Service Matters • October 2020
Welcome to the October Issue of Service Matters!
Welcome to the October 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.
GSRs and ISRs -
Please read and inform your group members of the following items as soon as possible:
When: Saturday, October 17, 2020
Time: 11am ET, 8am PT, 9am MT, 10am CT, 3pm Iceland, 4pm UK, 5pm France/Germany/Spain, 6pm Israel/Bulgaria (the forum is 2 hours).
Where: Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88993123825
Meeting ID: 889 9312 3825
Usual password. Waiting Room is enabled.
Zoom Guidelines:
- Keep yourself muted unless you are sharing.
- Keep your device still during the meeting.
- Respect the anonymity of our members by ensuring that no one else can see or hear the meeting.
- No multi-tasking or food permitted during this meeting. Abstinent drinks and gum are acceptable.
- Remember that this is a video only meeting – if you can see us, we must be able to see you.
- If you are having trouble keeping to any of these guidelines, the Moderator may chat with you privately to help resolve the issue. Please acknowledge the Moderator’s communication. Members who cannot turn on their video or reduce their movement may, after two messages from the moderator, be moved to the waiting room.
I. 11am-noon ET
Welcome and Introductions
Committee Reports: Each committee will have 3 minutes to mention highlights of their work. Each committee has prepared an annual report. Click Here to read:
https://www.greysheet.org/images/2020_documents/World_Service_2020_Annual_Reports.pdf
If you have any questions about the reports, please email them to secretary@greysheet.org prior to October 10, 2020. Please include the name of the committee on the top of your questions.
Each committee will respond to 2 minutes worth of questions at the Video Forum.
II. Noon-1pm ET
The GreySheet Committee Report, “GreySheet Abstinence: Clarifications and Sponsor Guidelines:” If you would like a copy please email greysheet@greysheet.org.
If you have questions, you can email them as stated above or, for this committee ONLY, the ‘chat’ feature will be enabled during this hour.
2 - From the Board - This month, instead of the usual Board Liaison Report, we ask all ISRs, GSRs, and committee chairs to:
B. submit questions for the committees and Board of Trustees in writing to Secretary@greysheet.org by October 10 and..
C. come prepared to the GSAWS Video Forum Saturday October 17th 11-1 ET;
Meeting ID: 889 9312 3825. Usual passcode.
First hour is the reports and the second is the Clarifications discussion. Questions about the Clarifications Report do not need to be submitted in advance.
Please note: Information posted on Facebook that the fellowship will be voting on the Clarifications Report on October 17 is inaccurate. This report has already been approved and adopted by the Board of Trustees. It is now a GreySheeters Anonymous World Services document. There will be no voting at the Forum.
3 - From the Finance Committee - The Group Treasurer Pamphlet has been updated!
The pamphlet explaining the role of the Group Treasurer has been updated with new information about digital donations, prudent reserves, and supporting intergroups and World Service. Does your group’s treasurer have a copy? Has your group decided how much to save as a prudent reserve and how much to donate to your intergroup and World Service? You can download the pamphlet from the website to circulate to your members by using this direct link: https://www.greysheet.org/
Q&A
A: It’s probably easier to start with what won’t happen. There will be no changes made to the foods currently listed on the GreySheet. Nothing will interfere with the sacred relationship between a GS sponsor and a GS sponsee. What will happen is that at the October 17th Delegate Video Forum, one hour will be devoted to discussion of the report and answering questions that GreySheeters like you may have of the committee. From that point on, it will be up to committees, groups and intergroups what use will be made of this report.
The report, based on meetings held twice a month for 2-1/2 years of GreySheeters with 20+ years of back-to-back abstinence, is a rendering of their consensus of how the GreySheet was explained and interpreted in the beginning. Since our tradition is an oral tradition, those early GreySheeters have compiled a report based on their memory of early abstinence.
What the fellowship decides to do with the suggestions in the report is up to all of us, and your voice counts. As is mentioned in the Concepts, participation is the key to harmony.
If you are curious about this, ask your GSR or any trusted servant who is in possession of the document to send you a copy of the report. If you have questions that you would like to be discussed, email them to the Secretary@greysheet.org to have your question(s) be included in the Video Forum meeting on October 17th. And by all means, come to the video forum where the chat function will enable those present to ask questions during the hour devoted to the GreySheet Committee’s report.The first hour will be devoted to Annual Reports presented by the WS Committees, which will inform us on all the committee work being done on our behalf. All GSers are welcome!!!
Upcoming Meetings
2. Concept 12 meeting ID: 791 453 380
Sunday, October 11, at 1:00pm ET
3. Tradition 12 meeting ID: 791 453 380
Sunday, October 4, at 1:00 pm ET.
October 2020 - Monthly Board of Trustees Column
Protecting Members Personal Safety
Hi GreySheet Community!
You may have noticed recently that a new statement regarding personal safety has been added to the format of meetings you are attending. Perhaps you are wondering why.
The GreySheet community is a microcosm of the world and as such, it is vulnerable to the same challenges as any group of people. What do we do if we are faced with a member whose conduct may be inappropriate or threatening? This concern has arisen in a few groups recently, highlighting the need for our fellowship to consider the issue of safety for our members and to develop policies and procedures to address inappropriate behavior, both in and outside of GSA meetings and events.
Thankfully, we do not have to “reinvent the wheel” when addressing group issues. The 12 Traditions of GreySheeters Anonymous, adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous, were created as a guide to help groups function healthfully and harmoniously. We can turn to the First Tradition which reminds us that “Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon GSA unity.” We can also turn to the experience of Alcoholics Anonymous in addressing issues of safety, violence, and personal conduct.
The first step we have taken as the GreySheeters Anonymous World Services Board of Trustees is to recommend that all GreySheeters Anonymous intergroups and groups consider how they can promote appropriate behavior and safety for their members, both in and outside of meetings and events. We have suggested that all GSA groups include in their meeting formats a statement regarding appropriate behavior and safety and offer options for members who have questions or feel uncomfortable.
We have presented groups with a sample Safety Statement:
Your personal safety is of utmost importance in our GreySheet community. If you feel threatened or uncomfortable with the behavior of another member in or outside of a meeting (including bullying, harassment or inappropriate conduct), please speak with your sponsor, an officer of the meeting or contact our Intergroup Service Representative at xxx-isr@greysheet.org Your safety is our first priority.
To explore possible next steps, the Board of Trustees has commissioned an ad hoc Personal Safety Committee. The Vice President of GreySheeters Anonymous World Services is chairing this committee and is currently recruiting board members and members of the fellowship who are interested in participating. The committee will explore approaches taken by A.A. and possibly other Twelve Step fellowships to protect members’ personal safety. They will write a report presenting their findings and recommending steps that GreySheeters Anonymous World Services and its member intergroups, groups, and event committees might adopt.
For more information, please contact President@greysheet.org
Wishing you peace, health, safety and yummy abstinent meals,
Laura L.
Events
Three Decades of Round Ups, Fellowship and Love!
Sunday, October 25, 2020, from 1:00 – 4:00pm ET
Read more about it at https://greysheet.org/events/30th-nyc-greysheet-round-up
PLACE: ZOOM Meeting ID: 819 3529 1621 Passcode: Universal Password
Direct Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81935291621
7th TRADITION: https://greysheetny.org/donations/
Help Wanted! Service Opportunities
Only 90 days of B2B GS abstinence is required and the willingness to share your experience, strength and hope in this daily reflections for GSers book-in-progress.
If interested in participating, email reflections@greysheet.org for guidelines and submit any time.
Links to Notes of Meetings
Notes from September Committees Connecting meeting: https://bit.ly/3jbkkM9
Notes from Tradition 11 meeting: https://bit.ly/33cUa66
Correction
In the September issue of Service Matters, the responsibility statement was printed incorrectly. The Literature Committee has approved it as follows:
I want them to think of the GreySheet solution,
for that I am responsible.