Service Matters • July 2019
Town Hall Meeting
The next Board of Trustees (BOT) Town Hall meeting is scheduled for Sunday, July 21st at 11:00 AM EDT.
The Zoom Link for the Board of Trustees Town Hall Meeting is: https://zoom.us/j/555523493.
You can attend by telephone using the following numbers.
Dial by your location
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 555 523 493
Committees Connecting Meeting June 9, 2019
Here is the link to the audio recording of the June 9th meeting:
https://zoom.us/recording/play/OyniwOIVreNa1MB1y5HexB3nMUo5AkQ9e6GPGGqHuOEWvTueDKWMy7tdqqX7fzFN?autoplay=true
22 GSers were in attendance.
Website Subcommittee (WSSC) motions:
The Website Subcommittee (of the Communication Committee) moves that GreySheeters Anonymous World Service hire a professional to create a basic GreySheeters Anonymous World Service Style Guide and a basic set of templates based on the Style Guide.
WSSC Chair explained the purpose of a Style Guide and how the WSSC proposes to find an affordable option to create one. Because this is not a previously approved expense for the CC/WSSC, it is necessary to get World Service Conference approval.
When asked about the cost, WSSC Chair estimated under $1K depending on changes and number of templates we request.
Conference Committee motions:
ConC1. The Conference Committee moves that GreySheeters Anonymous World Service Conference adopt the GreySheeters Anonymous World Service Conference Charter (Attachment 1) and make it effective for World Service Conference 2020 starting immediately after World Service Conference 2019 closes.
ConC2. The Conference Committee moves that World Service Conference 2020 be held September 18-20, 2020 at the Cenacle Retreat Center in Chicago. Cost is the deciding factor.
* Suggestion to fund annual conferences if people donated a dollar for every year abstinent and a dollar for every year GSAWS has been in existence.
ConC3. The Conference Committee moves that the document entitled The Process for Reading, Amending, and Approving Draft Minutes for 2019 and Subsequent World Service Conferences of GreySheeters Anonymous be adopted as the official process for approving the World Service Conference minutes. (Attachment 2)
Next Committees Connecting meeting will be held on July 7, 2019, 2:00 PM ET, at meeting ID:
https://zoom.us/j/524747067
World Service Committees on Finance (motions 9-12, pp. 13-17) and Literature (motions 13-15, pp. 18-20) will be presenting. Reading before the meeting will enhance your understanding of the meeting. These can be found at this link:
https://www.greysheet.org/images/WSC2019/GSAWSC2019_Motion_Worksheet_03222019.pdf
Traditions Meeting for Delegates to the 2019 WSC
Audio link to June 9 meeting:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6jEY-jK2sLaMGZodDcxSk5JTk01ZFVpV1g2N2hia1RJTjFV/view?usp=sharing
Notes on June 9th Traditions meeting:
Tradition Five: Each group has but one primary purpose – to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.
Participants spoke about the value of focusing on getting and staying abstinent as the primary purpose, about the importance of reaching out to non-members to carry the message, to doing small amounts of feasible, non-overwhelming amounts of service, about the value of doing service to one’s own abstinence, about the importance of having something to attract the newcomer and to give to newcomer (i.e., having qualified leaders present to speak to the newcomer), the idea of talking about service we do and the value, and the idea of training people to do outreach.
Tradition Six: An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
Participants spoke about how GreySheeters Anonymous website used to list meetings that were combination of GreySheeters Anonymous plus other 12-step fellowships. It led to some hard feelings when GreySheeters Anonymous World Service asked groups to choose one affiliation. How does GreySheeters Anonymous World Service deal with people who give the impression that they or their service is affiliated with us? Perhaps GreySheeters Anonymous World Service could publish things we are not affiliated with? Do we need talk more about the Traditions in the meetings so that people understand the implications of these Traditions? The question arose about the need for legal response but that costs money – a cease and desist letter might cost $500. Perhaps boilerplate legal letters to offenders. The essence of this tradition is that GreySheeters Anonymous World Service will not endorse commercial ventures or causes. Perhaps we should read ALL the traditions at every meeting?
Next Traditions Meetings schedule can be found in:
https://greysheet.org/images/WSC2019/GSA_WSC_2019_Traditions_and_Concepts_for_Delegates.pdf
Concepts Meeting for the Delegates of the 2019 WSC
Audio link to June 23 meeting on concepts:
https://zoom.us/recording/play/sH1zXf5iyr_pZ2vTt6iP8IwfI30KF29Myv6acIyotX8fFaJ7SBlRQpATmql7WeQR?autoplay=true
Notes from meeting:
Concept Five: Throughout our structure, a traditional “Right of Appeal” ought to prevail, so that minority opinion will be heard and personal grievances receive careful consideration.
Members discussed how AA practice has a built-in procedure for hearing the minority opinion on votes and offering an opportunity, once the minority opinion has been heard, to offer to hold another vote to see if people have changed their minds. How rare this is in our modern world, where majority often rules, and minority opinions are disregarded.
Concept Six: The Conference recognizes that the chief initiative and active responsibility in most world service matters should be exercised by the trustee members of the Conference acting as the General Service Board.
Clarification was given as to the importance of the World Service Conference and the decisions made by this body, represented by as many parts of our fellowship as possible. That the trustee members are all the delegates of the conference, and do not reside solely with, for example, the Board of Trustees.
Next Concepts Meetings schedule can be found in:
https://greysheet.org/images/WSC2019/GSA_WSC_2019_Traditions_and_Concepts_for_Delegates.pdf
London Round-up on June
On the first weekend of June almost 30 grateful GreySheeters gathered for the 21st annual Round up in Englands' capital - London. A beautiful, cosy, peaceful and nourishing assembly of people striving for a better life free from the obsession of compulsive eating. This year the London group, the organizer of this Round up, invested money from the 7th tradition towards professional posters displayed at the venue (Yoga and Wellbeing Centre) with a huge traffic of customers. The message was carried to few newcomers who embarked on a new journey towards liberty. We enjoyed two days full of powerful qualifications, shares, exchange of recipes, laughter, enjoyment of meals together and recovery. Blissful life!
Training for Delegates
The last training for WSC2019 delegates, What’s My Role at WSC2019? will be August 25th at 1 pm ET and August 27th at 8 pm ET. All delegates are urged to attend one or both of these meetings in August.
Zoom links at https://www.greysheet.org/world-services/world-service-conference/world-service-conference-2019
Sunday August 25th 1pm ET https://zoom.us/j/418197927
Tuesday August 27th 8pm ET https://zoom.us/j/929526347