Service Matters • February 2017
An Update from GSA World Service Following our World Service Conference held in Boston in September 2016, the fellowship's World Service committees have been working hard on agenda items raised at the conference. Below are summaries provided by the committees; Contact webadmin@greysheet.org for any additional information:
Conference Committee
Working together to plan our next World Service Conference in 2018. A majority of Group Service Representatives and Intergroup Service Representatives who attended the World Service Conference in September 2016 voted for San Francisco as the next location for our World Service Conference. Chicago came a close second. Watch this space for updates on how this planning process progresses. You can also contact the Conference Committee for further information: Cindy S, email solofreesail@gmail.com, phone (PST) 510-499-6955 and Marjorie M, email marjorie.mayerson@gmail.com, phone EST 917-864-0032.
Their next meeting is planned for this month, date to be confirmed, where they will be working to develop content, structure, scheduling, and theme. They will be discussing preliminary research into possible venue, considering costs, timing, access to city centres, etc. The committee will be looking for what is the most cost efficient and accessible for the majority of delegates. In shaping the conference schedule, the committee will be taking on-board all the suggestions made by September's delegates for improvements – particularly to improve advance communications with delegates so that they can better prepare for the conference, and clearer communications while at the conference.
Structure Committee
Currently working on creating GSA's Service Manual, based on the original draft prepared by members of previous structure committees. A Service Manual is a description of the policies and procedures that guide every aspect of the GSA program.
The committee is looking at developing the motion for secret ballot voting at the conference as opposed to a show of hands. It is also developing proposals for a more streamlined process for approving all GSA literature. All literature which is currently noted as being Conference Approved, such as the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions of GSA, will be brought to the next World Service Conference to be voted on by delegates. If you would like further updates from the Structure Committee you can contact Gary G on gguttman@compuserve.com or call EST 917 721 8269.
Literature Committee
inviting the fellowship to be involved with GSA's first book of stories. They are looking for your submissions; they need your vital energy to be a part of this and make it happen. They are looking for stories that tell the history of GSA, either globally, or in your area: who, what, where, when, why, how? Anonymity will, of course, be respected. Examples of possible stories include how the Greysheet spread from Cambridge, to all four corners of the world? We want to devote a chapter to stories from young people; a chapter of stories about "the family afterwards," and what we did to rectify and affirm the family unit, work place, friendships etc, after abstinence. We want to present the Twelve Concepts, as they play out in our fellowship, and how they work in our lives as individuals - and how they intersect with the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. Please send your submissions to Richard Oliver, richardso285@gmail.com or contact him on EST 424 208 4813.
Public Information Committee
If you are aware of opportunities in your community to do some public information, get in touch with this committee who will be happy to guide you in the best way to do this type of outreach. If you have any public information stories, news articles that have been generated about GSA since last year in your area, please let the public information committee know, so that they can write about your progress.
The Slovakian GSA group is holding an event from 2 – 4 June 2017. They have invited health professionals to attend this event to learn more about GSA and our programme of recovery. Details of this event can be found at www.greysheet.org/events/no-matter-what-slovakia.
Archives Committee
Working with our web page administrator and web designer to introduce new web pages sharing the vital service role of Archives. Archives will become a main link from the Home page and will be structured into nested pages by the committee. These nested pages will list any minutes produced by the committees and the World Service Board. Watch this space for updates of these changes as they happen.
Communications Committee
Working to get pages set up on the website for each Committee, listing its contact information, together with a list of dates and times of their planned meetings. If you are working on a committee, please email sharonleighterry@gmail.com with your most up-to-date committee list and meeting schedule. This will help members of our fellowship know who is representing them at this level for this term and be able to contact the committees directly for updates.
Orientation for new GSRs: members of the fellowship contacted the Communications Committee to find out if there was a simple document outlining the basic role of the Group Service Representative. While GSA's Service Manual is still being developed, the following document: http://greysheet.org/images/pdf/GSA_Introduction_to_Service_for_new_GSRs.pdf
for new GSRs has been produced and is a great read. If you have anything you would like to add to this that you think would be helpful for a new GSR to know, please contact sharonleighterry@gmail.com with your suggestions and the Communications Committee will look at including it. Pass it on. You can also find it on the website, under Literature/Public Information Literature.
Summary of World Service Conference Minutes: for your ease of reference the Communications Committee has produced a brief summary of the main motions and processes that were voted on and passed by your GSRs and ISRs. If you want further information, you can read the full Minutes from the September 2016 World Service Conference here.