Service Matters • November 2021
Welcome to the November 2021 Issue of Service Matters!
Welcome to the November 2021 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.
Upcoming Meetings
All Interested GreySheeters Welcome!
- Concept 1 meeting ID: 791 453 380 on Sunday, November 21 at 1:00 PM ET
- Tradition 1 meeting ID: 791 453 380 on Sunday, November 28 at 1:00 PM ET
- Committees Connecting meeting ID: 663 470 166 on Sunday, November 14, Noon PM ET
2021 World Service Conference Reflection
The 2021 World Service Conference was a beautiful GreySheet success! After months of hard work by the committees, GSRs, ISRs, volunteers and trusted servants in our community, we gathered on October 17,th for over 5 hours to decide on the 16 resolutions that were presented for consideration. Committees had worked diligently crafting their resolutions, presenting them to our membership and making revisions with the feedback received. Unlike previous conferences that were held in person, thanks to the pandemic, this year we met via Zoom. The social connectedness that is always such a wonderful benefit of in-person conferences was certainly missed. But in its place was an opportunity for strong group representation from around the globe and an efficiency in group process.
62 delegates attended, supported by a contingent of volunteer moderators who managed the technical end of Zoom conferencing (no simple feat!) and timers who kept us weighed and measured in our presentations. Returning from our previous conference were our trusted parliamentarian who helped us navigate all procedural questions and our transcriptionist who took down every word – and there were a lot of them!
Each resolution was presented by a member of the sponsoring committee speaking on behalf of the proposal. Two members speaking against the resolution followed and an additional member speaking in favor of the resolution concluded. In order to pass, resolutions were required to have approval by a minimum of 2/3rds of the delegates. A representative from the minority opinion was given time to speak after the vote was taken and an opportunity to reconsider the motion was offered up. Ultimately, all but one of the resolutions passed – some with little opposition, others with greater. The one resolution that failed (#4) addressed the parameters for World Service Conference delegate participation. There was significant concern about members with less than a year of back-to-back GreySheet abstinence taking on the position of GSR that ultimately leads to serving as a WSC delegate. Clearly service is a crucial piece of staying abstinent. But in looking out for newer members, the opinion fell in favor of offering other service opportunities which would not include the responsibility and possible stress that can accompany the role of GSR/WSC delegate.
My personal takeaway from the conference was a feeling of awe at our amazing GreySheet community. So many people committing hours, days, months in preparation. So much care was taken in conducting a fair and transparent conference. People remained open to hearing differing opinions and considering opposing viewpoints. Sometimes minds were changed; always respect was shown. The bottom line, that our primary purpose is to stay abstinent and to help another compulsive eater to achieve abstinence, was our guide throughout the process. I believe that the work that was done at the conference, along with the direction voted upon for future action, will continue to strengthen our program and our community, ensuring that GSA will remain a solid answer for people looking for a solution to their problem with food.
A huge thank you to all who participated!!!!
Laura L.
BOT Vice-Chair
31st Annual NYC GreySheet Roundup via Zoom
Sunday November 14, 2021
Celebrating RoundUps, Fellowship and Love!
Time: 1:00pm - 4:15pm ET
Zoom information: Meeting ID: 853 6312 0160
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85363120160
Passcode: Universal
Suggested donation is $5 to NY Metro Intergroup.
TIME ZONES:
12:45pm ET - log in to see a friend!
1:00pm - 4:15pm ET
Noon - 3:00pm CT
11:00am - 2:00pm MT
10:00am - 1:00pm PT
6:00pm - 9:00pm London, Iceland
7:00pm - 10:00pm Paris
8:00pm - 11:00pm Israel
7th TRADITION: https://greysheetny.org/donations/
1:00pm - 2:00pm PANEL: It Works If You Work It
2:00pm - 3:00pm Breakout session #1 The Steps We Take
3:00pm - 4:00pm Breakout session #2 Living Abstinent
We would love to see you on video, if possible. Please keep your laptop, phone and background still!
GSR Orientation
Saturday December 12th at 10 am ET and Tuesday December 14th at 6 pm ET
- If you want to become involved in the exciting work of World Service, now is your chance!
- GSRs CREATE on a World Service Conference committee throughout the year and DECIDE as a delegate at the meeting in the Fall.
- GSRs serve a two-year term starting the month after the annual conference meeting, i.e., GSRs who have served two years rotate in November this year. (There is no maximum number of terms so groups may re-elect their current GSR.)
- You need one year of back-to-back GreySheet abstinence.
- GSAWS offers GSR Orientation in December.
- Registration will open in November.
- Newly elected and current GSRs are welcome as is anyone considering this vital service position.
- We will offer Orientations quarterly so if December doesn’t work, stay tuned!
Questions? Greysheet@greysheet.org or 832 856 1058
a.k.a. Club 164
Some GreySheeters have been doing this since 2015 when the practice of monthly recurring donations was first encouraged. These donations were tracked and called “Club 164”, named after the first 164 pages of the Big Book. In 2015 and 2016, approximately $8,500 was collected from monthly recurring donations.
Below is a pie chart where you can see the amount of donations that GSAWS has received as of August 31, 2021. In August, 37 GreySheeters contributed $528 bringing the total year-to-date amount contributed from monthly recurring donations to $3,881 this year. If you are able, please consider setting up a monthly, recurring donation. Thank you and NMW!
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.
Website Committee
Your Website Committee has many opportunities for willing volunteers to help with the many non-technical tasks that it takes to keep the current website up and running and get the new website ready to launch. If you are an elected GSR, you can join the committee as a voting member if you want to help make decisions about the website or you can assist the committee with time-limited tasks as a non-voting volunteer. There’s lots to be done that doesn’t require web development or programming skills. Our website is the public face of GreySheeters Anonymous – the first thing that many newcomers see when they look for a solution online. Help us make it serve our primary purpose. Contact Linda, chair Nominating Committee at Nominating@greysheet.org
GreySheet Anonymous World Service
Notes from September Committees Connecting meeting: https://bit.ly/3liz3IE
Notes from September Concepts meeting: https://bit.ly/3GnizaJ
Notes from September Traditions meeting:https://bit.ly/3160Nsw