AA Conference Questions 2014 (contd)

AA Conference 2014 Committee No. 1 Q 2

(See the new aacultwatch forum)

“Learning from the US experience of Twelve Step Facilitation continued…

Alcoholics Anonymous Eastern Canada Regional Forum 2010, Final Report

“Some attendees said the problems that A.A. groups have in failing to connect to newcomers is a Twelfth Step issue. One attendee mentioned that detoxes and other treatment facilities have preempted a lot of Twelfth Step work formerly done by A.A. members.” (workshop report, p 3, “What Are We Doing to Keep Prospective Members from Coming Back?”) http://www.aa.org/en_pdfs/en_rf_finalrep_sept17-19-10.pdf

Alcoholics Anonymous European Service Meeting 2011, Keynote Address, ‘Unity as our safeguard’ Marie Clare L. GSO, USA/Canada

“…We also have a fellow who wrote a book and founded an organization of more “fundamentalist” members who insist on using older literature which is not the current Conference-approved version, and because they are using the older literature and conducting their meetings as they believe A.A. was practiced in its early days, they claim to be the “authentic” Alcoholics Anonymous. These groups have emerged out of fear the A.A. message is being diluted. The groups that are formed, based on this fear are rigid – if you don’t practice A.A. their way you are first off less “sober” than they are; secondly, they do not allow you to participate in their A.A. meetings unless you have converted over to their approach and adhere to their strict guidelines on everything from how to share to what to wear. Perhaps some of you can relate to these situations and know of others which can be seen as challenges to unity in our Fellowship, not threats but certain challenges. And how do we meet these challenges? As Bill said, “My own observation is that time, patience and persuasion wear down these controversial situations.” Also, ". . .the course of progress is somewhere down the middle...all of the influences, good and bad, are needed as spurs to progress..."(16th European Service Meeting 2011, p.11) http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/download/1/Library/Documents/Europe/16th%20European%20Service%20Meeting%202011.pdf”

Note: Conference Questions  can be downloaded in pdf from the GSO (GB) website. They are on pages  5-11, AA Service News, Issue 157, Winter 2013 http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/download/1/Library/Documents/AA%20Service%20News/157%20Winter%202013.pdf

Conference 2014 background material can be found on the GSO (GB) website. Follow the “Background Material for Conference 2014” link in the Document Library.  http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/Members/Document-Library

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

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