Service Matters • September 2020
Welcome to the September Issue of Service Matters!
Welcome to the September 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.
For many of us, it’s Harvest Time, a time of bounty and gratitude. We begin this issue of Service Matters by inviting our GreySheet brothers and sisters to reflect on the spiritual harvest of GreySheet abstinence.
As we chop and shop, make our calls, and bounce from Zoom meeting to phone meeting, ever questioning the access codes, we experience the joy of living this way of life, One Day at a Time. Not only do we find ourselves being provided for by our Higher Powers, but we find our spiritual sustenance overflowing to those around us. For us, abstinence and gratitude make what we have enough.
Save the Date!
Saturday, October 17, 2020, 11:00 am ET- GSA World Service Update Video Forum!
All are welcome!
Q & A
Q: In this time of COVID-19, how has your practice of the 7th tradition changed?
A:
1. I used to drop $1 or $2 in the basket at every meeting; now I automatically go to PayPal and do the same thing. I do it at the end of the meeting so I don’t forget.
2. I donate a certain amount every month to my home group – usually $20 – and trust they will distribute the funds they collect to GSAWS and the Intergroup.
3. Since the pandemic, I keep forgetting to make a donation on Zoom meetings, so I decided to send a certain amount every month to GSAWS with the new Text to Donate app. Once I set it up with money taken from my bank account, I know it’s going where it will do the most good – to the website and the new literature and all the other things World Services does for us.
4. I feel guilty every time they read the 7th tradition part of the format in meetings I go to. Since the pandemic, I’m not working, my money situation is tighter than ever, and I have been doing everything I can do just to buy abstinent produce! So I’m sending a check to my home group when I can, and look forward to being able to give more when I’m able.
5. The more I learn about what GSAWS does to carry the message, the prouder I am to be a part of this fellowship. I do service when I can, volunteering to be spiritual timekeeper and sharing when I’m asked, but I prefer Venmo to PayPal and so I give to the meetings that use Venmo.
Upcoming Meetings - all interested GreySheeters are Welcome!
1. Committees Connecting meeting link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/663470166
Sunday, September 13 at 12:00 Noon ET
-- The Structure and Website Committees will be presenting, and while all delegates are encouraged to attend, all interested GreySheeters are welcome!!
2. Concept 11 meeting ID: 791 453 380
Sunday, September 20 at 1:00 PM ET
3. Tradition 11 meeting ID: 791 453 380
Sunday, September 27 at 1:00 PM ET.
September 2020 - Monthly Board of Trustees Columns
Anne G., Board Member
Back in 1985 the NYC GreySheet community was very small. There were only three meetings a week with attendees either counting days or ‘old timers; having no more than three to five years of back-to-back abstinence. It took me a couple of weeks to get my day count together because I wasn’t entirely ready to surrender and struggled with fully understanding how the program worked.
Having suffered from anorexia and then being a binge/purger, the disease had me by the throat. When entering ‘the rooms’ I was fortunate to connect with a sponsor who was a Big Book and Twelve and Twelve ‘thumper.’ Her story was similar to mine and I admired her recovery, so I hung on to her coattails for dear life.
I did everything she told me. I went daily to AA to supplement my GreySheet meetings, sat in the front row and identified myself as an addict. I read the Big Book cover to cover and identified with Bill’s story and how the disease led to his demise. When I wasn’t in meetings I made phone calls and established relationships with other people in the rooms. I had to let go of people; places and things that made me want to eat. I needed meetings. When I reached ninety days, I started sponsoring because my sponsor told me, “Service matters!” I sponsored, chaired and started meetings and did what I could to maintain my abstinence.
Last spring I was surprised when the Nominating Committee approached and asked me if I would be interested in serving on the Board of Trustees. I heard the voice of my first sponsor in the back of my head telling me never say no to service.
Fast-forwarding to today I feel honored to be serving on the Board and strengthening my commitment to our international community. Service definitely matters! As my service role in our fellowship expands I am grateful to be getting to know others around the world that are as grateful as I to be a member of GreySheeters Anonymous.
- Integrity of the Greysheet
- The Board of Trustees published guidance to the fellowship on promoting personal safety in the program to protect Tradition One: Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon GSA unity. The Board of Trustees also commissioned an ad hoc committee to research, report, and recommend to the board any other approaches to promote personal safety.
- Website
- a. The Website Committee and Board of Trustees published a plan to obtain new content for the new websitehttps://update.greysheet.org. The Website Committee are now copying and pasting the current content into the new site.
b. The Website and Structure Committees and the Board of Trustees designed the new group registration form and it is being tested on the current site. Existing groups will be asked to re-register within 90 days of publication.
c. The Website Committee is entering all the current video meeting information into an easier-to-use display.
- a. The Website Committee and Board of Trustees published a plan to obtain new content for the new websitehttps://update.greysheet.org. The Website Committee are now copying and pasting the current content into the new site.
- Literature
- a. A subcommittee of the Literature Committee sent the manuscript for Living Abstinent to a preview subcommittee of the Board of Trustees to determine if it is ready to submit to the entire Board of Trustees.
- b. The Responsibility Statement was published on greysheet.org, GreyNet, and in Service Matters https://www.greysheet.org/world-services/service-matters to be used freely by the fellowship.
- c. Mexican and Caribbean GreySheeters reviewed the Latin American Spanish translation of the GreySheet. The Literature Committee sent the Translation Agreement to the translators to sign.
- Public Information
- The Public Information Committee is reviewing current Member Stories on the website to determine if they should transfer to the new website. They will then solicit new written stories to reflect the diversity of GreySheet experience.
- The Public Information Committee is reviewing current Member Stories on the website to determine if they should transfer to the new website. They will then solicit new written stories to reflect the diversity of GreySheet experience.
Spotlight in Western States Intergroup (WSI)
Our intergroup includes members attending 15 meetings: 9 Zoom meetings, 6 Face to Face meetings (most of which are currently on Zoom due to COVID-19). We have 10 active GSR’s, most of whom are on one or more World Service Committees, including the Chairperson of the Website Committee. Our ISR also chairs the Structure Committee.
Zoom meeting ID: 203 332 604
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! The title will be One Meal at a Time.
If you cannot come to the writing workshop, email reflections@greysheet.org for guidelines and submit any time.
Notes from Board of Trustees Town Hall July 26, 2020: https://bit.ly/3jJQXRS
Notes from Concept 10 meeting:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RLQd4c0xiU-bqfnkNpYKkK02o5zWC9rn/view
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1arq8Hy6lvqE7Z6TSVaombTRZYRMXW1hf/view
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eLn4ShlvT-oj8le0q_bLc6td42Q6aTNc/view