GreySheeters Anonymous (GSA)

GreySheeters Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from compulsive overeating. The only requirement for membership is the desire to stop eating compulsively. There are no dues or fees for GSA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. GSA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization, or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay abstinent and help other compulsive overeaters to achieve abstinence.

GreySheeters Anonymous has been founded and designed to discuss the fundamentals or basics of attaining and maintaining GreySheet abstinence. For that purpose we explore together the program of Alcoholics Anonymous in arresting compulsive eating. We strongly support GreySheet. We require that our meeting leaders be abstinent for at least three months on the GreySheet. We support a vigorous and positive attitude toward GreySheet abstinence which we define as three weighed and measured meals a day from the GreySheet, with nothing in between but black coffee, tea, or diet soda.

To the GSA Community,

 
The Next GSA Fellowship Dialogue Meeting will be on Sunday Jan 29, 2012 from 11:00am-1:00pm.   All are welcome! Please encourage other GSer's to attend.
It will be held on the usual Phone Bridge number using the Intergroup pin # which is 4320188#.  If you need the Phone Bridge number itself, please email " This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ".  

NMW,

Reggie
 
 
“This we owe to GSA’s future; to place our common welfare first, to keep our Fellowship united. For on GSA unity depend our lives, and the lives to come.”
 

1. Open with Declaration of Unity Prayer, Serenity Prayer, and the reading of the 12 Traditions
2. Identifying GSRs and members of our community who are present
3. Discussion of the best means to distribute the GSAWS Inc. copyrighted GreySheet

Background Information for the Discussion:

• The legal, copyrighted version of the GreySheet is now published as a PDF and available to GSA Intergroups to distribute.
• The GSA Board of Trustees is considering the most prudent and effective means to distribute the GreySheet, keeping in mind the GS has typically been accessed through a sponsor and the document itself cannot be altered in any way.
• The GSA Board of Trustees has proposed that the GS be distributed through the Intergroup structure. The Intergroups are asked to document written permission from GSAWS, Inc. The process is outlined on the GSA website with letter templates and addresses available.  
• Some Intergroups have already mailed formal written requests to the GSAWS, Inc. President for permission to copy and distribute the legal version of the GreySheet.

We are asking for feedback and discussion on how best we can do this especially for people that live in outposts.


Please note:

We will follow the "AA Sharing Session" format which means that each person present gets one two-minute timed share. The purpose is to allow all voices to be heard in order to see if substantial unanimity emerges. If time remains, a second round may begin. Our open sharing sessions are not necessarily attempting to reach a definitive solution at this time but rather to have all ideas on the table.  Often, however, group conscience emerges and the path is revealed.

4. Close with the “I am responsible…” prayer and the "we" version of Serenity Prayer
“I am responsible…when anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help. I want the hand of GSA always to be there. And for that; I am responsible.”

Hope to see you there!

Meeting Opened with the Serenity Prayer and the Reading of  the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions followed by the Declaration of Unity

A brief report on the nature of our agreement with OA and what it means that we now own the copyright to the GreySheet was given. This included the reading of statement regarding the agreement which follows.

Greysheeters Anonymous World Services, Inc. and Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. have entered into an agreement to transfer ownership of the copyrights for Plan A, Low-Carbohydrate meal plan, from Overeaters Anonymous to Greysheeters Anonymous World Services. Greysheeters Anonymous World Services has agreed to grant unrestricted, royalty-free, perpetual licenses for use of the copyrights back to Overeaters Anonymous for use with Overeaters Anonymous's programs and literature. Consideration for the assignment of Plan A - Low Carbohydrate copyrights to Greysheeters Anonymous World Services with a license back to Overeaters Anonymous is nine thousand dollars ($9,000).

Clarifying questions were answered.

Excerpts from correspondence with our attorney was read. He stated that we are required not to use the OA logo,  therefore he suggests that we use our copyrighted logo and our address. For us, it is the Grey Sheet website. He also stated that the copyright date (1972) would remain the same - that is the content that was purchased.

Clarifying questions were answered.

After much thoughtful and thorough discussion, a motion was made and seconded:

“The Board make a definitive version of the Grey Sheet with that version not varying in content in any way from the original Grey Sheet (copyright 1972). This version will have the GSA logo and the GSA website as our address.”

The motion passed with 23 in favor and 1 abstention.

The next meeting will be 30 October 2011 11am-1pm Eastern Daylight Time on the phone bridge Intergroup line.

The meeting was closed with the Responsibility statement followed by the Serenity Prayer.

Dear GreySheet Community

 

This is a long overdue status update of the activities of your GreySheet World Service Board.

On March 13 the newly elected Board met for the first time. The current Board is listed on GreySheet.org. Since our first meeting, we have worked to organize ourselves into a group that can serve the community. Thanks to hard work and board members stepping up, we have organized several committees:

-          World Service Conference Committee to help us get to a World Service Conference

-          Dialog Meeting Committee to re-establish the Dialog open meetings with the community

-          Website / e-Communcations Committee to a update the GreySheet.org website

-          Finance Committee to assist in reporting finances

-          Liaison Committee – newly formed to coordinate communication with and between groups and intergroups of our community

Below is a summary of the Board meetings that was put together by Kathleen H – many many thanks, Kathleen.

 

We are looking forward to talking with you at the Open Board meeting in New York on 14 October and during the New York City Round-up at the GSA World Service Board table.

 

 

March 2011

PRESENT: Allison V, Ari L, Batya B, Esther Helga G., Jayne B., Joel H., Kathleen H., Kirsten J., Linda GS, Linda S., Marvin, Mary C., Melissa E., Reggie J., Sharon T., Susie H., Theda S.

 

FOCUS:  

·         A time of sharing in order to get to know one another.

 

April 2011

PRESENT: Allison V, Ari L, Batya B, Esther Helga G., Jayne B., Joel H., Kathleen H., Kirsten J., Linda GS, Linda S., Marvin, Mary C., Melissa E., Reggie J., Sharon T., Susie H., Theda S.

 

FOCUS:

·         Discussed the documents: “Foxworthy Rules of Conduct,” “History of the Board,” and “GSAWS Board By-laws.”

 

May 2011

PRESENT: Allison V, Ari L, Batya B, Esther Helga G., Jayne B., Joel H., Kathleen H., Linda GS, Linda S., Mary C., Melissa E., Reggie J., Sharon T., Susie H., Theda S.

 

FOCUS:

·         Kristen J. and Esther Helga G. resigned from the Board.

·         Discussed GSA Phone Bridge Intergroup concerns around the Board nomination and election process.

·         Mary C. resigned from the Nominating Committee.

·         Reviewed the document “GSAWS Board Task Assignment” and discussed the value of a mission statement.

 

June 2011

PRESENT: Allison V, Jayne B., Joel H., Kathleen H., Linda GS, Mary C., Melissa E., Reggie J., Sharon T., Susie H., Theda S.

 

FOCUS:

·         Prioritized the GSAWS Task assignments:

1.      Website/E-communications

2.      World Service Conference

3.      Regional Liaisons

4.      Dialogue Meetings

5.      Publishing the GreySheet (and literature more generally)

6.      NYC Open Meeting

7.      Finances

·         Jayne B. volunteered to chair the Website/E-communications Committee (and led a brief discussion)

·         Kathleen H. volunteered to chair the World Service Conference Committee (and led a brief discussion)

·         Reggie J. volunteered to chair the Regional Liaisons/Dialogue Meetings Committee (and led a brief discussion)

 

July 2011

PRESENT: Allison V, Ari L, Batya B, Jayne B., Joel H., Kathleen H., Linda GS, Linda S., Marvin, Mary C., Melissa E., Reggie J., Sharon T., Susie H.

 

FOCUS:

·         Treasurer’s report: need for a Finance Committee

·         Website/E-Communications Committee:

·         Board is communicating with each other via a Google Group

·         cleaning up the website

·         Organizing and updating the meeting and mailings contact lists

·         World Service Conference Committee report

§  Motion made, seconded, and passed to accept the Statement of Purpose: This committee is serving at the request of the GSAWS Board and the broader GSA community to outline and implement the steps necessary to hold the first GreySheeters Anonymous World Service Conference.

§  Motion made, seconded, and passed to accept the Specific Goals (as amended below) of the WSC Planning Committee:

1.      Establish a means of obtaining substantial unanimity and group conscience with the GSAWS Board and the broader fellowship prior to the WSC

2.      Establish a regular means of communication with the fellowship to submit all plans to an agreed upon method of obtaining group conscience each step of the way toward the WSC

3.      Use these means to propose a specific focus for the first WSC

4.      Use these means to create a timeline for realistically planning the WSC

5.      Use these means to recruit trusted servants to implement each step of the plan

§  The following Board members committed to providing service to the community: Linda GS, Linda S, Melissa VT (liaison), Sharon (UK/Europe/Iceland - liaison), Batya (Israel - liaison), Ari (Long Island - liaison), Marvin (New York - liaison).

August 2011

PRESENT: Batya B, Jayne B., Joel H., Kathleen H., Linda GS, Linda S., Melissa E., Reggie J., Theda S.

 

FOCUS:

·         Treasurer’s report: status of 800 number

·         Website/E-Communications Committee: Scope and purpose of the committee

·         World Service Conference Committee:

§  Discussion around the possible focus of the first WSC.

·         Dialogue Committee

§  Focus of the next two Dialogue Meetings (August 28, September 25)

·         Q & A regarding publishing the GreySheet

·         Resume/Review progress toward creating pathways toward representation

·         Open Meeting in New York during the NYC Round-up in October

§  Motion made, seconded, and passed to form a committee to propose an agenda for an Open Board meeting on Friday, October 14, 2011.

 

September 2011:

PRESENT: Allison V, Ari L, Jayne B., Joel H., Kathleen H., Linda GS, Linda S., Melissa E., Reggie J., Susie H.

 

FOCUS:

·         Treasurer’s report/Finance Committee: creating a budget, the 800 number. Also, a request for committees to send a list of expected expenses to the Finance Committee for inclusion in the budget.

·         Website/E-Communications Committee: reviewing content and hierarchy of documents on the website

·         WSC Committee: need for regular Board updates

·         Dialogue Meeting Committee: next meeting 9/25/11; 11am to 1pm

·         Face-to-Face Board Meeting Agenda Committee: Open Meeting will be Committee Reports and a Listening Session

·         Regional Liaison Committee: Brief Discussion

·         New Business: clarity of non-for-profit status of GSAWS, Inc.