Need input from live group secretaries AA-USA

leeu · MIP Old Timer

Need input from live group secretaries AA-USA

LinBaba · MIP Old Timer

Here's One Format, few changes and you're Golden

AA Business Meeting PDF

I would look into reading the 12 concepts, there is a section on doing Group Consciences that is pretty important, discussion, vote, minority opinion, vote again IIRC

If you want I can put in touch with some pretty politically minded and active people in AA, one woman I got sober with I'm thinking of in particular, her and a few others basically brought a growing fellowship in a cowtown kicking and screaming into the 21st century, giving meetings business meetings, setting up GSR representation, etc ad nauseum blah blah, all of the meetings in this one town had grown from one "hall" meeting, no group autonomy etc AA was just one big blob, today about 5 years later they have a pretty tight group of groups and are represented at county and state level etc her and her husband didn't work out and she needed something new to "run" and it turns out a few hundred alcoholics that are harder to herd then cats were easier to tell what to do and make over in her own image then her husband lolol but don't tell her I said that hahahahahaha

The Twelve Concepts

Final responsibility and ultimate authority for A.A. world services should always reside in the collective conscience of our whole Fellowship.
The General Service Conference of A.A. has become, for nearly every practical purpose, the active voice and the effective conscience of our whole society in its world affairs.
To insure effective leadership, we should endow each element of A.A. - the Conference, the General Service Board and its service corporations, staffs, committees, and executives - with a traditional "Right of Decision."
At all responsible levels, we ought to maintain a traditional "Right of Participation," allowing a voting representation in reasonable proportion to the responsibility that each must discharge.
Throughout our structure, a traditional "Right of Appeal" ought to prevail, so that minority opinion will be heard and personal grievances receive careful consideration.
The Conference recognizes that the chief initiative and active responsibility in most world service matters should be exercised by the trustee members of the Conference acting as the General Service Board.
The Charter and Bylaws of the General Service Board are legal instruments, empowering the trustees to manage and conduct world service affairs. The Conference Charter is not a legal document; it relies upon tradition and the A.A. purse for final effectiveness.
The trustees are the principal planners and administrators of over-all policy and finance. They have custodial oversight of the separately incorporated and constantly active services, exercising this through their ability to elect all the directors of these entities.
Good service leadership at all levels is indispensable for our future functioning and safety. Primary world service leadership, once exercised by the founders, must necessarily be assumed by the trustees.
Every service responsibility should be matched by an equal service authority, with the scope of such authority well defined.
The trustees should always have the best possible committees, corporate service directors, executives, staffs, and consultants. Composition, qualifications, induction procedures, and rights and duties will always be matters of serious concern.
The Conference shall observe the spirit of A.A. tradition, taking care that it never becomes the seat of perilous wealth or power; that sufficient operating funds and reserve be its prudent financial principle; that it place none of its members in a position of unqualified authority over others; that it reach all important decisions by discussion, vote, and whenever possible, substantial unanimity; that its actions never be personally punitive nor an incitement to public controversy; that it never perform acts of government; that, like the Society it serves, it will always remain democratic in thought and action.

-- Edited by LinBaba on Saturday 30th of October 2010 11:12:05 PM

angelov8 · MIP Old Timer

I also would appreciate direct experience, as I just mentioned that I'd be willing to do service for this position and further will not be able to be present during voting next week. I've been to three business meetings for this group and the GSR rep always runs the meeting. Prayer is not always observed, the whole thing seems loosy goosy to me. At the beginning the secretary's notes from the last meeting are read, and the secretary records as best they can the motions and discussion of that week. The treasure has separate notations and a report to report. People cross-talk and don't raise their hands to speak. I was wondering if this is typical.

LinBaba · MIP Old Timer

angelov8 wrote:

I also would appreciate direct experience, as I just mentioned that I'd be willing to do service for this position and further will not be able to be present during voting next week. I've been to three business meetings for this group and the GSR rep always runs the meeting. Prayer is not always observed, the whole thing seems loosy goosy to me. At the beginning the secretary's notes from the last meeting are read, and the secretary records as best they can the motions and discussion of that week. The treasure has separate notations and a report to report. People cross-talk and don't raise their hands to speak. I was wondering if this is typical.

It is if the "Trusted Servant" doesn't have a strong enough personality to do their job

We elect our trusted servants then need to support them, many, if not most long term "AA'ers" get a second sponsor after a year or two a "Service Sponsor" who go through the Traditions and Concepts with them, teach them how to chair meetings, (secretary) how to be a treasurer, a GSR, How to get involved with H and I and Programs Like "Bridging The Gap" or the organization (the initials elude me at the moment) that provides AA speakers to schools and corperations (H and I and AA speakers representing AA have very stringent requirements, what they are allowed to talk about, length of sobriety etc)

One of The Best Things I ever did was do a stretch in Hospitals and Institutions, to bring meetings into jails and medical facilities, because I truly learned what AA was and wasn't, how to run meetings of non AA'ers, how to control disruptive people in a productive way, rather then getting angry, etc, running regular or business meetings after that was cake

happycamper · MIP Old Timer

LOL @ Angleloves comment ... loosey goosey. Sounds like the district meetings I go to where I am GSR for my home group as well as the district treasurer. Sometimes at these meetings I just sit back and listen ... and of course give the treasurer report.

Monthly business meetings at my home group are rather simple and dont take much time.

They are held on the first meeting of the month and I call them to order ahead of the start of the meeting ( reason being for this is because if I announce that there will be a business meeting after the regular meeting everyone has a tendency to leave, take off and get out of the bldg cuz they dont care or wanna go to the business meeting ) - So, approx 10-15 minutes prior to the start of the meeting I announce that we are holding a business meeting and I always open with the Serenity Prayer. I mark down who is in attendance at the meeting and I divulge what money the group has, what was spent and I offer documentation of the district and area treasury, and flyers as to what is going on in the area. I also ask if anyone has any questions or comments. I am the only home group member to this group so technically I am the only one who has a vote on anything. If I decide to donate monies to the district, or to NY, I do mention this at the business meeting.
I close with the Lords Prayer and thank the ppl who are there for listening. Simple :)

angelov8 · MIP Old Timer

Thanks for the input so far. I want to say that I have never heard of a "second sponsor", neat. I am currently studying the traditions with my regular sponsor.
She has indicated that each group runs their business differently and that she has felt most comfortable doing service with those that stick close to the traditions. I have another meeting I attend regularly that I consider a sort of second home group. That group has a lot of long-timers and it meets at lunch break so they conduct business once a month or when needed in the first minutes of the meeting. As far as I can tell they function with just a GSR and treasurer. All that are present are welcome to participate that day, and it seems to go smoothly and efficiently.

For the other group, the secretary is a secondary position, and those with less time are encouraged to be of service in that role, which is why I am considering offering to do it. The thing that I don't like so much in that group is the cross-talk and circular spiraling of opinions debate that seems to happen regularly during the business meetings. All that said it is a business meeting for a group that has been around for awhile. It was my first meeting and it is a very loving and supportive group no matter who shows up.

I'm sure there's more good stuff to be learned, especially about interacting positively with people as a social unit.

Klaatu · Senior Member

Our group conscience is run like a business meeting would be run. We have a group chairman (Me), a secretary, treasurer, GSR, alternate GSR, and an intergroup rep. We open with the serenity prayer and read the 12 traditions and concepts. From that point on, if one didn't know any better they wouldn't know it was AA related. For the most part we don't speak over each other, but there is some cross talk. We also don't introduce ourselves as alcoholics every time we speak. We'll all take a minute to review the secretary notes, and treasurer's report.We'll then allow the secretary to read the minutes from the last meeting and let him/her make their report. Next comes the treasurer's, GSR's, and intergroup rep's reports in that order. After all the reports are read, we open up any old business, then move on to new business which usually starts with spending $$$. Our meetings usually go for 90 minutes. We will close with the Lords prayer or prayer of their choice. I actually enjoy the meetings. Now assemblies, that's an entirely different animal...LOL.

K.....