Welcome to the April 2022 issue of Service Matters, your answer to the question, “What’s Up in GreySheet?” regarding all the work done for GSA as a whole to carry the message to compulsive eaters who still suffer.
Literature Committee: Reflections Book
Work on a GreySheet reflections book has resumed after a lengthy hiatus. We are beginning to collect submissions, initially focused on the shorter (65-80 words) readings. If you would like to contribute, you may do so using the link below. In addition, if you have 1 year of b2b abstinence and would like to help with the editorial process or if you would simply like to attend our organizing meetings to talk about the process, please contact the committee at reflections@greysheet.org. Your name will be added to a distribution list to stay in communication to stay in communication with our subcommittee regarding the work we are doing.
Lastly, if you’d like to write a submission, follow the link below:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfLssDQ3iBwJPzRnoww3uakfxHJwlZoIEgVBU16Sj9osMgXOw/viewform?usp=sf_link
Please read the submission instructions carefully. We are looking for submissions written in the third person or impersonal voice. Thanks!
Upcoming Meetings
All Interested GreySheeters Welcome!
Each of these meetings is an opportunity to expand your recovery by learning more about the framework that guides our work together. If you’re a delegate, you’ll want to clear your calendar and attend each of these meetings. This is how we get essential information and guidance for giving our best to the groups we serve.
- Committees Connecting meeting ID: 663 470 166 on Sunday, April 10, Noon PM ET
- Concept 6 meeting ID: 791 453 380 on Sunday, April 17 at 1:00 PM ET
- Tradition 6 meeting ID: 791 453 380 on Sunday, April 24 at 1:00 PM ET
World Service Conference Meeting
Register Deadline: April 30, 2022
The Conference Committee of the World Service Conference (WSC) meeting invites all GSRs, ISRs and Board of Trustee members to register for the 7th annual WSC meeting. You are officially registered once you receive an email confirmation.
The WSC meeting will be held via the Zoom platform on Sunday October 23, 2022. The deadline to register has been extended to April 30, 2022, and the cost is $100. This is not an open meeting. Please address your questions via email to wscregistration@greysheet.org.
You can find the registration form here: https://update.greysheet.org/world-service-conference/wsc-registration-form.
We’ve included additional information about the conference below:
The World Service Conference (WSC) is the business meeting of GreySheeters Anonymous. The WSC is where General Service Representatives (GSRs), Intergroup Service Representatives (ISRs) and the Board of Trustees (BOTs) gather to review the state of the GSA fellowship and to work on issues such as ratifying our program structure, electing new board members, approving GSA literature and outreach methods, agreeing on the financial and Board transparency, and voting on other important issues affecting GSA as a whole. The GSRs, ISRs and Board of Trustees are all called delegates once they attend the WSC.
There will be two delegate training sessions, monthly committee connecting meetings (where you will learn about the motions) and monthly tradition / concept meetings prior to the conference. It is important for all delegates to attend these sessions to ensure an efficient and effective WSC.
Every approved (See https://www.greysheet.org) Intergroup may send one ISR, who becomes a WSC delegate. Every registered GSA group may send one GSR, who becomes a WSC delegate. Each BOT member is a delegate at the WSC. Each delegate shall have one vote. All registrants will be checked for accuracy of the registered group/intergroup and GSRs/ISRs will be confirmed.
World Service Conference 2022 will be held on Zoom. We will be on Zoom for the entire duration of the conference, except for two brief breaks and a 30-minute meal break.
Please email us as conference@greysheet.org if you are not familiar with Zoom and its functions such as ‘hand raising’ and ‘muting’. We will be happy to train you. Please note the WSC meeting will be recorded.
Training and Communication
In order to condense our conference into 6 hours (from a weekend) all delegates will have to actively participate in preparing for our October 23, 2022 conference.
- Delegates participate in two training sessions that will address how to prepare and how to participate in a virtual, condensed conference. (May 1st or May 3rd and October 2nd or October 3rd).
- We encourage delegates to attend monthly Committee Connecting meetings to learn about the resolutions and to ask questions in advance of the conference. This will be your only opportunity to address any of the committees’ motions.
- Please read and plan to discuss with your groups/intergroups the committee motions that will be published in the spring.
- Delegates will need to understand how the Twelve Traditions and the Twelve Concepts for World Service apply to the conference.
Registration for the WSC meeting is from March 1, 2022 to APRIL 30, 2022. The cost is $100 per person to cover the costs of the parliamentarian and transcriber.
The WSC Committees: In order to attend and participate in the GSA World Service Conference, all delegates must join and participate in a WSC committee. If you are not currently participating on a committee, please indicate two choices of committees when you register. Please visit https://greysheet.org/world-services to familiarize yourself with past WSCs.
Each delegate at the World Service Conference must have continuous GS abstinence of a minimum of one year at the time of registration.
If you are unable to attend the conference, your Group may send an alternate representative to vote. The alternate must have one year of abstinence.
Look forward to seeing you at our 7th Greysheeters Anonymous World Service Conference - the second one held on Zoom!
Board of Trustees Column - April 2022
What is the Board of Trustees?
Once our community decided in 1998 to centralize certain services, such as the website, literature, relations with other Twelve Step fellowships, etc., we needed a group of volunteers to coordinate those services. That is essentially what the Board of Trustees is – a group of GSA members willing to set up and guide the services for all GSA groups around the world.
What does the Board of Trustees do?
The Board of Trustees meets monthly to consider proposals from the GSA World Services committees for the services the fellowship has requested. The board manages the budget for these services based on the Seventh Tradition donations received from the fellowship. The board contracts with outside providers for professional services like our website professional, our accountant, our intellectual property attorney, our parliamentarian, etc.
How does the Board of Trustees work with the fellowship?
Each Board of Trustees member serves as a liaison to one intergroup and one World Service committee. This ensures that the board hears from GSA members, groups, and intergroups about the services World Service is delivering. The Board of Trustees also holds quarterly Town Halls for all GSA members to ask questions, make suggestions, and raise concerns. Each trustee attends one Town Hall a year. Each month one member of the Board of Trustees attends the meeting of the Committee Chairs and Intergroup Service Representatives as they consider committee proposals. One trustee also attends the Committees Connecting meetings to hear from World Service committees about their ongoing work each month. Finally, a trustee participates in the monthly discussions of the Traditions and Concepts for World Service. All of these meetings provide many opportunities for the fellowship to speak to their board.
How do I join the Board of Trustees?
We would love to have you! The abstinence requirement is five years, and the term of service is three years. Four new trustees are elected every year and we welcome volunteers to join us this October. We have openings for secretary, assistant secretary, and treasurer. Contact Linda at Nominating@greysheet.org or visit https://www.greysheet.org/world-services/board-of-trustees/nominating-committee for more information.
World Service Conference 2022 - Key Dates
Revised February 20, 2022
| Date |
Activity |
| March 1 |
Delegate registration opens |
| April 30 |
Delegate registration deadline |
| March 15 |
Board, Committees, and Officers submit Draft Resolutions to Board of Trustees secretary Secretary@greysheet.org |
| March 30 |
President consults Parliamentarian on Draft Resolutions & Standing Rules of conference and provides feedback to Board, Committees, and Officers. |
| May 1 & 3 |
Required Delegate Training Session 1 |
| May 22 |
Submit Working Resolutions to secretary Secretary@greysheet.org |
| May 31 |
Secretary publishes Working Resolutions to delegates and fellowship |
| June-August |
|
| August 31 |
Board, Committees, and Officers submit Final Resolutions and Annual Reports to secretary Secretary@greysheet.org |
| September 15 |
President & Website Liaison publish Final Agenda & Standing Rules to delegates and fellowship |
| October 2 & 3 |
Required Delegate Training Session 2 |
| October 23rd 2022 | World Service Conference 2022 |
| October 30th 2022 | Back Up World Service Conference in case of worldwide internet failure |
GreySheet Anonymous World Service
2022 Direct 7th Tradition Donations Target - $42,000
GreySheet Service Opportunities
Start Up Sponsor
Start Up Sponsor (SUS) Team has been working for the past two years to help the compulsive eater who still suffers. Start Up Sponsors work one-on-one with individuals who are ready to start their GreySheet abstinence. Training is provided for all new Start Up Sponsors so that the information we give is the same. Using the Start Up Sponsor Guidelines, you help the newcomer to know what is and is not abstinent on the GreySheet and help them plan the next 3 meals and take their food up to a few days, while they use the list of qualified food sponsors you provide to find a permanent sponsor. This initial contact takes about one hour. Once a newcomer has a sponsor, the startup sponsor becomes available to help another newcomer. Service on the Start Up Sponsor Team is a one-year service commitment. If you’re interested in this service position, please follow this link and complete registration form. Start Up Sponsor Registration
Board Secretary
Your Board of Trustees has an unexpected opening for the position of Secretary. The Secretary of the Board of Trustees is a critical member of the board as she or he records the minutes of the monthly Board of Trustees meetings which provide a record of our decision making. We publish those minutes for full transparency to our fellowship: https://www.greysheet.org/world-services/board-of-trustees The Secretary is a trustee, i.e., the requirement is five years of back to back GreySheet abstinence and the term of office is three years. If you or anyone you know is qualified and interested, please contact Grainne, Chair - Board of Trustees at President@greysheet.org or Linda, Chair - Nominating Committee at Nominating@greysheet.org. We will be happy to answer your questions.
Note Taker
The Note Taker records attendance and main points of discussion at the monthly Committees Connecting World Service meeting. One year abstinence/one year term. 2 hours a month. If interested, please email Grainne, Chair – Board of Trustees at greysheet@greysheet.org.