Category Archives: 2026 October Business Meeting

2026 Business Meeting-Newcomer Rep Report

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Trusted Servant Report – Newcomer Rep

I’m Sophie F, alcoholic and serving as our Newcomer Rep.
I’ve not been nearly as consistent as would be ideal but hopefully things are more settled for me personally and I can be moving forwards.
We had a mini subcommittee after the last Biz Meeting and we began rolling around some ideas about how to ensure we looked after our newcomers and new joiners.
We had some useful feedback around cutting down the initial form letter so it really is more of a “hi, hello” rather than the very long letter it currently stood as.
Currently the amended welcome from the Newcomer Rep is that I send a brief welcome/hello and then further form letters if the newcomer /joiner responds and wishes to know more. This way we get to tailor the masses of information available to be specific to what someone may be interested in as it varies so much from person to person.

Newcomer Rep Welcome Letter Template

Hi [name]
I am [newcomer rep name] and I’m an alcoholic, member here in GROW and serving as the Newcomer Rep 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 (Newcomer Rep) as a helpful resource for anyone new to GROW, new to AA or new to sobriety should you have questions and/or concerns about how our group and/or AA works.

Please let me know if there’s anything I can help with.
[personal sign off e.g., Big welcome hugs to you! Great to have you here. [Name]

We also went into quite a lot of discussion over whether we could send a virtual birthday coin either as part of the announcement to the group or individually. I think we had a volunteer who was going to create a series of j.pegs of images of sobriety chips for this purpose if the group were open to trialling this as an idea.

It has been so good to see a steady flow of ladies joining and even better to see/hear many of those new ladies share regularly on and off topic. It is heartening me to see and feel GROW grow in this way.

I am slightly saddened that my own circumstances mean I’m less connected with the weekly meeting and the group than at any other time in my long GROW membership but I’m still very much participating in AA, and living the 12 step program and Big Book. My hope is with a more settled schedule I will at least have time to serve more consistently.
I know I have sent out an apology to the group previously and to the new ladies I’ve missed but just to add this again.
Sending those famous GROW {{{{{{{{{{{cyberhugs}}}}}}}}}}}
Sophie F
Somerset U.K.

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2026 Closing the Meeting

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2026 Closing the October Meeting

Hello Ladies,

This summary concludes the GROW October 2026 Business Meeting. Thank you to everyone who joined the Business List and participated in the discussions. It was a pleasure to have you with us.

Service Acknowledgments

Special thanks to those who have served and are now rotating out of their positions. We also welcome Hilarie and Jennifer as our new List keeper and Greeter.

Business List Subscriptions

You do not need to contact the List keepers to unsubscribe from the Business Meeting list. They will process the unsubscribes within the next few days.

Prior to adjourning October 2026, we will say the
Long Version of the Serenity Prayer:

God, grant me the serenity
To accept things I cannot change;,
the courage to the things I can;
and the 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.”

Grant me patience for those changes that take time;
Appreciation for all that I have;
Tolerance for those with different struggles;
and the strength to get up and try again one day at a time.
Amen

Our October 2026 Business Meeting is now adjourned.

Thank you for being here Mary O BC for GROW

 

 

 

2026 Business Meeting – October

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Grow’s October 2026 Group Conscience Decisions

  1. Grow will reword the Tradition Three statement (sent in response to queries about getting a sponsor) as follows:
    “The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking.”
  2. Because this is a closed meeting, we ask that you affirm your adherence to this tradition before we add your name to the meeting list. Do you have a desire to stop drinking?

Once every six months, verifies that members of the 12th Step Committee are current GROW members and wish to continue their membership on the 12th Step Committee.

2026 Item 3: Essential Service Positions

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2026 Item 3: Essential Service Positions

Discussion: Identify essential service positions, review current coverage, and determine any recruitment or support needs.

Filling Essential Service Positions

Based on the discussion, the following approaches were suggested to help fill essential service positions.

  1. Make Personal Invitations: Each trusted servant should personally contact one member and invite them to volunteer for an open position.
    Are you in favor of this suggestion, vote 1 as yes or no
    1. Announce Open Positions by Email: Send an email to the membership each week announcing the available positions. Although some members may receive additional emails, this approach could reach people who may be willing to serve.

Are you in favor of sending weekly announcements to GROW for open service positions?
Vote yes or no.

3. Combine Compatible Service Positions: Where practical, consider combining positions with related responsibilities:

    • Topic Archivist and Weekly List Keeper
    • Newcomer Representative and Twelfth Step Representative: Work on combining these roles is already underway.
    • Combined sectary and business chair roles due to lack of volunteers

Summary of Discussion

 

Voting

  1. Extend a personal invitation

Vote: 5 in favor; 1 opposed.

  1. Announce the service position weekly

Vote: 5 in favor; 1 opposed.

  1. Combine compatible positions

Vote: 4 in favor; 1 opposed.

Follow-up Required

This topic should be carried forward to the April business meeting for further discussion. Combining positions would require corresponding updates to the position descriptions on the website. Because the current meeting is nearing its scheduled end, there is not enough time to address these changes fully today.

 

2026 Current Trusted Servants

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2026 Business Meeting – October

Current Trusted Servants

Last Updated: 10/25/26
Some Trusted Servants have agreed to cover positions that are VACANT.|
Priority Openings: Treasurer, Sponsor Listkeeper, Secretary, Business Meeting Chair

GROW’s Trusted Servants as of 10/25/2026:
12th Step Volunteer Listkeeper (4/26-4/26): Michele R
Birthday Listkeeper (4/26-10/26): Jennifer G  (until filled)  VACANT
Sponsor Listkeeper (10/26-4/27): Lynn H (until filled) VACANT

Trusted Servants who make up the Steering Committee

Business Meeting Chair (10/26-10/27):  Mary O (term expired 10/26) (until filled) VACANT
General Services Representative (GSR) (10/26-10/27): VACANT
Grapevine Representative (GVR) (10/26-10/27): Rachel S (until filled): VACANT
Greeter (4/26-4/27): Susan P
Greeter (10/26-10/26): Rachel S
Listkeeper (4/25-4/27): Wendy D
Listkeeper Alternate (10/25-10/27): Theresa B
OIAA Representative: (10/26-10/27 Melissa 
Secretary (4/26-4/27): VACANT
Newcomer Representative (4/26-4/27): Sophie F
Treasurer (10/26-4/28): Cheryl B (until filled) VACANT
Website Administrator (until 10/27) Cheryl D
Webkeeper (until 10/27): danna M
Topic Archivist (4/25-4/27): De W (until filled) VACANT
Weekly Leader Listkeeper (4/26-4/27): De W

Immediate Past Business Meeting Chair: danna M
Immediate Past OIAA Rep: Theresa B
Immediate Past GSR: Theresa B
Immediate Past Secretary: Sophie F

 

2026 Business Meeting – October

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Item 4: Meeting Newcomers’ Needs

Discussion: Review how the meeting welcomes, informs, and supports newcomers, and identify practical improvements.

Service Report and Progress Update

This report summarizes Sophie’s services and the progress made to date.
Please feel free to ask questions about the report or Sophie’s progress or
Share any concerns about combining the newcomer representative role with the 12th step listkeeper.

I’m Sophie F, alcoholic and serving as our Newcomer Rep.
I’ve not been nearly as consistent as would be ideal but hopefully things are more settled for me personally and I can be moving forwards.

We had a mini sub committee after the last Biz Meeting and we began rolling around some ideas about how to ensure we looked after our newcomers and new joiners.

We had some useful feedback around cutting down the initial form letter so it really is more of a “hi, hello” rather than the very long letter it currently stood as.

Currently the amended welcome from the Newcomer Rep is that I send a brief welcome/hello and then further form letters if the newcomer /joiner responds and wishes to know more. This way we get to tailor the masses of information available to be specific to what someone may be interested in as it varies so much from person to person.

Hi [name]

I am [newcomer rep name] and I’m an alcoholic, member here in GROW and serving as the Newcomer Rep 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 (Newcomer Rep) as a helpful resource for anyone new to GROW, new to AA or new to sobriety should you have questions and/or concerns about how our group and/or AA works.

Please let me know if there’s anything I can help with.

[personal sign off eg Big welcome hugs to you! Great to have you here.

Name]

We also went into quite a lot of discussion over whether we could send a virtual birthday coin either as part of the announcement to the group or individually.

I think we had a volunteer who was going to create a series of j.pegs of images of sobriety chips for this purpose if the group were open to trialling this as an idea.

It has been so good to see a steady flow of ladies joining and even better to see/hear many of those new ladies share regularly on and off topic. It is heartening me to see and feel GROW grow in this way.

I am slightly saddened that my own circumstances mean I’m less connected with the weekly meeting and the group than at any other time in my long GROW membership but I’m still very much participating in AA, and living the 12 step program and Big Book. My hope is with a more settled schedule I will at least have time to serve more consistently. I know I have sent out an apology to the group previously and to the new ladies I’ve missed but just to add this again.

Sending those famous GROW {{{{{{{{{{{cyberhugs}}}}}}}}}}}

Outcome for Item 4

Discussion: No concerns or questions were raised.
Acknowledgment: A sincere thank-you to Sophie for taking the lead on this task.

2026 Treasurer’s Report

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Treasurer’s Report

Hello Ladies, I am Cheryl B, your current Treasurer. Here is my report for the April Business Meeting.
Below is the Treasurer’s Report for the period from October 1, 2025 through April 1, 2026:

Donations total: $726.25

Payments:
Prudent Reserve: $200.00
Dean Collins: $144.00
GSO: $305.81
OIAA: $76.44
Payments total $726.25

Respectfully submitted,
Cheryl Baughman
GROW Treasurer

2026 Transitioning into New Service Positions

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At the conclusion of the April Business Meeting, ten members provided their thoughts and votes regarding the last agenda item. The outcome is summarized below:

Transitioning into New Service Positions

Trusted servants are encouraged to submit charts, notes, or other materials which they believe could be helpful for individuals transitioning into new service positions. Danna has suggested that a link could be added to the position titles to provide tips and hints for those taking on new roles.

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