcement does not need to be announced to the main list only if the TS asks to continue, vote “I agree on Proposal 6.5b. Your vote for version 6.5a will automatically be recorded as “I disagree.”

If you do not agree with either version of the proposal, vote “I disagree” on both Proposal 6.5a and Proposal 6.5b.

Please send your vote to grow-business@oso-aa.org or, if you want to vote privately, to dmcd.grow@zoho.com.

We will take votes through the end of the day on Monday. I will announce the results on Tuesday, October 17th.

Results of Voting on Proposal 6.5 (Announcing Trusted Servant Vacancies)
During the fourth 3-day session, our discussions of this proposal resulted in some refinements. A participant suggested that the final approved proposal should be included in the Secretary’s job description. The 11th bullet in the existing job is “Calls for nominations/volunteers.” Participants agreed that the language of the proposal, as approved, should be added to the end of that bullet.

The second area of discussion focused on whether all vacancies should be announced to the main mailing list or some could be withheld from announcement when a TS filled the position mid-term (usually because the original TS quit). Because two clear options emerged from discussions, the Chair presented two versions of the proposal for voting: Proposal 6.5a: Announce all vacancies first to the main list.

Proposal 6.5b: Announce vacancies first to the main list except when a Trusted Servant who accepted job mid-term wants to continue in that role. Participants were instructed to vote “I agree” on their preferred version or to vote “I disagree” on both versions.

No one voted against both versions of the proposal, revealing general approval. Nineteen (19) participants voted on each version. Eight (8) participants (42%) voted in favor of Proposal 6.5a (applies to all vacancies), and eleven (11) (58%) voted in favor of Proposal 6.5b. Therefore, votes in favor did not meet our requirement for a 2/3 majority (or 66%) to approve a Group Conscience decision.

Our guidelines state that ” If any item on the agenda has not reached a 2/3 majority vote by the 17th day of the business meeting, the item is tabled and held over to the next scheduled business meeting.” The 17th day of the October meeting will be Thursday, October 19th.

Because we cannot have another 3-day discussion and then a 3-day period for re-voting, we will hold the proposal for the April 2018 business meeting. It will be the first topic for discussion at that time. As a starting point, the Chair will provide summaries of this meeting’s deliberations and votes at that meeting.

Proposal 7.4: Update Position Descriptions.

Between this meeting and the April 2018 meeting, the Business Meeting Chair will work with prior and current Trusted Servants to review and update their position descriptions to be presented for approval in April.

Rationale: The purpose of this proposal is to correct inaccuracies, not to add new job duties.

It has been several years since we did a general review of our position descriptions to assure they are current and relevant. While some changes have been made as a result of group conscience decisions, minor inconsistencies have appeared over time. There are also a few places where a duty is duplicated within a job description.

Rather than make a huge project of a job description review, the Business Meeting Chair will contact Trusted Servants (both outgoing and incoming as appropriate) individually and ask them to suggest where and how bullets for specific duties should be changed to reflect current schedules and practices. (For example, in many places, a bullet may require a TS to provide quarterly reports at business meetings; however, we no longer meet quarterly so semi-annual reports are needed.)

We will not add new duties or delete current ones without business meeting approval, although we make such recommendations.

Asking each Trusted Servant / position to do its own review will allow us to develop current and correct job descriptions. The revised descriptions will then be presented at the April 2018 business meeting for final approval.

Summary of Discussion on Proposal 7.4 (Update TS Job Descriptions)
Four of the 31 people on our list commented on Proposal 7.4 (Update TS Job Descriptions). All comments agreed that updating Trusted Servant positions would benefit GROW. The review will focus on items that are inaccurate or outdated. No items in job descriptions will be added or deleted without approval at the April 2018 business meeting. Despite the few people commenting, we will vote on the proposal in the fifth 3-day session.

Call for Votes on Proposal 7.5 (Update Job Descriptions)
Proposal 7.5: Update Position Descriptions. Between this meeting and the April 2018 meeting, the Business Meeting Chair will work with prior and current Trusted Servants to review and update their position descriptions to be presented for approval in April.

If you agree with this proposal *as is*, please vote “I agree.”

If you disagree with this proposal *as is,* please vote “I disagree.”

Please send your vote to grow-business@oso-aa.org or, if you want to vote privately, to dmcd.grow@zoho.com.

Results of Voting on Proposal 7.5 (Update TS Job Descriptions):
Eighteen (18) participants voted in favor of, and no one voted against Proposal 7.5. Therefore, we have a unanimous decision, and the proposal is approved and adopted as a Group Conscience decision.

Group Conscience Decision: Between this meeting and the April 2018 meeting, the Business Meeting Chair will work with prior and current Trusted Servants to review and update their position descriptions to be presented for approval in April.

We will not add new duties or delete current ones without business meeting approval, although we make such recommendations.

2017 Business Meeting – October

Posted on by

2017 Business Meeting – October

(topics are listed below are in order of presentation)

1017 – Business Meeting

Posted on by

2017 October Business Meeting

Greetings, and welcome to the October Business Meeting of Grateful Recovering Online Women (GROW).

I am Danna, a recovering alcoholic, and your Business Chair for this meeting. Thank you for participating!

This is a closed meeting, open only to members of GROW, for the discussion of business as it relates to our group. Our business meetings run in three-day segments and last no more than 29 days.

I will post each Agenda item, one by one, in separate emails and **ask that you respond to each accordingly.** This makes it easier to “tally” the responses and suggestions to each item.

We will have a three-day period for open discussion on each Agenda item. This, hopefully, will allow all members regardless of work schedules, time zones, etc. to participate and comment. At the beginning of the 4th day, I will post the results/consensus of our discussions.

Before we begin, let’s have a moment of silence to reflect on why we are here, followed by the Serenity Prayer.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. Amen.

In this Business Meeting, let us be guided by The Twelve Traditions:

  1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity.
  2. For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority — a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
  3. The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking.
  4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole.
  5. Each group has but one primary purpose–to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.
  6. An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
  7. Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
  8. Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
  9. A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
  10. Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
  11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.
  12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.

Let us all keep in mind our Unity of Service statement from the Grapevine of September 1998:

“Unity seldom means that we all agree on everything. Nor is unity served by setting aside our concerns and conforming to the majority opinion (or the vocal minority) . . . Unity is best achieved by a full hearing of all points of view . . . time for all of those involved to step back from emotional responses . . . as well as careful consideration and prayer for that which will best serve the group or AA as a whole.”

Thank you for being here and for your dedication to GROW.

Respectfully submitted, Danna M. GROW Business Chair

 

Business Meeting Agenda
Additional individual emails will be coming, to which you can respond.

  • Trusted Servant (TS) Positions (Secretary’s Report) – Incoming & Outgoing TS identified (posted separately)
  • Semi-Annual Reports: GSR, OIAA, Treasurer, Listkeeper, Business Chair (posted separately)
  • Business Items (each will be posted separately to facilitate discussion and voting)

We will discuss the following proposals (short titles) during the Business Meeting. If you have an item that you would like to have addressed, please email me privately (to dmcd.grow@zoho.com), and I will add it to the Agenda. If I have not accurately represented a proposal you already submitted, please let me know so that I can correct it. Since several of these proposals may stimulate a lot of discussion, we will address Proposals 1.1 and 2.1 only during the first three-day session.

  • Proposal 1: Establish a private Facebook page for Grow.
  • Proposal 2: Abolish the position of OIAA Representative.
  • Proposal 3: Discuss the creation of a new GROW web site.
  • Proposal 4: Increase the treasury Prudent Reserve to $122.00.
  • Proposal 5: Trusted Servants will inform the Steering Committee when they cannot meet all the duties in their Position Description.
  • Proposal 6: Announce TS vacancies to GROW
  • Proposal 7: Update position descriptions

Respectfully submitted, Danna M. GROW Business Chair

 

2017 October Committee Reports

Secretary’s Report
Many thanks to the following wonderful Trusted Servants who carry on the vital “behind-the-scenes” work of our GROW group. Please feel free to thank them privately for their service.

Outgoing Trusted Servants

  • 12 Step Volunteer Listkeeper  (4/17 – 10/17): Valerie D.
  • Birthday Listkeeper (4/17 – 10/17):  Susie J.
  • Sponsor Listkeeper (4/17 – 10/17)  Sophie R.
  • Grapevine Rep (GVR): (10/16 – 10/17): Alison B.
  • Secretary (10/16 – 10/17): Laura G.
  • Treasurer (10/15 – 10/17): Cheryl B.
  • OIAA Rep (10/16 – 10/17): Yvonne M.

And ~ drum roll, please!

Incoming Trusted Servants

  • 12 Step Volunteer Listkeeper  (10/17 – 4/18): Amanda D.
  • Birthday Listkeeper (10/17 – 4/18):  Allison M.
  • Sponsor Listkeeper (10/17 – 4/18)  Cheryl B.
  • Grapevine Rep (GVR): (10/17 – 10/18): Sophie R.
  • Secretary (10/17 – 10/18): Karrie C.
  • Treasurer (10/17 – 10/19): Sue W.

Once again, many thanks to all of our wonderful volunteers. It’s been a pleasure working with you during the past year. Please welcome Karrie C. (chaneykarrie@gmail.com) as our Incoming Secretary. I hope you will provide her with the same high degree of support and co-operation that you have given me.

With love and respect, Laura G., Outgoing GROW Secretary

Our Trusted Servants – October 2017

  • 12 Step Volunteer Listkeeper  (10/17 – 4/18): Amanda D.
  • Birthday Listkeeper (10/17 – 4/18):  Allison M.
  • Sponsor Listkeeper (10/17 – 4/18)  Cheryl B.

Trusted Servants who make up the Steering Committee:

  • Business Meeting Chair (10/16 – 10/18): Danna McD.
  • GSR / OIAA Backup (10/16 – 10/18): Joan B.
  • Grapevine Rep (GVR): (10/17 – 10/18): Sophie R.
  • Greeters (4/17 – 4/18):
    Susan P.
    Karen H.
  • Listkeeper (4/17 – 4/18): Lousie H.
  • Listkeeper Alternate* (4/17 – 4/19): Nancy C.
  • OIAA Representative (10/17 – 10/18): Pending Group Conscience Decision
  • Secretary (10/17 – 10/18): Karrie C.
  • Temporary Mentor (4/17 – 4/18): Gigi D.
  • Treasurer (10/17 – 10/19): Sue W.
  • Webkeeper (non-rotating position): Tanya C.
  • Webkeeper Backup (10/16 – 10/18): Cheryl D.
  • Weekly Leader Listkeeper (4/17 – 4/18): Sherrie W.
  • Immediate Past Business Meeting Chair: Gigi D.
  • Immediate Past GSR/OIAA Backup: Tanya C.
  • Immediate Past Secretary: Laura G.

*Becomes Listkeeper at the end of her term.

Respectfully submitted, Laura G., Outgoing GROW Secretary

 

Listkeepers’ Report – October 2017
Our membership as of September 30, 2017 is 319. Regular list members 283 and 36 Digest members (this number is always a little larger than our actual count because some members have two subscriptions – one for regular posts and one for digests and some members have two regular list addresses.)

This time last year we had 256 members. We are GROWING!

Louise and I have been working together for years in various capacities and have a great working relationship!

Our Greeters, Susan and Karen are doing an excellent job and we all enjoy working together!

Respectfully submitted, Louise H and Nancy C | GROW Listkeepers

Treasurers Report – October 2017

Donations
PayPal donations to GROW $532.88
Ally – check donations to GROW $433.56
Total donations $966.44

 

Distributions
Dean Collins $72.00
Susan Williams (new treasurer) $894.00
Total distributions $966.44

 

Total Donations $966.44
Total Distributions $966.44
Final balance $0.00

Respectfully submitted, Cheryl Baughman, Outging Grow Treasurer

GSR Report – April 2017
In the Box 459 Newsletter, there is a lengthy article on the history of the Central Office in New York and central offices in so many other location. It discusses the evolution of AA from a hard-to-find fellowship to one that is easy to access for meeting information and/or having someone to talk to – very interesting.

There is also an article about OIAA, which would lead one to believe it is alive and well contrary to the experience of reps in this group.

There is a report on the 2016 Southeast regional forum in Orlando, an introduction of two new staff members at the General Service in New York and five new Class B Trustees.

There is also a calendar of events around the world.

Anyone can access the newsletter at Box 459 Fall (opens new page).

Respectfully submitted, Joan Bancroft, GROW General Service Representative

Mini Steering Committee Report – October 2017
Since our April meeting, the Mini Steering Committee received one complaint from a member. She reported her Sponsor had asked her for money on a few occasions to help her out in her current living situation. The Sponsor was a volunteer on GROW’s list of Available Online Sponsors.

After reviewing the emails from both members, we determined that this behavior was inappropriate should be addressed. The Secretary sent a note to the offending member advising her that her behavior was unacceptable and to refrain from asking for financial assistance from anyone in GROW. We also advised that because of her actions, we will remove her name from the Available Online Sponsor list until she assures us that she will work out her own money problems and not approach any member for financial help.

We received no reply to our letter, so the matter was deemed to be resolved.

Respectfully submitted, Danna M. GROW Business Chair

 

2017 October Business Meeting Minutes

First 3-Day Period
Summary of Discussion on Proposal 1.1 (GROW Facebook page)

  • Many participants commented on Proposal 1.1 (Establish a private Facebook page for GROW).
  • One participant shared the GSO guidelines “General Social Networking Websites” with the group. The guidelines addressed concerns about AA and individual anonymity within the social networking framework.
  • Several members expressed concern that a GROW Facebook page would not be consistent with Tradition 11: “Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.”
  • Some participants expressed concerns about security, potential hacking or vulnerability of personal information. Others were concerned about personal anonymity. Several members said they would not participant in a GROW Facebook page.
  • With much support for the idea, a member suggested that a Facebook page should not be officially affiliated with GROW or AA – that it should be a personal page to which GROW members can be invited and that it should not be used for GROW business or sharing or for AA materials. The personal Facebook page for GROW members would be for socializing only.
  • A participant pointed out that if the page were a personal page not affiliated with GROW, it would not be subject to approval or a vote in the business meeting and that page administration would not be a concern for us.
  • Participants shared their experiences with other similar private group Facebook pages. Some reported fairly negative experiences where posts were inappropriate or argumentative and where the page administrator became more of a “fire fighter.” Others’ experiences were more positive.

Summary of Discussion on Proposal 2.2 (OIAA Rep position)
Discussion of Proposal 2.1 (Proposal 2.1: Discontinue the OIAA Representative position) centered on GROW’s relationship with the larger AA online community and the nature of the OIAA Rep position. A participant shared a Grapevine article, “Living Cyber,” that talked about OIAA’s hospitality suites at International Conventions and OIAA in general.

  • GROW stopped contributing to OIAA about two years ago, and no information has been shared on OIAA activities over the past year.
  • Several participants felt that it is important for GROW to be part of AA’s larger online service structure, that not participating would isolate us from the AA community and that we would not be aware of issues being discussed by OIAA.
  • Another participant pointed out that because OIAA has been unproductive or chaotic in the past does not mean it will continue to be. She said that, even if we are not contributing to OIAA, we should maintain our connection to that group.
  • A participant pointed out that reporting regularly about OIAA activities is required of the OIAA Rep in the job description for that Trusted Servant.
  • Another participant noted that the OIAA Rep job description is out of date and needs to be revised.

Call for Votes on Proposal 1.1 (GROW Facebook page)
Proposal 1.1: Establish a Facebook page for GROW.
A private Facebook page would provide an informal meeting area for before and after our meeting – similar to going to coffee after a face-to-face meeting.

Call for Votes on Proposal 2.1 (OIAA Representative)
Proposal 2.1: Discontinue the OIAA Representative position.

If you agree with this proposal *as is*, please vote “I agree.”
If you disagree with this proposal *as is,* please vote “I disagree.”

Please send your vote to grow-business@oso-aa.org or, if you want to vote privately, to dmcd.grow@zoho.com.

We will take votes through the end of the day on Saturday. I will announce the results on Sunday, October 8th.

Second 3-Day Period
The second 3-day session of GROW’s October business meeting ended on midnight Saturday, October 7th. By the end of this 3-day session, thirty (30) GROW members had signed up for the business meeting mailing list.

Today, the Chair will announce the results of voting on Proposals 1.1 (Facebook) and 2.1 (OIAA Rep) and call for minority opinions. I will summarize comments on Proposals 3.2 (Website) and 4.2 (Prudent reserve) and call for votes on Proposal 4.2.

I will call for discussion of a revised Proposal 3.3 (Website) and Proposal 5.3 (Trusted Servant Common Duties).

Summary of comments on Proposal 3.2
Fourteen participants commented on Proposal 3.2. Comments were generally positive. To get the conversation started, the Chair asked how people use it, what they like and don’t like, and what they would like to see in a new website. One participant asked why we need a new website, and some participants expressed concern about possible costs. Everyone supported the idea of having a website where more people would be able to step into the webkeeper’s role and where the Webkeeper could be a rotating position. Everyone agreed that the site should be more easy to use via cellphone or tablet. Several participants suggested forming an ad hoc committee or workgroup to develop a plan for this effort.

Why do we need a new GROW website?
The current HTML-based website is time-consuming and cumbersome for our webkeepers. It requires a skill level for which few of our members are qualified and coding introduces risk of HTML errors. Due to skill level requirements, the Webkeeper position is a non-rotating position, contrary to AA’s principle of position rotation. It also discourages members from volunteering for the job. The website is not ‘friendly’ for members who use cellphones and tablets to access the site. A participant reported that she has long found the existing website cumbersome and confusing.

How people use and access GROW’s website
Many participants reported that they go to GROW’s website using their computer or laptop. Several commented that they also use their cellphone but that it is much more difficult to use via a cellphone.

Several members reported that they do not use GROW’s website or use it infrequently. One participant reported that new members have been overwhelmed or confused by the existing website. A participant reported that she has long found the existing website cumbersome and confusing. The most frequently-mentioned features that people reported using are the weekly topics and list of Trusted Servants. Participants who are or have been Trusted Servants tend to use the site more often for information on TS positions, e-mail addresses, and duties; form letters; and past proposals and group conscience decisions.

What are the concerns?
Several members expressed concern about the possible cost of both developing and then maintaining the new website. One member was concerned that the site might be “down” or inaccessible while the conversion was underway. Another member wanted the new site to avoid having to enter the User ID and password each time she visited the Members Section of the website.

Because commenters generally supported having a new, more user-friendly GROW website, and after checking with the proposal’s author and the webkeeper, the Chair is revising the proposal to call for the establishment of a workgroup led by the Webkeeper that will develop a proposal to be presented at the April 2018 business meeting.

During the third 3-day session, we will discuss Proposal 3.3 (form a workgroup for a new GROW website).

Proposal 3.3: New GROW Website
Ladies, based on our discussions and with approval of the proposer and Webkeeper, I am presenting a revised proposal for your consideration and discussion:
Proposal 3.3: Form a workgroup led by the current Webkeeper to develop a proposal for changing the GROW website and present that proposal at the April 2018 business meeting.

We will now have 3 days to discuss this Proposal.

Summary of comments on Proposal 4.2
Seven participants (of 28 on the business list) commented on Proposal 4.2. All comments supported increasing the Prudent Reserve to cover the cost of our annual subscription to the Grapevine magazine.

Call for Votes on Proposal 4.2 (Increase Prudent Reserve)
Proposal 4.2: Increase the treasury Prudent Reserve to $122.00.

If you agree with this proposal *as is*, please vote “I agree.”
If you disagree with this proposal *as is,* please vote “I disagree.”

Please send your vote to grow-business@oso-aa.org or, if you want to vote privately, to dmcd.grow@zoho.com.

We will take votes through the end of the day on Tuesday. I will announce the results on Wednesday, October 11th.

Voting Results of Proposals 1.1 and 2.1

Resuits of Voting on Proposal 1.1 (GROW Facebook page)
A total of 21 participants voted (of 28 ‘registered’) on the proposal to establish a private Facebook page for GROW members.

Two (2) participants voted in favor, and nineteen (19) voted against Proposal 1.1. The vote did not meet the requirement for a 2/3 majority vote in favor of the proposal.

Our Business Meeting Guidelines allow three days for the minority opinion to be presented and discussed. If, after hearing the minority opinion, any participant wants to change their vote from “I disagree” to “I agree,” we will conduct a second vote.

At this time, I request that each of those who voted “I agree” on Proposal 1.1 send me a private note letting me know if they plan to post a “minority opinion.”

If the minority does not want to express their opinion, we will close this discussion, and the vote stands. Since the proposal has failed, it cannot be considered again until October 2018.

 

[Minority Opinion begin]———-
Minority Opinion
Proposal 1.2: Minority opinion – Facebook group
Grow business members,

I appreciate all of the discussion that surrounded this topic, and accept the group conscience. What I believe I heard through the discussion is that there would not be objection to an informal group that was announced (in an Off Topic post) to the group once in awhile.

I’ve renamed the group “Test – GROW” to “Growing – Coffee & Chat” and have provide the following description of the group:

This Facebook group was created as an after-meeting location that members of the GROW online meeting can use to get to know each other better and to have discussions that are not part of the meeting.

Note that this Facebook page is not formally affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous or the GROW online meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous.

I will send a note to our group about once a month or so to let people know that some of us meet outside of the meeting for “virtual coffee and conversation” – this happens in F2F meetings frequently and can be analogous to a member introducing herself to a newcomer and inviting them to coffee after the meeting.

Thanks again for the discussion and being part of the group conscience.
Cheryl D.

Process for Proposal 1.2 (Facebook)
The Business Meeting Guidelines allow for people to change their vote after the Minority Opinion is presented. If someone changes their vote, a re-vote would be held. If no majority voters have been persuaded to change their opinion, there will not be another vote. The proposal fails, and it cannot be revisited until October 2018.

We have until end-of-day on Tuesday to see if anyone wants to change their vote on the Facebook proposal. If you want to change your vote, please let me know.

Outcome of Proposal 1.2: (GROW Facebook page)
The Minority Opinion submitted to the group outlined a private Facebook page that would not be officially related to GROW but that would be named “Growing – Coffee & Chat” and would include an informal off-topic message to the Grow list inviting members to join the page. The minority writer also submitted an excerpt from the AA pamphlet “The Group” discussing an informed group conscience.

Many members responded to the Minority Opinion, overwhelmingly opposed to the hypothetical private Facebook page, its name, and any off-topic message to the main list about the page. As a result, the woman who submitted the proposal changed her vote to “I disagree.”

After the changed vote, the final results are one (1) “I agree” and 21 “I disagree.” Therefore, the proposal fails and will not be discussed further.

Consistent with the Business Meeting Guidelines, this proposal cannot be raised again before the October 2018 Business Meeting.
[Minority Opinion / discussion end]———-

 

Results of Voting on Proposal 2.1 (Discontinue OIAA Rep Position)
A total of 20 participants voted (of 28 ‘registered’) on the proposal to discontinue the OIAA Representative position.

Two (2) participants voted in favor, and eighteen (18) voted against Proposal 2.1. This did not meet the requirement for a 2/3 majority vote in favor of the proposal.

Our Business Meeting Guidelines allow three days for the minority opinion to be presented and discussed. If, after hearing the minority opinion, any participant wants to change their vote from “I disagree” to “I agree,” we will conduct a second vote.

At this time, I request each of those who voted “I agree” on Proposal 1.2 send me a private note letting me know if they plan to post a “minority opinion.”

If the minority does not want to express their opinion, we will close this discussion, and the vote stands. Since the proposal has failed, it cannot be considered again until October 2018.
 

Third 3-Day Period
Summary of Third 3-day Session of Business Meeting
During the third 3-day session of our business meeting, we heard the Minority Opinion on Proposal 1 (GROW Facebook page) and voted on Proposal 4 (Increase Prudent Reserve). We discussed the revised Proposal 3 (GROW Website Workgroup) and Proposal 5 (Trusted Servant Common Duties).

Proposal 1 to create a GROW Facebook page failed: Votes on the proposal were two in favor and 19 against. The Minority Opinion submitted proposed a private Facebook page not officially related to GROW that would be named “Growing – Coffee & Chat.” It would involve a periodic off-topic invitation to the Grow list. The response was overwhelmingly negative, and one participant changed her vote to “I disagree.” With a final vote of one in favor and 20 against, the proposal fails. It cannot be raised again before the October 2018 Business Meeting.

Proposal 4 (Increase Prudent Reserve to $122) adopted: By unanimous decision, Proposal 4.2 is approved and adopted as a group conscience decision.

Discussion on revised Proposal 3 (GROW Website Workgroup): Our Webkeeper presented a general plan for a workgroup to develop a proposal for presentation at the April 2018 business meeting. The plan addresses two primary objectives: improving access and user-friendliness and revisiting the webkeeper roles. She explained that there are a range of options that are not expensive or complicated and reminded us of the importance of Keeping It Simple! All comments on this proposal were very supportive, and we will vote on the proposal over the next three days.

Discussion on Proposal 5 (Trusted Servant Common Duties): Seven participants commented on Proposal 5 which would add a bullet to the Common Duties section of GROW’s webpage containing job descriptions. Two participants felt that the bullet was “common sense” and did not need to be made a rule. Five commenters expressed support for the proposal. We will vote on this proposal over the next three days.

Proposal 6 presented for discussion: When a Trusted Servant’s term of service finishes, the vacated position will immediately be announced to the whole group so that others might have the opportunity to serve.

Proposal 7 presented for discussion: Between now and the April 2018 meeting, the Business Meeting Chair will work with prior and current Trusted Servants to review and update their position descriptions.
 

Fourth 3-Day Period
Fourth 3-day Session – Opening Message
During the third 3-day session of our business meeting, we heard the Minority Opinion on Proposal 1.2 (GROW Facebook page), voted on Proposal 4.2 (Increase Prudent Reserve), and discussed the revised Proposal 3.2 (GROW Website Workgroup). Each of these will be addressed in a separate message.

During the fourth 3-day session, we will vote on Proposal 3.4 (GROW Website Workgroup) and Proposal 5.4 (Trusted Servant Common Duties) and discuss two new proposals:

  • Proposal 6.4: When a Trusted Servant’s term of service finishes, the vacated position will immediately be announced to the whole group so that others might have the opportunity to serve.
  • Proposal 7.4: Update Position Descriptions.

Each of these actions will be addressed in a separate message.

Please do not vote on Proposal 3.4 until you receive the formal “Call for Votes” message.

Respectfully submitted, Danna M. GROW Business Chair

Summary of the Third 3-Day Period
Outcome of Proposal 1.2: (GROW Facebook page)
The Minority Opinion submitted to the group outlined a private Facebook page that would not be officially related to GROW but that would be named “Growing – Coffee & Chat” and would include an informal off-topic message to the Grow list inviting members to join the page. The minority writer also submitted an excerpt from the AA pamphlet “The Group” discussing an informed group conscience.

Many members responded to the Minority Opinion, overwhelmingly opposed to the hypothetical private Facebook page, its name, and any off-topic message to the main list about the page. As a result, the woman who submitted the proposal changed her vote to “I disagree.”

After the changed vote, the final results are one (1) “I agree” and 21 “I disagree.” Therefore, the proposal fails and will not be discussed further.

Consistent with the Business Meeting Guidelines, this proposal cannot be raised again before the October 2018 Business Meeting.

Results of Voting on Proposal 4.2 (Increase Prudent Reserve)
Eighteen (18) participants voted in favor, and no one voted against Proposal 4.2, clearly meeting requirement for a 2/3 majority vote in favor of the proposal.

Since we have a unanimous outcome, Proposal 4.2 is approved and adopted as a group conscience decision.

Group Conscience Decision: Increase the treasury Prudent Reserve to $122.00.

Summary of Discussion on Proposal 3.3 (GROW Website Workgroup)
Our Webkeeper presented a general plan for a workgroup of from three to five members that would develop a proposal for presentation at the April 2018 business meeting that would address two primary objectives: improving access and user-friendliness (focusing on meeting topics and archival business meeting notes) and revisiting the roles of the Webkeeper and Webkeeper Back-up. She explained that there are a range of options that are not expensive or complicated. She also reminded us of the importance of Keeping It Simple!

The website proposal presented in April 2018 would address:

  • Recommended software, web hosting needs, and associated costs;
  • Timeline and steps for website conversion;
  • Recommended changes to the Webkeeper and Webkeeper Back-up positions; and
  • Any other recommendations to accomplish workgroup objectives.

Ten participants commented on the proposal to form a website workgroup led by our Webkeeper. All comments on this proposal were very supportive. One participant asked if it might be possible to address the desire for a chat area within the new website. The Webkeeper referred back to the two primary objectives of the website workgroup: 1) easy access and user-friendliness and 2) the roles of Webkeeper and Webkeeper Back-up. She said issues like a chat area could be addressed after the new site was up and running successfully.

Summary of Discussion on Proposal 5.4 (Trusted Servant Common Duties)
As of today, there have been seven comments on Proposal 5.3 (Trusted Servant Common Duties). Two participants felt that the spirit of the recommended bullet was “common sense” and did not need to be codified into a rule for Trusted Servants (TSs). The proposer argued that it helps “to say it out loud” to encourage TSs to seek help when they are not able to meet all the duties listed in their job description. Most participants expressed support for the proposal, understanding the new bullet as a reminder rather than a rule and agreeing that having it written on the webpage would reinforce the importance for our Trusted Servants of asking for and offering help.

Rather than extend the discussion period to encourage more comments, we will vote on Proposal 5.4 (Trusted Servant Common Duties) during the fifth 3-day session.

Call for Votes on Proposal 3.4 (GROW Website Workgroup)
Proposal 3.4: Form a workgroup led by the current Webkeeper to develop a proposal for changing the GROW website and present that proposal at the April 2018 business meeting.

If you agree with this proposal *as is*, please vote “I agree.”
If you disagree with this proposal *as is,* please vote “I disagree.”

Please send your vote to grow-business@oso-aa.org or, if you want to vote privately, to dmcd.grow@zoho.com.

We will take votes through the end of the day on Friday. I will announce the results on Saturday, October 14th.

Call for Votes on Proposal 5.4 (Trusted Servant Common Duties)
Proposal 5.4: Add a bullet to the Trusted Servant Common Duties section that calls for Trusted Servants to inform the Steering Committee (through the Secretary and/or Business Chair) when they are unable to meet all the duties described in their Position Description.

Recommended Language (as second bullet under the Trusted Servant Common Duties section at g-r-o-w.com/members/ts/tsdesc.htm#tscommon):
Smooth and uninterrupted volunteer service to GROW depends upon your ability to carry out your commitments. If a Trusted Servant finds that she cannot meet all the duties listed in her Job Description, she will inform the Secretary and/or Business Meeting Chair that she is unable to fulfill her responsibilities. Working with the Trusted Servant and the Steering Committee, the Secretary and/or Business Chair will then seek alternatives for assuring all duties are covered (including securing a temporary back-up or advertising the position on the main list). If a member of the Steering Committee is concerned that not all items in a job description are being met, she may bring her concern to Secretary and/or Business Meeting Chair, who will work with the Trusted Servant to assure their duties are covered.

Rationale: GROW has no process or solution for assuring that Trusted Servants have the support they need to fulfill all of the duties listed in their Job Descriptions. While we assume that Trusted Servants will ask for help, we have had several situations in the past where job responsibilities were not met, and no call for help was issued.

This proposal formalizes the process by which a Trusted Servant can ask for help, and other Trusted Servants can provide needed support. Life events can make it difficult to fulfill a Trusted Servant’s role. All Trusted Servants should know that they can, and are expected to, ask for both short- and long-term help. In the case where a Trusted Servant does not ask for help, the Steering Committee should be empowered to take action to assure that all duties are addressed.

If you agree with this proposal *as is*, please vote “I agree.”
If you disagree with this proposal *as is,* please vote “I disagree.”

Please send your vote to grow-business@oso-aa.org or, if you want to vote privately, to dmcd.grow@zoho.com.

We will take votes through the end of the day on Friday. I will announce the results on Saturday, October 14th.

Call for Discussion on Proposal 6
Rationale: Even if the serving Trusted Servant is willing to stay on longer than their term, all GROW members should have the opportunity to volunteer for a service position. If no one volunteers, then the serving TS’s willingness to continue into a new term would be gratefully accepted.

Over the years, there have been times when some of us, eager to serve, have stayed on longer than our term. When a willing, experienced, and able person offers to stay on longer than their term, it is very tempting to accept their offer without announcing the service opportunity to all group members. As tempting as it is to do this, it is unfair to our members not to first ask for volunteers from the group at large. Only when no volunteers step forward should we accept the TS’s willingness to stay on in the position, entering into a new term. Even with the frequent scarcity of volunteers, fair is fair: the group at large needs to be offered a chance at service first.

We will now have 3 days to discuss this Proposal.

Call for Discussion on Proposal 7 (Update Position Descriptions)
Proposal 7.4: Update Position Descriptions.

Between this meeting and the April 2018 meeting, the Business Meeting Chair will work with prior and current Trusted Servants to review and update their position descriptions to be presented for approval in April.

Rationale: The purpose of this proposal is to correct inaccuracies, not to add new job duties.

It has been several years since we did a general review of our position descriptions to assure they are current and relevant. While some changes have been made as a result of group conscience decisions, minor inconsistencies have appeared over time. There are also a few places where a duty is duplicated within a job description.

Rather than make a huge project of a job description review, the Business Meeting Chair will contact Trusted Servants (both outgoing and incoming as appropriate) individually and ask them to suggest where and how bullets for specific duties should be changed to reflect current schedules and practices. (For example, in many places, a bullet may require a TS to provide quarterly reports at business meetings; however, we no longer meet quarterly so semi-annual reports are needed.)

We will not add new duties or delete current ones without business meeting approval, although we make such recommendations.

Asking each Trusted Servant / position to do its own review will allow us to develop current and correct job descriptions. The revised descriptions will then be presented at the April 2018 business meeting for final approval.

We will now have 3 days to discuss this Proposal.

 

Fifth 3-Day Period
Last day of 4th 3-day session
Today is the last day of the fourth 3-day session of our business meeting.

Thus far, seven of the 31 people on our list have commented on Proposal 6.4 (Announcing TS Vacancies). If you want to comment on this proposal, please do so before midnight tonight.

Thus far, four of the 31 people on our list have commented on Proposal 7.4 (Update TS Job Descriptions). If you want to comment on this proposal, please do so before midnight tonight.

Tomorrow, the Chair will announce the results of voting on Proposals 3.4 (Website Workgroup) and 5.4 (Trusted Servant Common Duties). I will also summarize discussions and call for votes on Proposals 6.4 (Announcing TS Vacancies) and 7.4 (Update TS Job Description). There are no more proposals in our que for the October 2017 business meeting. :o)

Respectfully submitted, Danna M. GROW Business Chair

Fifth 3-day Session – Opening Message
During the fourth 3-day session of our business meeting, we voted on Proposal 3.4 (Website Workgroup) and Proposal 5.4 (Trusted Servant Common Duties). We discussed the Proposal 6.4 (Announcing TS Vacancies) and Proposal 7.4 (Update TS Job Descriptions). Each of these will be addressed in a separate message.

During the fifth 3-day session, we will vote on Proposal 6.4 (Announcing TS Vacancies) and Proposal 7.4 (Update TS Job Descriptions). There are no more proposals to be considered. :o)

Each of these actions will be addressed in a separate message.

Please do not vote on any proposal until you receive the formal “Call for Votes.”

The Chair is presenting two versions of Proposal 6.5 (Announcing TS Vacancies), the difference representing whether the Secretary should announce all vacancies to the main list – no exceptions (6.5a) or whether she can fill a vacancy without first announcing to the main list when a Trusted Servant is completing a partial term and has requested to continue in that role.

Please read the Summary of Discussion and each of the Call for Votes before making your decision on how to vote.

Respectfully submitted, Danna M. GROW Business Chair

Summary of the Fourth 3-day session
Results of Voting on Proposal 3.4 (Website Workgroup)
Eighteen (18) participants voted in favor, and no one voted against Proposal 3.4, exceeding the requirement for a 2/3 majority vote in favor of the proposal. Therefore, the proposal is approved and adopted as a Group Conscience decision.

Group Conscience Decision: Form a workgroup led by the current Webkeeper to develop a proposal for changing the GROW website and present that proposal at the April 2018 business meeting.

GROW’s webkeeper will form a small workgroup (no more 3 or 5 members) that will discuss and develop a proposal to present to the April 2018 business meeting for a path forward in addressing these two workgroup objectives:

  1. How to manage the group’s increasing need for easy access and user friendliness to the GROW website with focus on weekly meeting topics and archival business meeting notes.
  2. How to address the roles of web-keeper and backup web-keeper so that they are accessible to more membership involvement (i.e., making the web-keeper position a rotating one and making the tasks of the roles of web-keeper and backup web-keeper less technical and more about maintaining content on the website.

Specifically, the proposal to be presented to the April 2018 business meeting will include:

The website proposal presented in April 2018 would address:

  • Recommended software, web hosting needs, and associated costs;
  • Timeline and steps for website conversion;
  • Recommended changes to the Webkeeper and Webkeeper Back-up positions; and
  • Any other recommendations to accomplish workgroup objectives.
Results of Voting on Proposal 5.4 (Trusted Servant Common Duties)
Seventeen (17) participants voted in favor, and no one voted against Proposal 5.4. This exceeded the requirement for a 2/3 majority vote in favor of the proposal. Therefore, the proposal is approved and adopted as a Group Conscience decision.

Group Conscience Decision: Add a bullet to the Trusted Servant Common Duties section that calls for Trusted Servants to inform the Steering Committee (through the Secretary and/or Business Chair) when they are unable to meet all the duties described in their Position Description.

Recommended Language (as second bullet under the Trusted Servant Common Duties section at g-r-o-w.com/members/ts/tsdesc.htm#tscommon):
Smooth and uninterrupted volunteer service to GROW depends upon your ability to carry out your commitments. If a Trusted Servant finds that she cannot meet all the duties listed in her Job Description, she will inform the Secretary and/or Business Meeting Chair that she is unable to fulfill her responsibilities. Working with the Trusted Servant and the Steering Committee, the Secretary and/or Business Chair will then seek alternatives for assuring all duties are covered (including securing a temporary back-up or advertising the position on the main list). If a member of the Steering Committee is concerned that not all items in a job description are being met, she may bring her concern to Secretary and/or Business Meeting Chair, who will work with the Trusted Servant to assure their duties are covered.

Summary of Discussion on Proposal 6.4 (Announcing TS Vacancies)
Seven participants commented on, and everyone supported Proposal 6.4 (Announcing TS Vacancies) in general. Two questions were raised:

  • What to do about positions where a Trusted Servant had taken the position mid-term (usually because the original TS quit).

Responses to this question were mixed with several participants thinking that a Trusted Servant who volunteered mid-term should get first opportunity to fill the position in the next regular term of office. However, several participants also thought that position vacancies should be open to all GROW members without exceptions. There was no clear group preference on this issue.

Whether the proposal language should be included in a position description.

The Secretary is responsible for announcing and filling vacancies, so the language should be incorporated into her position description. The appropriate bullet already exists (“Calls for nominations/volunteers.”), and the proposal language will be added to the end of that bullet.

The Chair will present two versions of the proposal, the difference addressing a vacancy announcement for a vacancy that was filled during the term of office will or will not be offered to the GROW membership (if the volunteer finishing out the term wants to remain in the position for the new term of office).

Please do not vote until you receive the formal “Call for Votes.”

  • Proposal 6.5a: Announce all vacancies first to the main list.
  • Proposal 6.5b: Announce vacancies first to the main list except when a Trusted Servant who accepted job mid-term wants to continue in that role.

If you agree that all Trusted Servant vacancies should be announced first to the main list, even when a volunteer has accepted the position mid-term and wants to continue in that role, vote “I agree” on Proposal 6.5a. Your vote for version 6.5b will automatically be recorded as “I disagree.”

If you agree that some Trusted Servant vacancies do not need to go to the main list first (in the situation where a Trusted Servant accepted her position mid-term and wants to continue in that role), vote “I agree on Proposal 6.5b. Your vote for version 6.5a will automatically be recorded as “I disagree.”

If you do not agree with either version of the proposal, vote “I disagree” on both Proposal 6.5a and Proposal 6.5b.

Summary of Discussion on Proposal 7.4 (Update TS Job Descriptions)
Four of the 31 people on our list commented on Proposal 7.4 (Update TS Job Descriptions). All comments agreed that updating Trusted Servant positions would benefit GROW. The review will focus on items that are inaccurate or outdated. No items in job descriptions will be added or deleted without approval at the April 2018 business meeting. Despite the few people commenting, we will vote on the proposal in the fifth 3-day session.

Call for Votes on Proposal 6.5a (Announcing TS Vacancies – Version A)
Proposal 6.5a: When a Trusted Servant’s term of service finishes, the vacated position will immediately be announced to the whole group so that others might have the opportunity to serve. This applies to all Trusted Servant vacancies.

Recommended Language to be added to the 11th bullet in the Secretary job description as follows:
“Calls for nominations/volunteers. When a Trusted Servant’s term of service finishes, the vacated position will immediately be announced to the whole group so that others might have the opportunity to serve. This applies to all Trusted Servant vacancies.”

If you agree that all Trusted Servant vacancies should be announced first to the main list, even when a volunteer has accepted the position mid-term and wants to continue in that role, vote “I agree” on Proposal 6.5a. Your vote for version 6.5b will automatically be recorded as “I disagree.”

If you do not agree with either version of the proposal, vote “I disagree” on both Proposal 6.5a and Proposal 6.5b.

Please send your vote to grow-business@oso-aa.org or, if you want to vote privately, to dmcd.grow@zoho.com.

We will take votes through the end of the day on Monday. I will announce the results on Tuesday, October 17th.

Call for Votes on Proposal 6.5b (Announcing TS Vacancies – Version B)
Proposal 6.5b: When a Trusted Servant’s term of service finishes, the vacated position will immediately be announced to the whole group so that others might have the opportunity to serve.

Recommended Language to be added to the 11th bullet in the Secretary job description as follows:
“Calls for nominations/volunteers. When a Trusted Servant’s term of service finishes, the vacated position will immediately be announced to the whole group so that others might have the opportunity to serve. When a Trusted Servant position was filled during the term of office, the Secretary can fill the vacancy at the end of the term without announcing it to the main list only if the current Trusted Servant asks to continue in that job.”

If you agree that (in the situation where a Trusted Servant accepted the position mid-term and wants to continue in that role) the vacancy announcement does not need to be announced to the main list only if the TS asks to continue, vote “I agree on Proposal 6.5b. Your vote for version 6.5a will automatically be recorded as “I disagree.”

If you do not agree with either version of the proposal, vote “I disagree” on both Proposal 6.5a and Proposal 6.5b.

Please send your vote to grow-business@oso-aa.org or, if you want to vote privately, to dmcd.grow@zoho.com.

We will take votes through the end of the day on Monday. I will announce the results on Tuesday, October 17th.

Call for Votes on Proposal 7.5 (Update Job Descriptions)
Proposal 7.5: Update Position Descriptions. Between this meeting and the April 2018 meeting, the Business Meeting Chair will work with prior and current Trusted Servants to review and update their position descriptions to be presented for approval in April.

If you agree with this proposal *as is*, please vote “I agree.”

If you disagree with this proposal *as is,* please vote “I disagree.”

Please send your vote to grow-business@oso-aa.org or, if you want to vote privately, to dmcd.grow@zoho.com.

We will take votes through the end of the day on Monday. I will announce the results on Tuesday, October 17th.
 

Sixth 3-Day Period
The fifth 3-day session of our October 2017 Business Meeting has closed. During this session, we voted on two proposals: Proposal 6.5 (Announcing TS Vacancies) and Proposal 7.5 (Update TS Job Descriptions).

Summary of the Fifth 3-day session
Results of Voting on Proposal 6.5 (Announcing Trusted Servant Vacancies)
During the fourth 3-day session, our discussions of this proposal resulted in some refinements. A participant suggested that the final approved proposal should be included in the Secretary’s job description. The 11th bullet in the existing job is “Calls for nominations/volunteers.” Participants agreed that the language of the proposal, as approved, should be added to the end of that bullet.

The second area of discussion focused on whether all vacancies should be announced to the main mailing list or some could be withheld from announcement when a TS filled the position mid-term (usually because the original TS quit). Because two clear options emerged from discussions, the Chair presented two versions of the proposal for voting: Proposal 6.5a: Announce all vacancies first to the main list.

Proposal 6.5b: Announce vacancies first to the main list except when a Trusted Servant who accepted job mid-term wants to continue in that role. Participants were instructed to vote “I agree” on their preferred version or to vote “I disagree” on both versions.

No one voted against both versions of the proposal, revealing general approval. Nineteen (19) participants voted on each version. Eight (8) participants (42%) voted in favor of Proposal 6.5a (applies to all vacancies), and eleven (11) (58%) voted in favor of Proposal 6.5b. Therefore, votes in favor did not meet our requirement for a 2/3 majority (or 66%) to approve a Group Conscience decision.

Our guidelines state that ” If any item on the agenda has not reached a 2/3 majority vote by the 17th day of the business meeting, the item is tabled and held over to the next scheduled business meeting.” The 17th day of the October meeting will be Thursday, October 19th.

Because we cannot have another 3-day discussion and then a 3-day period for re-voting, we will hold the proposal for the April 2018 business meeting. It will be the first topic for discussion at that time. As a starting point, the Chair will provide summaries of this meeting’s deliberations and votes at that meeting.

Results of Voting on Proposal 7.5 (Update TS Job Descriptions):
Eighteen (18) participants voted in favor of, and no one voted against Proposal 7.5. Therefore, we have a unanimous decision, and the proposal is approved and adopted as a Group Conscience decision.

Group Conscience Decision: Between this meeting and the April 2018 meeting, the Business Meeting Chair will work with prior and current Trusted Servants to review and update their position descriptions to be presented for approval in April.

We will not add new duties or delete current ones without business meeting approval, although we make such recommendations.

Adjournment
Thank you all for your participation in our meeting. Your contributions have greatly improved our group conscience decision-making to support GROW’s online meeting. During the October 2017 Business Meeting, we considered seven proposals and approved four of them as Group Conscience decisions.

Two proposals were not approved and cannot be raised again until the October 2018 business meeting:

  • Create a private Facebook page for GROW members.
  • Discontinue the Online Intergroup AA (OIAA) Representative position.

Four proposals were approved and will be implemented as Group Conscience decisions:

  • Increase the treasury Prudent Reserve to $122.
  • Form a workgroup led by the current Webkeeper to develop a proposal for changing the GROW website and present that proposal at the April 2018 business meeting.
  • Add a bullet to the Trusted Servant Common Duties section that calls for Trusted Servants to inform the Steering Committee (through the Secretary and/or Business Chair) when they are unable to meet all the duties described in their Position Description.
  • Between this meeting (October 2017) and the April 2018 meeting, the Business Meeting Chair will work with prior and current Trusted Servants to review and update their position descriptions to be presented for approval in April.

We did not come to a decision on one proposal and will schedule further discussion during our April 2017 Business Meeting. We did identify two areas of concern with the original proposal: whether it should be included in the Secretary’s job description and whether or not all Trusted Servant vacancies should be announced on the main mailing list. As presented, the proposal stated that:

  • When a Trusted Servant’s term of service finishes, the vacated position will immediately be announced to the whole group so that others might have the opportunity to serve.

Since there are no more proposals for consideration, the Chair will now close the October 2017 Business Meeting. Thank you for making it a very productive meeting!

This final summary concludes our GROW October 2017 Business Meeting. Special thanks to our Webkeeper, Tanya, for posting the Group Conscience decisions and minutes on our website. Also, thanks to our Listkeepers, Louise H. and Nancy C., for their work in getting members signed up for the meeting. By the way, you do not have to advise the Listkeepers to unsubscribe you from the Business Meeting; they will do the unsubs in a couple of days.

The meeting is now adjourned.

Respectfully submitted, Danna M. Business Meeting Chair
 

Final Summary of April 2017 Business Meeting
During the October 2017 Business Meeting, we considered seven proposals and approved four of them as Group Conscience decisions. Thirty GROW members attended the meeting which began with reports on our outgoing and incoming Trusted Servants and on activities since the April 2017 business meeting.

For detailed information about our discussions and decisions, please see the Current Meeting page on GROW’s website. If you want to send private messages of appreciation, e-mail addresses for these these GROW members are available on our website at http://www.g-r-o-w.com/members/ts/ts.htm#ts.

Trusted Servant Position Outgoing Incoming
12 Step Volunteer Listkeeper Valerie D. Amanda D.
Birthday Listkeeper Susie J. Allison M.
Sponsor Listkeeper Sophie R. Cheryl B.
Grapevine Representative Alison B. Sophie R.
Secretary Laura G. Karrie C.
Treasurer Cheryl B. Sue W.
OIAA Representative Yvonne M. to be filled

Listkeepers’ Report: Our listkeepers reported GROW membership of 319 as of September 30th, representing a 25% increase from the same time last year. Treasurer’s Report: Our Treasurer reported total donations of $966 since April 2017 and expenses of $72. The remaining $894 was transferred to the incoming Treasurer. GSR’s Report: Our General Service Representative (GSR) highlighted articles in the Box 459 Newsletter.

Mini Steering Committee: In the period since April 2017, the Mini Steering Committee (MSC) handled one issue involving an inappropriate request made by a member’s online sponsor.

During the October 2017 Business Meeting, we considered seven proposals and approved four of them as Group Conscience decisions.

Two proposals were not approved and cannot be raised again until the October 2018 business meeting:

  • Create a private Facebook page for GROW members.
  • Discontinue the Online Intergroup AA (OIAA) Representative position.

Four proposals were approved and will be implemented as Group Conscience decisions:

  • Increase the treasury Prudent Reserve to $122.
  • Form a workgroup led by the current Webkeeper to develop a proposal for changing the GROW website and present that proposal at the April 2018 business meeting.
  • Add a bullet to the Trusted Servant Common Duties section that calls for Trusted Servants to inform the Steering Committee (through the Secretary and/or Business Chair) when they are unable to meet all the duties described in their Position Description.
  • Between this meeting (October 2017) and the April 2018 meeting, the Business Meeting Chair will work with prior and current Trusted Servants to review and update their position descriptions to be presented for approval in April.

We did not come to a decision on one proposal and will schedule further discussion during our April 2017 Business Meeting. We did identify two areas of concern with the original proposal: whether it should be included in the Secretary’s job description and whether or not all Trusted Servant vacancies should be announced on the main mailing list. As presented, the proposal stated that:

  • When a Trusted Servant’s term of service finishes, the vacated position will immediately be announced to the whole group so that others might have the opportunity to serve.

I want to thank all the women of GROW who attended our business meeting. Their contributions made it a productive meeting and supported the smooth operation of our online AA meeting! Special thanks to our Webkeeper for posting the Group Conscience decisions and minutes on our website and to our Listkeepers for getting members signed up for the meeting.

Respectfully submitted, Danna M. Business Meeting Chair

Oct 08: The Path – Surrendering

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The Path – Surrendering

“Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path.”

I have been thinking about this statement a lot lately. My sponsor recently sat with me and read the whole chapter. The thoroughly part often gets me. I’m pretty good at sitting on the fence. I’m also decent at regurgitating the “right” answer. But thoroughly…that’s hard. Thoroughly is about surrendering over and over. It’s about facing my secrets and facing my demons. Thoroughly is looking at me. No B.S. Today I walked a 1/2 marathon with two friends. The path was laid out for us. All we had to do was follow the path. There was support and aid along those 13.1 miles. BUT no one could walk the path for me. It was up to me to march forward. To complete the course. I did it. It wasn’t exactly pretty. And neither is my life journey. But I want what the old timers have. I am willing more then ever to press on. So it’s about surrendering my will and staying on course–on the beam.

The meeting is now open
Thanks for listening.
Karrie