The only thing an alcoholic may find more boring than a group business meeting is reading about a group business meeting. With that in mind, I will try to make this as painless as possible and stick to my experience and the experiences of the groups I have belong to. During my first years of sobriety, I could have cared … Read More
Announcement from GSO re: Staff Opening
September 15, 2016 To: Members of the General Service Conference From: Greg T, General Manager, General Service Office Re: G.S.O. Staff Opening Dear Friends, Applications are now being sought for a G.S.O. staff member. G.S.O. staff are members of Alcoholics Anonymous who rotate through the various assignments such as Corrections, Public Information, C.P.C., Conference, International, etc. They also correspond … Read More
“…and Get a Home Group” – John_LifelineOct2016
This is part of that advice that we all receive as newcomers that accompanies, “Get a sponsor, work the steps.” Fortunately, I had the openness and willingness to follow that advice and for that I am very grateful. I have a different meeting that I regularly attend for each day of the week. Some days alternate between a meeting during … Read More
Service in Corrections – John E_LifelineOct2016
Early in my sobriety, my sponsor was constantly encouraging me to volunteer for every little thing that came up, so when they were looking for AA volunteers for prison, I felt that familiar elbow in my ribs. I knew where I was headed and I soon found myself at the Fred House training center at the Utah State Prison for … Read More
Step Nine: My Experience, Strength, and Hope – Lloyd R_Lifeline 2016
Okay, so the first eight steps were behind me. I felt as if I had already given so much of myself in the previous steps, but was now faced with moving from behind the shield of protection that surrounded me in AA, to the firing line of reality. Could I do it? I had felt protected. I had felt … Read More
Tradition Nine – Anna S_Lifeline 2016
Tradition Nine is astonishing, “AA as such ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.” In the words of Bill W, “The least possible organization, that’s our universal ideal. No fees, no dues, no rules imposed on anybody, one alcoholic bringing recovery to the next; that’s the substance of what … Read More
Good AA? Jon_Lifeline2016
What constitutes a good AA meeting? Please do not ask me for a list of questions which might draw more varied responses than this. Suffice it to say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So in attempt to pare the possibilities, let’s consider the beholder. As the author I would like to point out my near-lifelong willingness … Read More