Sponsorship and the 36 Points

Transcription

1 Sobriety in Stumptown Portland Area Intergroup March NE 20th Ave, Portland, OR Volume 7, No Service Commitments, Service Sponsorship and the 36 Points The Service Sponsorship Explained workshop a collaboration between Districts 11, 15 and 27 and Portland Area Intergroup took place last month and focused on, you guessed it, explaining service sponsorship. This month s stories focus on service work and service sponsorship. The Other Two Thirds by Liz N. from Portland, OR Our Twelfth Step carrying the message is the basic service that the A.A. Fellowship gives; this is our principle aim and the main reason for our existence. Therefore, A.A. is more than a set of principles; it is a society of alcoholics in action. We must carry the message, else we ourselves can wither and those who haven t been given the truth may die. A.A. s Legacy of Service by Bill W. I was four years sober and had finally felt like I had arrived in AA. Yet, after working the steps three times by now and sponsoring newcomers, I was still feeling easily agitated, bitter, and resentful in my daily life and more apparent in meetings. I just figured that having a serene way of life would come eventually if I ever made it to have twenty years sober. 1

2 But then I met this woman who eventually became my service sponsor. She would exude love and tolerance during the most chaotic meetings and kept this peace and serenity that seemed to glow from her. I assumed she had been sober for decades and asked her to be my sponsor. Come to find out, I had more sobriety time than her by a month. This floored me, how can she have THIS good of a program. Well it turns out it was a combo of lots of meditation and a full working knowledge of the thirty six, (that s right, 36) points of this program. No wonder I was feeling so restless working only a third of the AA program. The three legacies of AA are Recovery, Unity, and Service representing the Steps, Traditions, and Concepts of World Service. I was taught that being a more informed AA member would better the AA group and bring a stronger and more cohesive message to the newcomer that reaches out for our help. My new service sponsor began taking me through the Twelve and Twelve and the Twelve Traditions Illustrated pamphlet. We answered questions through the AA Grapevine Traditions Checklist and studied the pamphlet The AA Group Where it all Begins. The twelve steps gave me the principles of recovery and my service sponsor showed me how the traditions give me a way to practice these principles in all of my affairs. I was then set to the task of studying the Concepts of World Service; I really began to feel a small part of great whole. My service sponsor took me through The AA Service Manual, which has two different parts of the book. The first half taught me everything from my local GSR duties to the General Service Bylaws. In the second half of the book, we studied each of the twelve concepts. We partnered it with the Twelve Concepts Illustrated pamphlet and the Concepts Checklist, which really broke it down for me and was so much easier to absorb. Learning the traditions and concepts has greatly expanded my understanding of a higher power. To witness and understand the spirituality of a group conscience, self support, and the responsibility of the fellowship has brought me that inner peace and joy that I was always looking for. Service Sponsorship Explained Report by Anita B. from Milwaukee, OR 2

3 The subject of service sponsorship had been discussed at an assembly last year, and interest was further sparked by an article in the Oregon Area Newsletter by Anne M. The DCM of District 27, Don L, began dropping hints to surrounding districts that they might like to share the hosting and planning of such a workshop. As District 11, District 15, and District 27 hopped aboard, Don asked me [the Portland Area Intergroup Board Chair and also a member of District 27] if there might be interest and support from the Intergroup Representatives and the Advisory Board. Yes, there was interest; so the planning commenced. The planning committee began meeting at a mid point restaurant, then moved to my home. Christy S. from District 10 joined us early in the planning stage and offered to assist with creating an agenda with panel subjects and trusted servants for each. She also wrote a skit portraying the balance one needs in juggling LIFE, recovery, and service. We named our workshop Service Sponsorship Explained, and invited panelists from AA entities such as groups, districts, Intergroup, and Area. The date was set for Sat. Feb. 1 st, at St. Stephens Lutheran Church in Gladstone from 10:00AM to 2:00PM, with lunch provided. Flyers were available for distribution at most meetings so those interested in service can learn the structure; determine how to find a service sponsor; and/or how to become one. The event was posted to several websites, including Area, Intergroup and those of local districts. Our panelists included several OR Area 58 past delegates, past and current Area and Intergroup officers and committee chairs. They explained the service structure from group through the General Service Conference, defining the positions and scope of responsibility. They spoke from their own experience how service and service sponsorship has enhanced their recovery. They spoke of moderation and balancing one s recovery, service, and family life with the help and mentoring provided by a service sponsor. Then they gave us a trivia pop quiz with prizes! We finished the workshop with an Ask it Basket session with all the panelists fielding the questions submitted by the audience. Great questions received thoughtful and relevant answers! A great big thank you goes to Christy S., who used items from Nature and her artistic eye for decorations, as well as her creativity in arranging and directing the Skittlers. These were the mime actors in the silent skit We Who Do Too Much, portraying the balancing act of service, recovery, and Life, and the benefit of having a Service Sponsor. FYI, materials from the workshop (sample flyer, agenda with topics, pages to copy for handouts), script and costumes for the skit are available by request to 3

4 interested parties. All our expenses were covered by equal funding from Districts 11, 15, 27 and Portland Area Intergroup, the co hosts, as well as generous contributions of food and supplies. Cash from those attending via donation cans allowed us to give a donation to the venue providers (St. Stephens Lutheran Church, in Gladstone). For me, one of the greatest lessons learned was to ask my service sponsor about an upcoming service opportunity BEFORE making myself available and/or accepting the position. All things in moderation has rarely been my modus operandi, especially in the depths of my disease, but I m working on it. A question I ask my service sponsees is, How full is your plate already? (That s a good question to ask myself, as well.) Am I keeping myself so busy in service that my recovery suffers or is jeopardized? If I am stretched too thin, will I become resentful of my self imposed obligations? When I volunteer for everything, am I preventing someone else the chance to be of service? Is my motive to boost my own ego and showcase my own importance? Perhaps I need to consult Dr. Bob and Bill W. For their experience, wisdom, and mentoring, seek out those who have led by example in service and ask one to be your service sponsor. They ll be glad, and so will you. I pray blessings to you on your road to happy destiny, accompanied by sage advice, love and tolerance. Calling My Bluff by David B. from Portland, OR What s your homegroup? people used to ask around the meetings of my early sobriety in Colorado Springs. Clean Air Group! I d answer without hesitation. The only problem was I d never been to the business meeting for Clean Air Group nor worked a service commitment for my home group. And I remember getting mighty self conscious when people would make announcements about the business meeting or about the meeting needing someone to take over as treasurer or Intergroup rep. What did that even mean? 4

5 I was interested, but not enough to stick around. Just saying I was a member was good enough for me during my first year in sobriety, and I truly thought I was a member just without doing all that serious stuff that my more seasoned sober colleagues did. I showed up most every week. What more did the group want from me? After 18 months of sobriety, working the steps, and getting my life back together, I got back on track at the community college I d been suspended from while drinking, got into a University, and moved away for college. Now in a new town, and only 18 months of sobriety, i was still fairly reliant on my old technique of bullshitting to get through unknown situations. I think I m going to make this meeting my homegroup, I remember telling someone, outside of the meeting, heavily implying in our conversation that I d been a homegroup member for over a year back home in Colorado Springs and knew the deal. Awesome! Stay for the business meeting. It s tonight after the meeting. (<or something like this. I might be conflating a few experiences into one) They had called my bluff. I d never been to a business meeting and I had no idea how the hell they worked, but of course I had to keep up my act. Yeah, totally. Cool. I went to the business meeting and pretended like it was old hat. Of course no one noticed and no one cared. In short order I was elected/appointed to the position of CPC/PI Cooperation with the Professional Community/Public Information, handed over a folder of stuff, and given instructions to attend the district CPC/PI committee meeting later that month. Just like that, I was a homegroup member, committed to a monthly meeting across town that I had to ride my bike to and talk about spreading the AA message to the outside world in our area. I didn t do a perfect job, but I showed up and more or less did what was asked of me. And something changed. When I showed up to that business meeting, I was timid and insecure about being found out. But once I got my mind wrapped around the job, reported to the group, and did my job for a couple of months, I grew a sense of responsibility for making that meeting happen and an investment in AA and the fellowship around me. I felt a purpose within AA. I was no longer just going to meetings. I was making. I was the meeting! People 5

6 just like me, no matter how ill intentioned, could be the representatives of AA; could keep a meeting going; could be the hand that reaches out to the next drunk. It had seemed inconceivable to me that I would ever be one of those AA people who sponsored guys, and represented their group at various levels, unlocked the door, set up the chairs, made the meeting happen. But the truth is that anyone can be that person all they have to do is show up. I m glad that I was double crossed by my own duplicity. My character defects of dishonesty, vanity conspired against me allowing my higher power to show me a different way. This was the beginning of my path on a practical spirituality that I could accept. Do good, feel good. Help others, help yourself (and them, truly!). I ve had a service commitments ever since. It s good insurance when times get tough and that meeting sucks or my ex girlfriend goes to that meeting or I can cut back on meetings or I ve been sober a long time. I don t need to keep hearing the same tired lines every week. Because when I m responsible for the meeting, I show up. And when I show up, I get the message. When I get the message, and put it together that I need to take the action, I take the action. And when I take the action, I get the result. Left to my own devices, I d just look at the internet all day, decide that everyone on Earth hates me, and eventually tell myself that my period of sobriety has qualified me to drink. Then I d have to go through it all over again (If I m lucky). Monthly Business Meetings For details about monthly business meetings, contact the PAI Office at Or send your questions or concerns to 1212@pdxaa.com. Portland Area Intergroup (PAI): Monthly Business Meeting, 2 nd Mon, 7:00 PM, 3123 NE 24 th Ave. (St. Mary Magdalene Church), Portland PAI CPC (Cooperating with the Professional Community) PAI Public Information PAI Treatment Facilities PAI Bridging the Gap PAI Corrections PAI Website 6

7 PAI Newsletter Dist 9: 1 st Wed, 6:30 PM, 24 th and Kearney, Portland Dist 10: Last Mon, 7:00 PM, Beaverdam Rd., West Side Service Cntr, Beaverton Dist 11: Last Thu, 7:00 PM, URS Club, Portland Dist 12: 1 st Tue, 6:30 PM, 12x12 Club, 7035 NE Glisan, Portland Dist 15: 1 st Wed, 6:45 PM, th St., Oregon City Dist 18: 1 st Sat, 9:30 AM, 215 N 6 th St., St. Helens Dist 23: 1 st Tue, 6:00 PM, Emmanuel Presbyterian, SW Willamette Dr., West Linn Dist 24: 1 st Thu, 6:15 PM, 2800 SE Harrison St., Portland Dist 26: 2 nd Sun, 5:00 PM, St Charles Church, 5310 NE 42 nd Ave., Portland Dist 27: 1 st Mon, 7:00 PM, SE Linwood Ave., St. Paul s Methodist, Milwaukie Dist 31: 2 nd Tue, 7:00 PM, 937 NE Jackson School Rd., Hillsboro Dist 34: 3 rd Sat, 5:00 PM, 485 Portland Ave., Gladstone Dist 35: 2 nd & 4 th Sat, 7:00 PM, SW Shaw St., Suite A, Beaverton Dist 36: 2 nd Thu, 6:00 PM, 2025 SW Vermont St., Portland Dist 37: 2 nd Tue, 6:30 PM, SW Town Center Loop East, Wilsonville Committee News We have several committee positions available. PAI needs your help. Working on a committee is excellent 12th Step service work. If you are interested in being on any Portland Area Intergroup committee, send an to pdxaa.com with "COMMITTEE INTEREST" in the subject field. Or, just click on Service on the Intergroup website. Intergroup committees carry the message of recovery to the still suffering alcoholic. Please help yourself and others. Sign up. Thank you. Hotline: Openings for Hotline shifts and for 12th Step volunteers. 12th Step volunteers talk to newcomers who have questions. Please note: The calls are screened by the answering service and forwarded to the volunteer's home phone; callers never see the home phone number of the volunteer. 7

8 Cooperating with the Professional Community and Public Information: The two committees are working together to bring the message of recovery to the public and to the professional community healthcare, clergy, legal, educators, social workers, and others. For meeting details, send to: Subject Line CPC or PI. Bridging the Gap (BTG): provides a one time temporary contact for people transitioning from a treatment center to AA meetings. BTG meets the third Monday of each month at 6:30 PM at the Portland Intergroup Office basement, located at 825 NE 20th Ave, Suite 200, Portland. "We Bridge the Gap so alcoholics leaving treatment don't have to walk alone across that scary gap between the beginning of recovery in treatment and the continued recovery in AA. Please contact the PAI office via phone, , or 1212@pdxaa.com, if you are interested. Corrections: Our current focus is to carry the AA message to youths in the Multnomah County Detention Center. We need many volunteers to help bring AA meetings to the facility on a regular basis. Please contact the PAI office via phone, or 1212@pdxaa.com, if you are interested. Website: The Website committee is looking for members. Please contact the PAI office via phone, or 1212@pdxaa.com, if you are interested. Newsletter (Sobriety in Stumptown): The committee for the very publication you are now reading is looking for members. Send an of interest to newsletter@pdxaa.com. Events: The Events Committee needs a new Committee Chair. Send an to Events@pdxaa.com with COMMITTEE CHAIR in the subject field. Become Published Submit your article, poem, or artwork to Sobriety in Stumptown. Deadline: 02/28/14 Send articles of 1000 words or fewer to: newsletter@pdxaa.com Step Three Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. Tradition Three 8

9 The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking. 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. Reprinted with permission of AA World Services, Inc. 9