Saturday 12pm - Technical Information
There is helpful information for chairing meetings at: http://phonemeetings.org/information.htm
FORMAT:
Al-Anon’s Saturday Noon “Hope for Today”
INTRODUCTION:
1. Hi, my name is ____________________, a grateful Al-Anon member and your chairperson for this meeting. This is a one hour meeting and we start to close at five minutes before the top of the hour.
2. Let’s open with a moment of silence for those family members still suffering inside and outside of these rooms, followed by the Serenity Prayer.
Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
(Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual p. 10)
Chairperson or Volunteer reads:
SUGGESTED AL-ANON WELCOME (How Al-Anon Works p.8)
CHAIRPERSON READS:
In accordance with our Traditions, we ask that you read all Conference Approved Literature (CAL) as written.
CHAIRPERSON ASKS VOLUNTEERS TO READ:
● Preamble to Al-Anon’s Twelve Steps (two pages before January 1st in all three meditation books)
● Al-Anon’s Twelve Steps (one page after December 31st in all three meditations books)
● One Tradition & One Concept of the month (one and two pages respectively after the Twelve Steps in all three meditation books)
3. Are there any newcomers here today? You can press your *1 keys to unmute and state your name so we may greet you. Newcomers may share at any time. We reserve the last fifteen minutes of the meeting especially for newcomers and for members who normally are quiet so that everyone has an opportunity to share.
4. Let’s go around the globe and introduce ourselves. Hi, I am ______(Name) from (_______State___)
5. Please do not share on a speaker-phone or we will all hear an echo. And, please stay muted at all times unless sharing.
MEETING TOPIC:
6. We will read Al-Anon’s Hope for Today meditation book for today’s date and then open up for sharing. Who would like to volunteer to do the reading?
7. Anonymity Statement -In Al-Anon, this is a gentle reminder that we speak from our own experience and ours is derived from living with the effects of alcoholism. We ask those who are members of other anonymous programs not to break their anonymity and to try to identify with the Al-Anon approach for the family illness. Ours is a different experience and calls for a different interpretation.
8. We have three minute shares. Do we have a volunteer to be our spiritual timekeeper? Would the spiritual timekeeper like to share first? We ask the timekeeper to stay muted except to come in to gently say time at three minutes. And we ask those who share to acknowledge that they have heard the timekeeper, and wrap up their share.
9. Fifteen minutes before the meeting closes: We are now at fifteen minutes before the close of the meeting; we will now open up the sharing for newcomers or for those members who do not regularly share.
CLOSING (Five minutes before the top of the hour):
10. ANNOUNCEMENTS:
a. 7th Tradition: Al-Anon is fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions. We ask that you send your contributions to WSO and state that it is from our Saturday Noon “Hope for Today” meeting, WSO ID# 503908, or make donations at face to face meetings.
b. Do we have a volunteer who will stay on the line after the meetings to answer questions about Al-Anon and to explain the phone etiquette?
c. Are there any Al-Anon related announcements?
12. Business Meeting is on the 2nd Saturday of the month (Note to chairperson: A suggested business meeting format can be found at the end of this formal meeting format).
13. Meeting information will be read at the end of the meeting after numbers are given out.
14. Chairperson or Volunteer reads:
SUGGESTED AL-ANON CLOSING (How Al-Al-Anon Works p.380 or 396)
15. The Al-Anon Declaration: (Paths to Recovery Roman Numeral page IX
(9) or the Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual p.22)
Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
(Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual p. 12)
16. Names & Telephone Numbers: Ask for members to call out names of individuals they want telephone numbers from and ask those members to stay on the line and give out their phone numbers.
THE MEETING IS NOW CLOSED
(Leader asks if anyone would like to hear information on all registered Meetings, Meeting schedules or The Unity Line)
17. MEETING INFORMATION
a. Information on all registered meetings can be found on Al-Anon’s website: al-anon.org or by calling our World Service Office (WSO) at (757) 563-1600. For face-to-face meetings call WSO’s automated phone number: 888-4AL-ANON (888-425-2666).
b. Meeting schedules and formats for this phone line can be found at phonemeetings.org. If the line goes down, the backup number is (425) 436-6200 PIN: 335289#. Press*6 to mute and unmute. For members without web access, meeting information for this line can be found at (712) 432-8733 PIN: UNITY411#. The backup number for meeting information is (425) 436-6202, PIN: 335289#, Reference Number: 1#.
c. Format changes and website postings can be emailed to phonemeetingsweb@yahoo.com. General questions can be sent to phonemeetingsinformation@yahoo.com. For inquiries regarding leader codes, dashboard monitors and technical issues with the phone line, email phonemonitorteam@yahoo.com. For workshop ideas, suggestions and concerns, email phonemeetingsforum@yahoo.com.
d. Would anyone like to announce any other Al-Anon phone meetings?
Chairperson now turns the meeting over to the Newcomer Greeter who will provide information about Al-Anon and phone etiquette, and to the Group for after-meeting fellowship.
SUGGESTED BUSINESS MEETING FORMAT:
1. Let’s open with a moment of silence followed with the serenity prayer:
2. God grant me the serenity to: Accept the things I cannot change courage to change the things I can and the Wisdom to know the difference.
OLD BUSINESS
3. Secretary do we have any old business to revisit from last meeting?
4. We open up the floor for discussion on these items.
5. Do we have a motion on this item?
5a. Do we have a second?
5b. Secretary please read the motion.
Ask if there is any further discussion before we vote.
5c. We now go to voting…
5d. All in flavor say “I” and state the order of “I’s” Like “I one” and then “I two” and so on.
5e. Any opposed? Say “nay one” and so on.
5f. Any abstentions? Say “abstaining one and so on.
5g. The motion is now carried or opposed with __#___in favor, ____#____opposed and _____#_____abstentions.
NEW BUSINESS
6. Is there any new business that the group wants to bring up?
7. (if so) So our first order of business is ___________.
8. We open up the floor for discussion on this item.
9. Do we have a motion on this item?
9a. Do we have a second?
9b. Secretary please read the motion.
Ask if there is any further discussion before we vote.
9c. We now go to voting…
9d. All in flavor say “I” and state the order of “I’s…like, “I one” and then “I two” and so on.
9e. Any opposed? Say “nay one” and so on.
9f. Any abstentions? Say “abstaining one and so on.
9g. The motion is now carried or opposed with __#___in favor, ____#____opposed and _____#_____abstentions.
Are there any other things someone would like to add before closing?
Serenity Prayer
The business meeting is now closed.