Chair Report for Oct 2024
And so, another month of service to our groups…
Annual Meeting 21 December, Elections and Budget Approval
So, we are preparing for another annual assembly including both elections and the budget. Our treasurer will be posting the budget as soon as it is assembled and approved by the Finance Committee and Board.
This year we are electing a Vice Chair, Secretary, Technology Chair and Trustee at Large. If you would like to stand, please submit a service resume of your intention to the board by November 15th . I would advise you to contact current standing officers to get an idea of the time commitment and skills needed. A suggested service resume format can be found here: https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/documents/resume-presentation-page/
Additionally, our guidelines best describe the general requirements of the positions. These and our bylaws can be found on the board page under the OIAA in Action tab.
From our Guidelines:
1.1 Eligibility & Qualifications for all Trustees.
Trustees will be at least 18 years of age and need not be United States citizens or residents of New Jersey.[1] OIAA suggests that ten years of continuous sobriety is preferable for trustees, though it is not mandatory. A committed program and leadership experience can enable a member to deal with OIAA growth and its affairs with serenity and ease in problem-solving. Such candidates can bring to the board the quality of decisiveness and the fortitude of their guidance and convictions, along with objectivity and prudence. They should be generally well suited to represent the OIAA board and interpret its actions. A business background or other professional experience is helpful. The board and membership are also interested in other skills and qualities that trustees can offer. Trustee officers must also have served in an OIAA service position to be eligible to stand.[2] [Bylaws Section 4.02.] Trustees who are not officers do not need to meet the OIAA service position eligibility requirement.
- Vice Chairperson
The vice chairperson acts as chairperson in the absence of the chairperson. The chairperson may delegate responsibilities to the vice chairperson, including the chairperson’s position as a non-voting member of the standing committees, as the chairperson deems advisable and agreed upon.
5.2.1.3 Secretary
The secretary maintains the corporate records, including but not limited to the following: minutes of all board, assemblies, and special meetings; committee reports; motions, and election results; bylaws, certificate of incorporation, operating guidelines, annual reports, and correspondence with government agencies, except for financial matters that are the responsibility of the treasurer. The secretary presides over elections; posts ballots; and collects, tallies, and posts the results of elections and motions. If the secretary is standing for election to an office, the chairperson will perform the election duties or appoint a disinterested third party to do so during that election. The secretary coordinates with the technology chairperson on the electronic storage and maintenance of these records.
5.2.1.5 Technology Chairperson
The technology officer chairperson leads the effort in providing, supporting, maintaining, securing, and enhancing 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. With approval of the board, the technology chairperson oversees and maintains any technology-related professional services.
5.3.2 Trustee-at-Large
The trustee-at-large will work in partnership with the OIAA committees to foster communication, collaboration and avoid duplication of efforts. The trustee-at-large will be available to serve in other areas as determined by the board. As the membership grows, additional trustees-at-large may be added at the discretion of the board.
NAATW National A.A. Technology Workshop, September 13-14, St. Louis, MO, hybrid
Per their website: “NAATW is the National AA Technology Workshop. The Workshop is an annual event where those interested in using technology in service to Alcoholics Anonymous gather to share experience. The Workshop is a place to share ideas, connect with other A.A.s interested in technology, and bring these ideas back to our respective homes.” (https://naatw.org/about-us/)
NAATW is structured as a Workshop per the suggested convention guidelines as published for all such A.A. events by the General Service Office. Those guidelines can be found here: https://www.aa.org/aa-guidelines-conferences-conventions-and-roundups It practices the seventh tradition in that it is a self-supported event and requires a registration fee.
We have sent members of our Tech team and board to this event, in my experience, in the last two years both as online(hybrid) and in- person participants. It is also a master class in hosting hybrid events. We have also co-hosted the event in the past.
I attended as an officer online for the last two years. It is organized as panels of volunteer presenters. Members bid for a location at the annual business meeting every year. This year it was held in St. Louis, Missouri. Next year, it will take place in Cincinnati.
This year, the AAWS and Grapevine sent presenters-what is going on in tech advancements in both areas. AAWS discussed the adaption of their mobile Meeting Guide app for online meetings, stating OIAA has 9000 such meetings listed in their directory-both US/Canada and internationally, whereas aa.org has 29000 such listing US and Canada. Since our relationship with the AAWS was confirmed by an advisory action at the General Service Conference in 2008 recognizing as an Alcoholics Anonymous Intergroup Service Board, our button will stay on their website. I do not know if the adaption of the Meeting Guide app for the 29000 online meetings listed with the GSO, will affect us in any way. It bears watching.
The LaVina/Grapevine presentation discussed the care they were observing in practicing the 11th and 12th traditions in maintaining anonymity at the public level. No A.A. members are photographed or published either in their digital, or paper publications or podcasts. Guidelines are available if you want to review these with your groups. https://www.aa.org/aa-guidelines-internet
Many interesting panels continued through the weekend, including a presentation by a past OIAA chair, Virginia M, regarding specifically deaf accessibilities online and the strides A.A. is making by using technology for this community. There was also a corrections presentation. We have been discussing technological uses for this community in our CPC committee. If you have any interest in either of these communities, contact Gwen M., CPC, chair. (cpc.chair@aa-intergroup.org) Her committee meets the 4th Monday of each month at 7 pm ET. Look for the sign-on information on our events calendar.
Code4Recovery made several presentations during the weekend. The one that especially piqued my interest was the development of an interactive mapping system that could map both general service areas as well as intergroups meetings, which then could be incorporated into our websites.
Our own Dave W. made a presentation during the weekend, with the help of (A)lbert (I)nstine. It incorporated the concept of Rule 62 as well as safety suggestions and perhaps understanding disrupter motivations. This presentation was paired with Thom R.’s review of his Zoom safety manual, which is linked to our website. His manual and our other group safety resources are located on our website here: https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/safety-resources/ Additionally, when groups are onboarded by our PAC committee, groups are sent information about the availability of these resources as well as the links to our Techsteppers team. https://beta.aa-intergroup.org/online-meeting-help/ This link can be found under the Get Help Now Tab. This team is available to groups or meetings who request help.
Members of the Techsteppers, Hugh H. and chair, Katy F., attended the workshop in person for us this year. If you have any interest in involvement in this service, they are hosting a weekly, Coffee Talk. Look for it under the Calendar tab, OIAA Calendar. It is held Thursdays, 1 pm EST, Zoom Meeting ID: 831 1330 3832 Passcode: web
So, that is a little about a long and informative weekend how we are involved in the application of new technologies for carrying the message of Alcoholics Anonymous for the still sick and suffering alcoholic. Let me know if you have any questions of would like additional information.
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! Service facilitates recovery. Please use our website for more information about these committees and when they meet. This information can be found under the OIAA in Action tab on our landing page. These 9 committees are as follows: 12th Steppers-who “answer the phone” when anyone anywhere reaches out for help (Chair-DC Dave), Policy and Admissions (PAC) (Chair-Jan BB), Public Information (PIC),(Chair Mary M), Finance (Chair -Jennifer B), Technology-which has various subcommittees (Chair-Mark M), Vancouver International Convention Committee (Chair-Barry M.), Communications, (Chair-Lesliee A.), Cooperation with the Professional Community (CPC) (Chair-Gwen M.,), Unity (Chair-Carlos D.) Each committee has its own webpage with contact information. You can also find when they meet and sign on the Calendar page. The chairs have email addresses posted and would love to meet you! If you would like more specific information about these committees, contact the committee chairs.
What’s Next:
OIAA International Online Convention—25-27 October 2024
Techsteppers Safety Workshop-2 November 2024
OIAA Assembly—21 November 2024@ 2:00 pm – 4 pm ET, Meeting ID: 839 1683 1125
Passcode: OIAA. All members are welcome. Please request interpretive services by 7 December and register or update IGR information by 14 December 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.
Tradition 10: “Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.”
Tradition 10 Long Form: “No A.A. group or member should ever, in such a way as to implicate A.A., express any opinion on outside controversial issues–particularly those of politics, alcohol reform, or sectarian religion. The Alcoholics Anonymous groups oppose no one. Concerning such matters they can express no views whatever” (https://www.aa.org/the-twelve-traditions)
In the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions, Bill Wilson Quoted and Old-timer: “Practically never have I heard a heated religious, political or reform argument among A.A. members. So long as we don’t argue these matters privately, it’s a cinch we never shall publicly.” (12 Steps & 12 Traditions, 176)
It is in this chapter that Bill discusses that the Washingtonians learned a century before as they became embroiled in matters beyond the primary purpose of Tradition 5. (177)
Sometimes I see even my own group hijacked by outside issues. Feelings are hurt. As my sponsor says, people drink over this stuff. He did not use the word stuff.
What outside issues have I seen members concerned about here at OIAA: Sexuality, religion, other addictions, agenda items in general service, groups “not doing a meeting to meet the expectations of the visitor.” I call this the High Horse, and since I believe “If I spot it I got it,” an expression I learned from a sponsee, sometimes I find myself climbing in the very same saddle. I am grateful to be reminded of that. “Those people are just not doing it right!”
Most of these can be alleviated by the practice of specific traditions. For example, our primary purpose, Tradition 5, reminds us that we are dealing only with alcoholism. Sexuality and sectarian religion, therefore, are outside issues. How you worship or not or how you identify are not our primary purpose. We certainly can worship or not and identify privately, but A.A. meetings are where we work on our alcoholism.
Regarding general service policy discussions-(They changed the Preamble or They wrote a new Big Book!) or even pollical policy discussions, we are intergroup. As an intergroup we have a specific mission: We list meetings and provide services to those meetings. We focus on recovery issues-the 12 sSeps and the 12 Traditions. We can direct you to the appropriate general service structure if you want to a voice in those policies. It does not mean we don’t have an opinion, but we have a singular mission of listing meetings and serving them. OIAA, then, has a primary purpose to help you realize yours. We let other service boards deal with the changes in A.A. policy.
If someone complains about a meeting-perhaps on the High Horse of years of sobriety, we remind them of Tradition 4, that each group is autonomous, in fact each service board is autonomous to conduct business as the informed group conscience of Tradition 2 and our higher power within that spiritual experience guides us to conduct that business. Different is not wrong. It is different.
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, remind you to look to your 36 principles, to be reminded of how to deal with the issues we have in recovering from alcoholism. Become aware of those outside issues that may lead you or your group astray. Consider steering away from those outside issues in your meetings and helping others recover from alcoholism. OIAA is here to serve you as you help the still suffering alcoholic. Let us know what you need from us!
Humbly and respectfully submitted,
Susan R
OIAA Chair
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
[1] New Jersey Nonprofit Act and IRS law.
[2] Bylaws Section 4.02.] Eligibility. Anyone who has served in an OIAA service position is eligible to serve as an intergroup officer.
