Reaching Out. 24 Hour Hotline (517) What s Inside. April 2015

Transcription

1 Reaching Out The hand of AA in Greater Lansing April 2015 What s Inside Step & Tradition 4 Pages 2-4 New Poll! Page 5 This Month in AA History Page 6 Upcoming Speakers Not a Glum Lot Page 6 Page 7 Al Anon Workshop Page 7 Group Contributions Page 8 To get involved in service at LCAA, we invite you to attend one of our upcoming board meetings. Join us on Monday, April 13th or Monday, May 4th at 7pm. 24 Hour Hotline (517)

2 Step 4 Four Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. When AA suggests a fearless moral inventory, it must seem to every newcomer that more is being asked of him than he can do. Both his pride and his fear beat him back every time he tries to look within himself. Pride says, You need not pass this way, and Fear says, You dare not look! But the testimony of AAs who have really tired a moral inventory is that pride and fear of this sort turn out to be bogeymen, nothing else. Once we have a complete willingness to take inventory, and exert ourselves to do the job thoroughly, a wonderful light falls upon this foggy scene. As we persist, a brandnew kind of confidence is born, and the sense of relief at finally facing ourselves is indescribable. These are the first fruits of Step Four. 12 & 12 Page 49 If you hug to yourself any resentment against anybody else, you destroy the bridge by which God would come to you - Peter Marshall 2

3 From the April 2015 It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment leads only to futility and unhappiness. To the precise extent that we permit these, do we squander the hours that may have been worth while. But with the alcoholic, whose hope is the maintenance and growth of a spiritual experience, this business of resentment is infinitely grave. We found that it is fatal. For when harboring such feelings we shut ourselves off from the If we were to live, we had to be free of anger. sunlight of the Spirit. The insanity of alcohol returns and we drink again. And with us, to drink is to die. If we were to live, we had to be free of anger. The grouch and the brainstorm were not for us. They may be the dubious luxury of normal men, but for alcoholics these things are poison. Page 67 R E S ENTMENTS William G. Wilson Druggist; Akron, Ohio ANTIDOTE Write it down, talk it out, examine your role, turn it over You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger. - Buddha 3

4 The Long and Short of AA s Traditions Long Form 4 With respect to its own affairs, each AA group should be responsible to no other authority than its own conscience. But when its plans concern the welfare of neighboring groups also, those groups ought to be consulted. And no group, regional committee, or individual should ever take any action that might greatly affect AA as a whole without conferring with the trustees of The Alcoholic Foundation.* On such issues our common welfare is paramount. *Now the General Service Board of AA Wherever two or more alcoholics are gathered to practice AA principles, it is an AA group if they say it is. And you are a member if you say you are! In a way, the Fourth Tradition is like the Fourth Step: It suggests that the AA group should take honest inventory of itself, asking about each of its independently planned actions, Would this break any Tradition? The Twelve Traditions Illustrated, Page 5 4 In Short Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or AA as a whole.

5 Expand Our Circle! There are over 300 meetings listed on the Lansing Central website, but only about 35 are represented at the monthly meeting. We need your input to make Lansing AA stronger and better! What are we asking? 1. Appoint one of your regular members (1 year continuous sobriety) to be your representative. 2. Ask him or her to devote one Monday evening per month to attend a meeting (about 1 hour). 3. Serve on a committee or don't, it's entirely optional, but recommended. Notice that we are not asking for money, although it is needed and appreciated. We want greater participation. Your Central Representative will learn more about activities in the Lansing area as well as much more about how AA functions. In turn, your group will be better informed. Will your group add to our circle? Next board meeting will be Monday, May 4th at 7pm Contact LCAA at (517) for more information Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame. - Benjamin Franklin Poll: Smoking & Sobriety You ve probably noticed that many of our alcoholic brethren are current or former smokers. In fact, the rate of smoking among alcoholics has been estimated as high as 90%, with 70% of alcoholics smoking at least a pack per day. Despite the decline in smoking rates over the past thirty years in the general population, prevalence of smoking among alcoholics has remained high. Studies have also shown that alcoholics who smoke tend to have less success in maintaining sobriety from alcohol than do nonsmokers. Where do you fall in the smoking spectrum? A. I was never a smoker B. I used to smoke, but quit before I got sober C. I used to smoke, but quit smoking and drinking at the same time D. I used to smoke, but quit after I got sober E. I am a current smoker Text your response to POLL (7655) or LCAAReachingOut@gmail.com. Responses are collected and reported anonymously. Look for the results in next month s issue! Drobes, D.J. Concurrent alcohol and tobacco dependence mechanisms and treatment. Available from publications/arh26-2/ htm 5

6 April 2015 This Month in AA History 5,000 copies of the first edition of Alcoholics Anonymous are printed. Very few sell The first ICYPAA is held in Niagara Falls NY East Club Fridays at 8pm 4/10 - John D & Billy K 4/17 - Pete M & Stephanie V 4/24 - Kristina L & Emily Y 5/1 - James E & Bob R West Club Bill W. refuses to be on the cover of Time Magazine. Saturdays at 8pm 4/11 - Nancy M RESENTMENT IS LIKE The film "My Name is Bill W." airs on ABC. Speakers The first General Service Conference is held at New York s Commodore Hotel The one-millionth copy of the Big Book is presented to President Nixon. Upcoming AA Membership is estimated at one million. DRINKING POISON AND THEN HOPING IT WILL 1989 April KILL YOUR ENEMIES - NELSON MANDELA

7 Not a Glum Lot When you don't drink, people always need to know why. They're like, 'You don't drink? Why?' This never happens with anything else. 'You don't use mayonnaise? Why? Are you addicted to mayonnaise? Is it OK if I use mayonnaise?' - Jim Gaffigan No matter what your problems in life are, I assure you: it is not the booze's fault. Let's get this straight once and for all, OK? You know what? If you're a jackass when you're drinking, it's because you're a jackass. - Auggie Smith Nothing good ever happens in a blackout. I've never woken up and been like, 'What is this Pilates mat doing out?' - Amy Schumer I used to belong to AA, but I had to quit that because -- I don't know if you know this, but their drinking policy is really strict. - Tom Cotter Al Anon 4th Step Workshop Get a Clearer Idea of Who You Are HANDOUTS PROVIDED FREE ADMISSION SNACKS PROVIDED SATURDAY, MAY 16TH, 2015, 9:30 AM 12:30 PM SPARROW HEALTH SCIENCE PAVILION (MAC) SPARTAN ROOM, 2900 HANNAH BLVD, EAST LANSING For more information or to register for the workshop contact Pam H. at (517) or alanondistrict16@gmail.com It Happened to Alice... Have suggestions, questions or announcements for the newsletter? Nicki at LCAAReachingOut@gmail.com 7

8 Thank You for your contributions! When our home groups send a portion of the money we collect to the central office, we are funding vital Twelfth Step activities. Carrying the message to the next suffering alcoholic is the heart of our program, and our contributions support our 24-hour phone line, publications, website and activities that strengthen and support our Fellowship. Every dollar counts! Group Contributions Through March 2015 Reaching Out The real measure of your wealth is how much you d be worth if you lost all your money. 8 - Anonymous