Service Matters • December 2020
Welcome to the December Issue of Service Matters!
Welcome to the December 2020 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.
As compulsive eaters, we have a disease of perspective. For many during the holiday season, with family get-togethers and lavish spreads of indulgent glut, this can be a more commonly encountered reminder than other times of the year. Sometimes we need extra help to know what’s too much and what’s not enough. Miraculously, with the aid of our Higher Powers and our trusty scales, we find that in GreySheeters Anonymous we’re given exactly what we need--all that’s required is the simple act of surrender. But we don’t have to face these holidays alone. In the fellowship of GSA, we have the benefits of being both a widespread international community and the warmth of a tight knit communal village. As the thread of our common GreySheet abstinence binds us together, we can take time to learn about one another’s lives, our different traditions and customs, the rituals we are still able to observe and what we have had to adopt and avoid as we protect our abstinence and put it first in our lives, on holidays and every day. Whether we are in Reykjavik or Redondo Beach, Tel Aviv or Teluknaga, we all have a common solution to compulsive eating, and we all have more to share with one another to deepen our connection and strengthen our recovery one day at a time.
Upcoming Meetings
1. Committees Connecting meeting ID: 663 470 166
Sunday, December 13, at 12:00 Noon ET
2. Concept 2 meeting ID: 791 453 380
Sunday, December 20, at 1:00pm ET
3. Tradition 2 meeting ID: 791 453 380
Sunday, December 27, at 1:00 pm ET.
Board of Trustees Column
Hi GreySheeters,
I am Ofer L, a member of the Board of Trustees from Israel. It is an honor for me to meet you all here and to serve the Israeli and world communities of GreySheeters.
I joined GSA at the beginning of 2002 and I’ve been abstinent since Jan 25, 2002. I joined the Board of Trustees at the end of 2016 to advance our main goal - helping our organization reach those compulsive eaters who still suffer. My involvement with the board isn’t surprising since the business world, organization development, and implementation of projects have always been easier for me than healing my eating addiction!
As a board member, I served as the board liaison to the GreySheet Committee from 2018 to 2020. It was my mission to improve our unity and represent the international community voice: different cultures, different languages, different foods, different weighing and measuring systems, etc. We worked for over 30 months on GreySheet abstinence clarifications and sponsor guidelines. I would like to thank and praise all the members of the committee for their ability to survive this Sisyphean, long mission. They reviewed every line on the GreySheet, they addressed every question of our community members, they reviewed each issue at least 3 rounds (sometimes even 5), and the most important thing for all GreySheet Committee members was our community UNITY.
Last year I joined a new committee of the Board of Trustees, the BOT Seventh Tradition Committee. Why? Because World Services needs resources to accomplish our primary purpose - to stay abstinent and carry the GreySheet message to the next compulsive eater! We can achieve this target through upgrading our web presence, publishing new literature, and building a presence on social media networks – which we cannot achieve without financial resources.
I invite you all, my fellow GreySheeters, to join us, each in his or her own way – through a Seventh Tradition contribution to World Services, through serving on a committee, and most importantly, through strengthening our unity.
Stay abstinent and carry the GreySheet message to the next compulsive eater.
GSA Special Events
Gifts Of The Season
European Intergroup Newmarket Retreat
Sunday 13 December 4-6pm GMT, 11am-1pm EST- Meetings
6-7pm GMT 1-3pm EST - Meal together
7-8pm GMT 3-4EST - Entertainment
Zoom ID: 747 5025 4803
Password: universal
SAVE THE DATE! GSAWS Communication Committee:
From Isolation to Connection
Q & A
Q: I have seen people from all over the world on Zoom meetings in the last several months. I know that we refer to GSA as a world-wide community, but how do we carry the message in different languages?
A: In the years of its existence, the GreySheet has been translated to different languages, and we are currently in the process of making sure that these translations are formally approved by a process headed by the Literature Committee. We want to ensure that no matter what language the GreySheet appears in, the copyright always belongs to GSA. There is an application process to follow if and when a new translation is done. Not only is accurate translation important, but also distribution of hard copies from one GSer to another, since the GreySheet always comes with a sponsor.
Currently, the GreySheet is translated in the following languages: Hebrew, Icelandic, Polish, Dutch, American Spanish, Castilian Spanish and French. It is in the process of being translated to Bulgarian and German.
If you would like to get a GreySheet, please contact your Intergroup Representative who will see to it that one is mailed to you.
December 2020 - Monthly Board of Trustees Liaison Report Highlights
November 15, 2020
Whenever anyone, anywhere realizes they have a problem with food, they think of GreySheet.
Starting in November 2020, the Liaison Report has a new alternating format: One month we will continue our reports on the four core functions to achieve our vision, Integrity, Website, Literature, and Public Information. One month, we will report on general World Service news.
GreySheeters Anonymous World Services
- Service Opportunity
GSAWS is looking for new chairs for two committees:- Website
- Public Information
Neither position requires technical expertise; your role is to facilitate the work of, and represent, the committee.
Email greysheet@greysheet.org if you are interested in learning more about this service opportunity.
- What in the World is World Service?
In November, the Communications Committee restarted the annual cycle of Committees Connecting monthly meetings. The purpose of these meetings is to facilitate communication between committees and to update delegates about interim policies and procedures. Everyone is welcome to attend.
The officers of the Board of Trustees presented What in the World is World Service? The presentation will be on the website under World Service Conference 2020. - Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts for GSRs and ISRs
The Communications Committee also restarted the Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts meetings for GSRs and ISRs to prepare for the conference meeting. Each GSR and ISR will choose at least one of each meeting at which to represent their intergroup and committee. - Committee Chairs / Intergroup Service Representatives
The chairs and ISRs meet monthly to review suggested policies, procedures, and materials from other committees and the board. Once approved by this group and the Board of Trustees, we implement these on an interim basis until the entire assembly of the conference ratifies them. Some of the most important interim policies include:- GSA and A.A. Intellectual Property: Steps, Traditions, Concepts, Preamble, and Group Purpose
- GSA and A.A. Intellectual Property: Promises
- Distribution of GreySheets
- Translation of Copyright Material
- Personal Safety Guidance
- Responsibility Statement
- GSA Group Treasurer Pamphlet
- Registering GSA Groups
- Sustaining WSC Committees
- Communication with Trusted Servants
- Delegate Participation in Traditions and Concepts
These are all available on the website under World Service Conference 2020.
Board of Trustees
- Eunice M. from Ohio is the newest trustee elected to the Board of Trustees. She will serve as a backup liaison to the MidWest Intergroup with Joyce S. and as a backup liaison to the Communication Committee with Lee T.
We are still looking for a trustee from Europe. The requirement is five years of back to back GreySheet abstinence. You can nominate yourself or someone else on the website under Board of Trustees. - Delegate Training - Rochelle K., Trustee, will coordinate delegate training workshops for World Service Conference 2021 in Spring and Fall
- Personal Safety - Laura L., Vice President, is assembling a committee to research and recommend personal safety guidance to the fellowship. Interested? Email greysheet@greysheet.org
Help Wanted! Service Opportunities
Interested in carrying the GreySheet message?
To the public, to newcomers, and to members of GSA?
Want to make sure that our website and our public information are the best they can be?
Two committees need motivated, talented, knowledgeable members to act as chairs.
The Public Information and the Website Committees both have openings for a chair.
Your responsibility would be to chair a monthly meeting of your committee and represent your committee at World Service meetings. You do not need to be tech expert! The committees have those. You do need to be qualified to be a World Service delegate (one year of back to back GreySheet abstinence). For more information email President@greysheet.org or call 832 856 1058.
Note Takers
Three fascinating meetings happen every month and you could document one of them for GSA history! Are you a good listener? Do you take good notes? Would you like to attend one monthly meeting and capture for posterity the discussions that occur? Email greysheet@greysheet.org if you have one hour or even one half hour per month.
Links to Notes of Meetings
Notes from GSA Video Forum 2020, including Clarifications on GreySheet Abstinence and Guidelines for Sponsors presentation: https://bit.ly/31NzSzg
Notes from November Committees Connecting meeting: https://bit.ly/3ljFx7U