And so, another month of service to our groups…

The OIAA Board takes its Inventory—

Following Nona’s resignation as Vice Chair, the board decided to conduct an inventory. We formed an Ad Hoc Committee tasked to construct an instrument(appropriate questions). We tasked committee with creating a timeline and finding facilitators. We agreed on each step of the process. Both facilitators came from US/Canada General Service structure and were past Trustees. We are grateful for the time they spent with us and for their wisdom.

Here are the questions developed by the Ad Hoc Committee. The committee asked each of us to contribute questions.

Session #1 Questions – Fiduciary & Finance

1. Are we choosing appointed members of the board with care?
2. Are we financially prudent?
3. Are we providing information when needed or requested in a timely manner?
4. Are we abiding by the guidance that has been published as well as what is in draft?
5. Do we maintain all documents and coverage that is required?
6. Are we leading or governing?
7. How do we better manage the load of service?
8. What is the fiduciary responsibility of the Board?

Session #2 Questions – Organizational & Strategic

1. What is our primary purpose and are we fulfilling it?
2. Do we communicate appropriately and effectively with each other and the membership?
3. Are we an approachable and attractive board where others feel comfortable and want to serve?
4. What is the board’s overall management style? Am I supporting that?
5. Are we unified?
6. What specifically would each board member like to see improved?
7. How can we better support the online groups in various areas around the world including the Americas and Canada, the UK, Portugal and Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific Rim?

What’s Next:  Develop a plan for improvement.

 

So, how is this useful to you, our groups? This is work we personally do with a sponsor in Step 4-9. It is suggested daily work we continue with Step 10. It keeps us aware (Step 1), willing (Step 3) and humble taking us to Step 7. I personally ask my Higher Power to help me remain useful—good or bad, per Step 7.

 

I hope you and your groups practice this inventory taking. I have discovered groups have a spiritual identity and need the same tools to maintain a sober environment for their members. It is a life-long practice that is especially important when serving with others. If members do not practice recovery, groups are not sober. If groups do not practice the traditions, they often are not a sober environment.

 

Do you and your group practice the traditions? Do you go through the process of finding unity (1) by group introspection, group conscience(2), finding a way to include(3), respecting the autonomy of others to find their own path or do their own job within the group(4), always remembering the reason for doing this is to help the still suffering.

 

But the traditions go further still and suggest that only the recovery from alcoholism is our sole purpose. (5)  And  affiliations (6) can lead to discord.

 

The traditions suggest we, the alcoholics, provide the sole support for our fellowship both in financial as well as service support. Allowing outside contributions in money or service brings with it the possible danger of external influence. (7)

 

Traditions 8 suggests what is considered nonprofessional spiritual work—12 Step Work, and when we hire, we  pay people a fair wage to support this work in “the office.” The paid Eighth Tradition workers at the GSO receive a wage comparable to what they would earn with the same skills elsewhere in the city. It also warns about too many policies and rules. (9)  In fact, Bill suggests—the “least possible” organization—though he recognized that Service Boards-like the service structure of OIAA or your business meetings, may need guidelines and bylaws, if required,  to help it function always following first the guidance of our 36 principles.

 

Ah…Tradition 10 and the outside issues—examples—other addictions, specific religious beliefs, sexual orientation, politics, food, shopping…..Many of which define some of us as well as our alcoholism, but they can bring division and discord if we let their discussions plague or even hijack our meetings. We can work out these issues outside of the rooms with our sponsors. It suggests not that we eliminate  the “stripes” of our issues but use the second 12 principles to stay on the topic of recovery from alcoholism, our singular primary purpose.

 

Tradition 11-how do we practice anonymity on the internet? This requires some real soul searching, personally as well as within the group. Is the internet even part of Tradition 11? Though not explicitly mentioned in the tradition, the delegates of the General Service Conference decided it was implicit in the long form. Am I personally breaking someone else’s anonymity if I check “like” when a friend posts their anniversary coin on Facebook? Are they breaking mine if I check “like “on that same coin, to my circle of friends who may not know I am an alcoholic? How cryptic are those coins? Are Facebook private pages private? Do they include ads that may imply affiliation? Each person, each group must decide.

 

Tradition 12-personalities, ah. How well do I practice the 23 principles to this point? Have we or our groups learned to walk the walk? Are we carrying the message or the mess? Are our personalities interfering with group unity? Do people have agendas with albeit good intentions? Have you learned to come to consensus and put aside personal interests? And finally, what is our group doing to help our members with further growth?

 

So, if you also want to consider an inventory, come forward with one you have used in your groups and share with us. Or look in the pamphlet, the A.A. Homegroup, P-16, page 29. https://www.aa.org/sites/default/files/literature/assets/p-16_theaagroup.pdf

 

If you have any questions about this process, please feel free to contact me or the board.

 

ICOAA (Intergroup/Central Offices of A.A.)

 

In the approved budget for the last two years, is the expense of sending two board members to the Intergroup/Central Office Annual Seminar. This is a gathering Intergroup and Central Office  trusted servants and Tradition 8 workers who come together to talk about problems and possible solutions. In addition, the officers at the General Service Office who liaise with the Intergroups come and share prospectives as well.  Each year intergroups bid to hold the workshop. Last year it was held in Cincinnati, this year in Las Vegas. Next year it will be held in Memphis.

 

Like all seminars, we discussed specific topics in breakout rooms: Communications with AAWS, Volunteers, Made locally, Literature, Staffing. Office Documents, Taking Care of Yourself, Financing, Contributions & Fundraising, Board of Directors & Your Area, and the Internet.

 

Each day offered an AA meeting and time for fellowship at meals. Each day was capped by a presentation from the GSO:  Friday-AAWS, Saturday-Grapevine.

 

So, why go? We represent online and hybrid groups which we list in our directory. We offer services to those groups. We develop workshops and seminars and conventions for you. And other intergroups may not be able to offer you those services. We have experience with online and hybrid platforms which may be useful to other intergroups (solutions), and they may have experience which can provide solutions for us. Just as you come to us with problems or solutions through your reports or at our Forums, it is important for us to network with other service boards. None of us live in a vacuum. We have sponsors, groups, and service boards as resources.

 

Committee Service Work:

Our service committee work is the nuts and bolts of the organization.  We have 9 standing service committees and subcommittees within committees. Come and explore the possibility of service beyond your group!

12^th-Stepper Committee:  Steppers , an integral part of OIAA’s worldwide outreach. is currently chaired by OIAA long timer, DC Dave. It assists alcoholics and others who are reaching out for help via the internet. Individuals are directed to Steppers via “Get Help Now” buttons/links found on A.A. and other websites around the world. If you want to put a link to steppers on your website, you can do so here:  https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/link-your-group/

Every  stepper’s email request receives at least one reply, although their practice is to try to send 2 to 3 replies to each request. In July, members responded to 305 requests, resulting in 2.78 replies. Those who are helped often email back their gratitude. Here is an example:

• “I don’t know what to say , I’m so appreciative with your swift response and am grateful for your help and I am making contact with a physical meeting close by to make sure the meeting is still on. It took me so long and hurt so many people including my family ,to accept, that I am not well .I’ve been kicked out of the house after abusing alcohol yet again, hate hurting my family…but I feel I need to start attending meetings. Again, thank you, I will never forget how my journey started…”

Want to join them and answer the “phone”? Check out the video about the committee on our YouTube channel (link at the end) Visit their webpage here:  https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/committees/12-steppers/

Techsteppers:  The Techsteppers Technology subcommittee is currently chaired by Katy F. Their mission is to provide support to OIAA directory meetings and their attendees for online security and account settings.

Between March 2023 and June 2024, they have answered 150 Tech requests for help to both individuals and groups. There are currently 14 Techsteppers. And they provide quarterly Safety Workshops. To request help: https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/online-meeting-help/

To contact the chair for more information:  techsteppers.chair@aa-intergroup.org

PAC or Policy and Admissions: This committee is chaired by Jan BB. PAC is one of the foundational committees that groups encounter when they first contact us to list. The Registrar in the Tech Committee is the other. Jan summarized what her committee does for the Service Expo:

Our Services

• Registration Assistance: PAC helps new groups register to list A.A. meetings/groups on the OIAA meeting directory.
• Submission Review: We review all new meeting submission forms for compliance with form completion and directory listing guidelines.
• Intergroup Representatives: PAC assists new member groups in listing Intergroup representatives at the time of registration.
• Reinstatement Support: We help meetings/groups regain their listing status within the OIAA meeting directory or as Intergroup representatives if they have lapsed.
• Complaint Resolution: PAC assists in resolving complaints and answering questions regarding OIAA directory-listed meetings/groups that have been reported.
• Policy Advisories: We offer OIAA policy/guideline advisories to interested parties.

Ideal Opportunity For:

• Detail-Oriented: A.A. members who can dedicate time (sometimes daily) for online service.
• Experience: Individuals with a year or more of sobriety.
• Tech-Savvy: Those familiar with using email, laptops, or computers (not compatible with mobile phones).

Why Join PAC?

PAC provides a vital service for OIAA. Each new meeting form is reviewed according to OIAA meeting directory guidelines and A.A. Twelve Traditions. New meeting submissions arrive daily, typically averaging two or more per day. This active service role requires good communication skills and involves assisting in listing meetings.

Multilingual Opportunities

If English is not your first language or you are not fluent in English, we have services tailored for you. PAC particularly welcomes members fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, or any language other than English to serve as ‘on-call’ service members, offering the warmth of member-to-member service.

If you have any interest in doing this work, we could use your help. For more information, here is a link:  https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/committees/policy-and-admissions/

 

The Membership asked, Is OIAA really A.A.? PAC had the answer, absolutely! In 2008, a US/Canada General Service Conference Advisory Action recognized it: 

 

“The Online Intergroup of A.A. (OIAA) be listed in a new section titled “Online Intergroups” under the section “International Correspondence Meetings” in the A.A. Directories above where “Online Meetings” appear; the listing will include the online intergroup Web site and e-mail addresses.” M-39, Advisory Actions, 1951-2024, Report & Charter, 2008, p. 154: https://www.aa.org/sites/default/files/literature/M-39_Advisory_Actions_1951-2024_M1_0.pdf  And you can find our link on the A.A..org website, here:  https://www.aa.org/find-aa.

PIC:  Public Information Committee-answers questions and provides information. What kind of questions:  I was thrown out of a meeting, what do I do? How do I use the filters to find the meeting I like? How do I get meeting verification to court? How to I find a meeting in my area? How do I find the “classes”  I am required to go to for court? I don’t think the meeting I went to is A.A., what do I do?

The Public Information Committee received 183 legitimate inquiries from April 1 through June 2024. All queries received prompt replies, usually within hours of receipt.

Training is available if you want to serve on the PIC committee, additionally, the Communications Committee is completing an excellent training video for PIC. The video should be an excellent resource for PIC when it is completed.

Contact Mary M., our PIC chair, for more information:  pic.chair@aa-intergroup.org.

 

Convention Committees:  We currently have two committees working on Conventions. The Unity Committee is sponsoring our first OIAA Online International Convention and our standing Convention Committee is gearing up to host the Cybersuite in Vancouver in 2025!

Unity Committee

The Unity Committee sponsored 2024 OIAA Online International Convention registration is open! Registration is free, but individuals must register to attend. This is a closed event for A.A. members and those who believe they have an alcohol problem. You can register here

 

They are thrilled to announce that they now have over 2200 registrations!

 

Help them to continue to share this event by announcing it  in as many meetings as possible. Convention fliers can be found here  https://A.A.-intergroup.org/group-events/the-1st-OIAA-online-international-convention/

 

New videos about the Convention, from Brazil and Portugal, are now on our OIAA YouTube channel !

 

Thank you to everyone involved in making this convention happen!

 

OIAA Convention Tech Subcommittee:

They are making good progress with the tech needs for the OIAA Online International Convention. They still need help with individuals who are bilingual in English – Spanish and English – Portuguese. They also need a few female tech cohosts to help with some of the women’s meetings.

They have been holding tech training sessions, some with professional interpreters, for all the volunteers. So far they are going smoothly.

Anyone wishing to help with Tech can contact Beth D. at unityconvention.tech@aa-intergroup.com

 

Vancouver 2025 OIAA Standing Committee is planning the details for the “Cybersuite” we have hosted at A.A.’s International Conventions held every 5 years since 1995! Additionally, this committee may plan our own A.A. birthday celebration on years we do not attend the A.A. International Convention. At our August meeting, we found a person willing to be a temporary secretary. Thank you, JoAnn B, for stepping up. Remember, registrations for this event in person event in Vancouver, BC, will open at noon on September 10^th. More information can be found here at aa.org:  https://www.aa.org/international-convention

You can serve on the committee whether you plan to go to Vancouver or not. But we are also looking for 12-step service volunteers who do plan to attend. For more information about this committee:  https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/committees/conventions/  The next meeting for this committee is  the 3^rd Sunday of the month, at 2:15  pm ET.  ID: 896 6153 1454 PW:  Convention. If you have any questions, contact me, Barry M, trustee.at.large@aa-intergroup.org or Jan BB pac.chair@aa-intergroup.org

Other OIAA Committees in Action:

 

Communications:  Lesliee A. chairs this committee Besides in-house informational and instructional video production, art and flier design headed by Randy C., the OIAA Communications Committee also has an Archivist, Paul M. Their committee meets on the 3^rd Sunday of the month at 1:15 pm ET. More information can be found here:  https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/committees/communications/

 

Cooperation with the Professional Community (CPC) chaired by Gwen M., with alt-chair Sharon G.,  is holding meetings-the 4^th Monday of the month at 6:30 pm ET. Look for more information on their webpage:  https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/committees/cooperation-with-the-professional-community/  Get in touch with Gwen for more information: cpc.chair@aa-intergroup.org

 

Finance:  The Finance Committee is chaired by our Treasurer, Jennifer B. The alternate Treasurer is Felix E. The committee meets on the 2^nd Saturday of the month at 2 pm ET. In August we began our 2025 budget process. If you have an interest in how we manage and budget our finances or in being part of an internal financial review team, here is the place to serve. The link to their webpage is here:  https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/committees/finance/

Technology: The Technology Committee’s primary purpose is to provide, support, maintain, secure, and enhance the essential Information Technology needs of the Intergroup, including the OIAA Website, the OIAA Meeting Directory, electronic communications (including email, video conferencing, electronic voting, and surveys), and file sharing and collaboration. If you have skills in technology and want to participate on our technology committee, they have five active subcommittees:

• Cloud Admin: implements and maintains OIAA’s cloud services (Google Workspace) and helps support OIAA workspace users.
• Member Directory Team: administers the updates to the OIAA meeting directory with meeting adds and changes.
• Tech Steppers: helps with meetings with safety and security information.
• Web Services: helps develop and maintain the OIAA website.
• Zoom Events Crew runs the OIAA workshops, forums and assemblies Zoom rooms.

To volunteer, send them an email today at OIAA.tech@aa-intergroup.org

I recently asked about website analytics. If you would like to look, they can be found here:  https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/oiaa-statistics-report-archive/  As of July 31^st, we list 8796 meetings, 2825 groups.  We have 959 members, 25 officers and committee chairs, 719 groups have IGRs, and we have 215 non-voting members. In July, we had 367,463 users, 360,631 were English users. We had 125,457 new users and 1,228, 176 page views.

The Tech committee will  met on the 2^nd and 4^th Mondays in September: For more information, their webpage is here: https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/committees/technology/

 

Open Positions-Vice Chair –In late April, our Vice Chair, Nona C., resigned for personal reasons. We have sent you an announcement of this open position and posted it on the website, here:  https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/documents/vice-chair-of-the-board-of-trusteesbrduties-eligibility-qualifications/  If you have any additional questions regarding this position, contact me-chair@aa-intergroup.org.

 

What’s Next:

 

OIAA Assembly—21 September 2024@ 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm ET

All members are welcome. Please request interpretive services by 7 September and register or update IGR information by 14 September 2024! Meeting ID: 839 1683 1125
Passcode: OIAA

OIAA International Convention—25-27 October 2024

 

Reminders:  Voting Members and Updating the member directory:

 

Another update we have made to our website is a clearly marked page to update any changes to IGRs within your groups. It is the responsibility of each group to update any changes in advance of assemblies, so that your vote can be counted. Although anyone can attend the assembly, only elected IGRs or in their absence, the alt IGRs can vote or make motions. Group contacts can come to assemblies, but they cannot vote. Please note, I give a deadline for group changes with every assembly announcement I send out. Please look for this deadline if your group is holding elections. Here is the link for making those changes:  https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/group-rep-update-request/ The link can also be easily found under the IGR Hotlist tab.

 

For More information about our OIAA group listing guidelines go here:  https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/meeting-directory-guidelines/       If you have any additional regarding group listings, contact PAC.chair@aa-intergroup.org.

 

 

Ninth Tradition: “A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees di­rectly responsible to those they serve.”

 

Tradition 9 gives us a paradox. How can we not be organized, but still be prepared to have services to make 12-Step work possible? First, why the least possible organization? Because rules and policies lead to resentments, and resentments can lead back to the bottle. Or, as my sponsor says, people drink over that stuff. He did not use the word stuff. Our principles suggest we cannot make directives, keep score, or be punitive. As service leaders we have no power. We are here to listen and help if you ask. We are here to be attentive to your needs. We  are here to be both patient and tolerant with each other, as well as try to practice the 36 principles. All other organization we may structure is secondary to that purpose.

 

Bill wrote:  “It is clear now that we ought never to name boards to govern us, but it is equally clear that we shall always need to authorize workers to serve us.”

 

We are here to serve, not govern, just as each A.A. member seeks personal recovery first, and then helps the still suffering in turn. So, we in service, develop the gentle structure here at OIAA to help you make that possible. We are here to serve you.

 

Humbly and respectfully submitted,
Susan R
OIAA Chair
chair@aa-intergroup.org

Here is a link to our OIAA YouTube channel. It can be found on the IGR Hotlist tab. Check it out:  https://www.youtube.com/@aa-intergroup

And contact me if you would like to share how your group practices the 1^st Tradition for 5 minutes at the assembly!