Service Matters - December 2022
Traditions and Concepts
The Communications Committee is excited to announce the reboot of Traditions and Concepts meetings for 2023. Instead of 12 monthly sessions, we will meet three times throughout the year, for 90 minutes each, covering 4 Traditions and their corresponding Concepts. Our focus will be on GSA members offering their experience, strength and hope with the application of these principles using actual examples and stories that bring the Traditions and Concepts to life. After all, this is how we learn best in twelve step recovery!
Why do we do this? Our integrity depends on the delegates of our World Service Conference having a solid foundation in the principles of our program. Most of us are familiar with the steps, but it is the traditions and concepts which help guide us as we work together as trusted servants in our community.
The Traditions and Concepts meetings will be held quarterly, at 1:00 PM ET, on the last Sunday of February, May and August:
Sunday, February 26 (Traditions & Concepts 1-4)
Sunday, May 28 (T&C 5-8)
Sunday, Aug 27th (T&C 9-12)
While these meetings are primarily for new and returning GSRs and other delegates to the WSC, all are welcome to attend!
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Board of Trustees Introductions
My name is Staci L. and I am a compulsive eater. I am honored to have been elected to the Board of Trustees and to continue to serve the community that has saved my life since my first GreySheet meeting at the Grove in Los Angeles, California, on July 1, 2017. To stay abstinent, one day at a time, I need both the GreySheet food plan and our community.
I truly believe that connection is the opposite of addiction. I choose to stay connected with my fellows by going to meetings (many meetings) and by service. Through my service commitments, I have formed meaningful relationships as we spent time together working toward a common purpose, to carry the GreySheet message to the compulsive eater who still suffers. To be honest with you, and with myself, I am a bit fearful of cutting back my service commitments since I really don’t know how much service it takes for me to stay abstinent. Just for today, I am not willing to find out.
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Service Opportunities
Our primary purpose is to stay abstinent and carry the GreySheet message to the next compulsive eater.
I heard a speaker say this morning that sponsoring was the minimum service he wants to do in GreySheet; that to recover, he needed to be more involved than that.
There are many services our community has requested that we don’t have anyone providing yet. Maybe they would be a good fit for you?
I heard a speaker say this morning that sponsoring was the minimum service he wants to do in GreySheet; that to recover, he needed to be more involved than that.
There are many services our community has requested that we don’t have anyone providing yet. Maybe they would be a good fit for you?
- Join the Board of Trustees
GSA World Services Board of Trustees is responsible for safeguarding the integrity of our program – protecting the GreySheet and the A.A. foundations on which our program depends. If this is important to you, maybe you would consider a three-year term on the board? We need six more trustees including someone to take the minutes (secretary) and someone to manage the Zoom account (assistant secretary). We especially need trustees from Europe, Iceland, and Connecticut. If you have five years GreySheet abstinence, contact Nominating@greysheet.org
- Become an Intergroup Service Representative
ISRs coordinate services requested by their groups, represent their area in World Service decisions, and connect the groups to World Service committees. ISRs attend a monthly meeting with committee chairs to discuss and approve committee proposals to go onto the full conference. Before voting on these proposals, ISRs discuss them with the GSRs in their area to make sure the ideas serve the groups. If you live in Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York State (not City), Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, or Vermont, you could support the NorthEast Intergroup as ISR. If you consider a Phone Bridge Group as your home group, you could support the Phone Bridge Intergroup as ISR no matter where you live. ISRs have three years GreySheet abstinence. Contact either NorthEast-ISR@greysheet.org or PhoneBridge-ISR@greysheet.org
- Volunteer for a specific World Service role
- Just want to sit in and hear all the exciting discussions? Be a Note Taker for the monthly Committees Connecting meetings.
- Want to stay behind the scenes? Manage the GSA World Services Google Calendars.
- Love teaching? Deliver quarterly GSR Training.
- Spreadsheet Fan? Back up our Group Registrar.
- Good at keeping everyone in the loop? Manage our internal Facebook group.
- Does it drive you crazy that people misuse the GreySheet online? Always wanted to be an investigative reporter? Implement our online copyright protection plan.
For all these roles, contact Secretary@greysheet.org
- Help a World Service Conference committee as a Volunteer for a specific project:
- Census – let’s find out how many GSers there are in 2022. Structure@greysheet.org
- Assemble our Service Manual. Structure@greysheet.org
- Social Media – reach those who have never heard of GreySheet. PIC@greysheet.org
- Publish our events on the website. PIC@greysheet.org
- Edit the stories on the website. PIC@greysheet.org
- Capture our ESH in writing. Literature@greysheet.org
- Get our history down on paper before the first generation of GSers are all gone. Archives@greysheet.org
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Is Your Voice Heard?
Group Service Representatives are your voice in decisions that affect you, your group, and GSA as a whole.
There are 140 groups around the world serving our approximately 1000 members.
Only 69 groups have elected a GSR. Less than 50%.
Only 24 GSRs connect with World Service.
There are 140 groups around the world serving our approximately 1000 members.
Only 69 groups have elected a GSR. Less than 50%.
Only 24 GSRs connect with World Service.
Does your group have a GSR?
Elect one and register with GSA World Services. Registrar@greysheet.org
Elect one and register with GSA World Services. Registrar@greysheet.org
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A New Intergroup!
GSA World Services is growing! We have approximately 400 Spanish-speaking GreySheeters Anonymous members. They have registered eight new Spanish-language groups and formed an intergroup. The new Comunidad Hispana intergroup offers services to Spanish-speaking GreySheeters including;
- Telegram channels for community announcements and literature study
- Retreats, Round Ups, and social gatherings in the USA, Mexico, Spain, and Israel
- Podcasts, YouTube, and Twitch audio of qualifications
- WhatsApp groups for literature and group sharing
- Holiday meeting marathons
- Translations of GreySheeters Anonymous Conference Approved Literature
- Spanish GreySheets both printed and digital
- Zoom account
One of their groups is the International Speakers Group that meets on Sundays at 7:30am ET. The group typically invites a long-time abstinent English speaking GSer to qualify and offers translation. If the speaker agrees, the group publishes the English / Spanish qualification on their podcast and streaming services. This is one of the ways they are ensuring a strong connection with the larger GreySheeters Anonymous community. Contact ComunidadHispana@greysheet.org
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Upcoming Recovery Events
Los Angeles Grey Sheet Fellowship Weekend
01-27-2023 to 01-29-2023
Hollywood, California
Camp GSA Texas
05-05-2023 to 05-07-2023
Camp Olympia
London Round Up
05 -06 to 07-2023
Retiro GSA Bilingüe - Madrid 7 al 10 de Septiembre de 2023
(Madrid Spanish & English GSA Retreat)
09-07-2023 - 09-10-2023
Casa de Ejercicios Cristo Rey
Find out all the details on our website: https://www.greysheet.org/events/recovery-events
01-27-2023 to 01-29-2023
Hollywood, California
Camp GSA Texas
05-05-2023 to 05-07-2023
Camp Olympia
London Round Up
05 -06 to 07-2023
Retiro GSA Bilingüe - Madrid 7 al 10 de Septiembre de 2023
(Madrid Spanish & English GSA Retreat)
09-07-2023 - 09-10-2023
Casa de Ejercicios Cristo Rey
Find out all the details on our website: https://www.greysheet.org/events/recovery-events
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GreySheet Anonymous World Service
2022 Direct 7th Tradition Donations Target - $42,000
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2023 Town Halls
Everyone’s chance to ask any question, raise any concern, make any suggestion about anything that affects GreySheeters Anonymous as a whole.
You can even submit your item anonymously to Communication@greysheet.org
Last Sunday of January, April, July at 11am ET
https://www.greysheet.org/events/service-events
Presentations by:
January 29: New York Metro Intergroup, Western States Intergroup, European Intergroup
April 30: Southern Central Intergroup, Israeli Intergroup, Icelandic Intergroup
July 30: Connecticut Intergroup, Phone Bridge Intergroup, NorthEast Intergroup, La Comunidad Hispana Intergroup
Special Town Hall Topics:
January 29: GreySheet Committee Report (2020): GreySheet Abstinence: Clarifications and Sponsor Guidelines. What is it and what am I supposed to do with it?
April 30: Twenty-five years as our own Twelve Step Fellowship: Let’s celebrate GreySheeters Anonymous’ silver anniversary
July 30: GreySheet Counts census: Why should I participate in our five-year census?
You can even submit your item anonymously to Communication@greysheet.org
Last Sunday of January, April, July at 11am ET
https://www.greysheet.org/events/service-events
Presentations by:
January 29: New York Metro Intergroup, Western States Intergroup, European Intergroup
April 30: Southern Central Intergroup, Israeli Intergroup, Icelandic Intergroup
July 30: Connecticut Intergroup, Phone Bridge Intergroup, NorthEast Intergroup, La Comunidad Hispana Intergroup
Special Town Hall Topics:
January 29: GreySheet Committee Report (2020): GreySheet Abstinence: Clarifications and Sponsor Guidelines. What is it and what am I supposed to do with it?
April 30: Twenty-five years as our own Twelve Step Fellowship: Let’s celebrate GreySheeters Anonymous’ silver anniversary
July 30: GreySheet Counts census: Why should I participate in our five-year census?
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GSA World Service Seventh Tradition YTD Report
GSA World Services expenses include:
Literature $10,000
Website $10,000
Legal Fees $5,000
General Operating $30,000
TOTAL $55,000
Prudent Reserve
(50% annual operating expenses) $15,000
Budget $70,000
Our Seventh Tradition donations from individuals, groups, and intergroups have gone up every year from $20K in 2018 to $52K in 2021. We set a goal of $42K for 2022 and can’t wait to find out at the end of December whether we have met our goal. Stay tuned!
Literature $10,000
Website $10,000
Legal Fees $5,000
General Operating $30,000
TOTAL $55,000
Prudent Reserve
(50% annual operating expenses) $15,000
Budget $70,000
Our Seventh Tradition donations from individuals, groups, and intergroups have gone up every year from $20K in 2018 to $52K in 2021. We set a goal of $42K for 2022 and can’t wait to find out at the end of December whether we have met our goal. Stay tuned!
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Why Should I Care About the World Service Conference?
Some of the decisions your World Service Conference delegates have made since 2013:
- The GreySheet is GreySheeters Anonymous Conference Approved Literature and will never be edited except for legally required changes
- Publish and distribute the 2020 report of the GreySheet Committee: GreySheet Abstinence: Clarifications and Sponsor Guidelines.
- Groups are GreySheeters Anonymous Groups if they only use Conference Approved Literature in their meetings
- Adopt all A.A. Literature as Conference Approved Literature
- The book Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of GreySheeters Anonymous is Conference Approved Literature
- The Cambridge Group Purpose is Conference Approved Literature
- Adopt and adapt the A.A. Twelve Steps, Traditions, and Concepts for World Service and both versions of the A.A. Preamble
- Use term “compulsive eater” instead of “compulsive overeater” in written materials
- Who can be a World Service Conference delegate
- Who can be a Trustee, an ISR, or a GSR
- How much any one person can donate to GSA World Services
- What we will publish on our website
- How the World Service Conference will make decisions
- We will use social media to reach the public
If your group has a GSR, she or he will let you know when these kinds of decisions are being considered so you can express your opinion. Once you know these decisions are under discussion, you can attend your intergroup meeting to make sure your ISR knows your opinion, too. You can attend the monthly Committees Connecting meetings to make sure the responsible committee knows your opinion. You can also express your opinion at a quarterly Town Hall. If you can’t attend a meeting, you can email the committee chair. If you aren’t hearing from your GSR or ISR about the important decisions your World Service Conference is making this year, ask!