MEETING FORMAT
712-432-8818 Pin: 8888#
Al-Anon Family Group Sunday 8 PM
“12 Steps to Recovery” Meeting (1 hour)
WELCOME: Welcome to the Sunday 8 PM 12 Steps to Recovery Meeting which reads the step of the month from a different Al-Anon book each week.
- My name is ____________, a grateful member of Al-Anon and your chairperson for this meeting. Please press *1 to unmute and join us for the Serenity Prayer, after a moment of silence.
- Opening Readings: (Ask for volunteers to read the following)
a. Al-Anon’s Preamble -- found on Roman Numeral v. of Paths to Recovery or page 1 of How Al-Anon Works or the front of any Daily Reader.
b. “Introduction to the Twelve Steps” on pp 4-6 of Paths to Recovery.
c. All 12 Steps from any Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature.
3) INTRODUCTIONS:
Let’s go around the globe and introduce ourselves. If you are new to Al-Anon or the Al-Anon Phone Meetings, if you want to, let us know when you introduce yourself so we can welcome you. Please press *1 to unmute. I’ll start . . .
Hi, I’m ______(Name)_____ from (_______State___) .
4) Seventh Tradition
Our Seventh Tradition states that we are self-supporting through our own voluntary contributions. Contributions can be sent to Al-Anon World Service Office, 1600 Corporate Landing Parkway, Virginia Beach, VA 23454. Please state that your contribution is from Sunday 8 PM “12 Steps to Recovery” meeting, ID number 30668580. Or you can make contributions to your face-to-face meetings.
5) Tradition 3 and 6 Statement
In Al-Anon this is a gentle reminder that we speak from our own experience, and ours is derived from living with the effects of alcoholism. Please keep the focus on the Al-Anon program and our Steps, Traditions and Concepts of Service. Let’s leave other affiliations outside: religions, our professions, other publications, other philosophies, other Twelve Step programs. (from Al-Anon Tent Card S-24.)
6) Sponsorship Statement
A sponsor is someone who is available to discuss your personal stories and questions in one-to-one conversation. Sponsorship is not required, but experience shows that it is a valuable aid to personal understanding and use of the Al-Anon program of recovery. To learn more, you can read about Sponsorship in our Conference-Approved Literature.
Are there any members available to be sponsors or to answer questions about sponsorship today? You may leave your telephone number at this time. (Chairperson: If there are no volunteers for sponsorship, read the following:) Would someone like to speak for 1 minute about their experience, strength and hope from having a sponsor or being a sponsor?
7) Announcements:
a) Are there any Al-Anon related announcements?
b) The Business Meeting is on the last Sunday of the month after the formal meeting.
8) Meeting Format:
In this meeting we read the Step of the Month from a different Al-Anon book each week. (Step 1 in January, Step 2 in February, etc.)
Week 1: Al-Anon’s Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions. Volunteer is asked to read the entire Step description, followed by sharing. Another volunteer reads the section Thinking it Over, followed by more sharing.
Week 2: Paths to Recovery. First volunteer reads half the Step overview, followed by sharing. A 2nd volunteer reads the remainder of the Step overview up to but not including the Members Share section, followed by more sharing.
Week 3: Paths to Recovery. The first reader selects and reads one story from Members Share section, followed by sharing by the group. Then another member selects and reads a different story from Members Share section, followed by sharing by the group. Finally, a 3rd volunteer reads 3 or 4 questions from the end of the same chapter, followed by more sharing. If there is still time, a 4th volunteer can read additional questions from the same chapter, followed by more sharing.
Week 4: Reaching for Personal Freedom. The first volunteer reads the introduction to the step and one story of their choice along with the questions from that story. Questions are read two times slowly, followed by sharing. A 2nd volunteer selects a different story and reads questions from that story two times slowly, followed by more sharing. If there is still time, the 3rd story can also be read following this same format.
Week 5: How Al-Anon Works. (Note to chairperson: We are not reading the step from this book. ) Ask for volunteers to read Chapter 8 overview of “The Twelve Steps” on pages 42-44 in the hard copy of How Al-Anon Works. Another member will speak for 5-7 minutes about the reading, followed by sharing. If there is additional time, we will follow the same format and read Chapter 16 overview of “The Twelve Traditions” on pages 106-107 in the hard copy of How Al-Anon Works, followed by sharing.
9) SHARING Chairperson counts the number of people on the line by pressing *0. If there are fewer than 10 people, members are asked to voluntarily limit their shares to 3 or 4 minutes. Members can share a 2nd time after everyone has had a chance to share. If there are 10 or more participants, a timekeeper is needed: Chairperson requests a spiritual timekeeper for 3 minute sharing. We usually invite the timekeeper to share first if they would like to. After the timekeeper is invited to share, the sharing is open to other members.
CLOSING (begins 5 minutes before the top of hour)
10) Participation is the Key to Harmony.
The chairperson thanks all who have done service and shared, by reading their names aloud.
11) Newcomer Greeter: Do we have a member who will stay on the line after the meeting to greet newcomers, answer questions about Al-Anon, and explain the phone etiquette?
12) Names & Telephone Numbers:
Would anyone like to request the telephone number of someone who shared, or offer your name and number for outreach? We will take requests and exchange numbers now.
13) CLOSING
Chairperson reads “Suggested Al-Anon/Alateen Closing” from How-Al-Anon Works Chapter 44, p. 380 or the Service Manual p. 22. (Or ask a member to read this section.)
Chairperson says: Will all who care to join me in closing with the
Al-Anon Declaration and Serenity Prayer. Please press *1 to unmute.
Let it begin with Me. When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, let the hand of Al-Anon and Alateen always be there, and Let it Begin with Me.
