Technical Information

There is helpful information for chairing meetings at: http://phonemeetings.org/information.htm

FORMAT:

Al-Anon’s Sunday 12 Noon On Our Path to Recovery

1. Hi, my name is ____________________, a grateful Al-Anon member and your chairperson for this meeting.

2. Phone Etiquette:

a. When you dial in, you will start the conference being muted.

b. Stay muted at all times unless you are sharing. You can un-mute by

pressing your *1 keys. You will hear a voice saying “you are now un-

muted”.  Some phones do not have a long enough beep for the muting

and un-muting to happen. You may have to press *1 several times for

this function to work. When the voice comes on, you will know that the

*1 keys have worked. 

c. We ask members to use the *1 keys to mute even if they have a mute function on their individual phones. The *1 keys ensures the greatest sound strength for the entire phone line and provides the greatest service to all members of the phone bridge during the meeting.

d. Please do not use a speakerphone for sharing or we will all hear an echo.  Some speaker phones will not mute even when pressing your *1 keys.

e. To hear a menu of all the features--such as volume control or member count--simply press * by itself.

3. This is an hour and a ½ meeting. We will begin wrapping up the meeting at twenty-five minutes after the hour.

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.

4. Readings:

Chairperson or volunteer reads: Suggested Al-Anon/Alateen Welcome (How Al-Anon Works pg.8)

Ask for Volunteers to read:

Preamble to Al-Anon’s 12 Steps, page Roman Numeral Page V

Al-Anon’s 12  Steps page 3

Tradition of the month Page 131 and Concept of the month Page 245

5. Introductions:

Let’s go around the globe and introduce ourselves.  Hi, I am ______(Name)_____  from (_______State___)

6. Announcements:

a) 7th Tradition: Al-Anon is fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions. Please send your contributions to World Service Office—1600 Corporate Landing Parkway, Virginia Beach, VA 23454-5617—and indicate the WSO ID: 30730558

b) Our business meeting is on the 4th Sunday of the month. Format changes or requests can be emailed to phonemeetingsweb@yahoo.com. All other general questions can be emailed to phonemeetingsinformation@yahoo.com.

c) Sponsorship is an important Al-Anon tool. Ask for contact information from members you would like to discuss the opportunity to sponsor you.

d)  Meeting Schedule information will be given after this meeting closes and phone numbers are exchanged. Announcements for meetings on other phone lines can also be shared at that time.
e)  Are there any other Al-Anon related announcements?

7.     Do we have any Al-Anon newcomers today?  Either newcomer to Al-Anon or to this phone bridge?  Please give us your first name so we may greet you!

8.     Do we have a volunteer on the line today that can stay after the phone meeting and greet newcomers and provide information on the phone etiquette or on Al-Anon?

9. Meeting Topic:

The format for today is:

a.   First Sunday:  We read the complete chapter of the corresponding “Step” of the month from Paths to Recovery then select any three questions at the end of the chapter before sharing. 

b.   Second Sunday: We read the complete chapter of the corresponding “Tradition” of the month from Paths to Recovery then select any three questions at the end of the chapter before sharing.

c.   Third Sunday: We read the complete chapter of the corresponding “Concept” of the month from Paths to Recovery then select any three questions at the end of the chapter before sharing.

d.   Fourth Sunday:  We read all three of these introductory sections in Paths to Recovery: 1) The Introduction, on Roman numeral pages xi-xiii; 2) Introduction to the Twelve Traditions, pages 133-134; and 3) Introduction to the Twelve Concepts, pages 247-248. To help facilitate sharing, we also read any three questions from the "Step", "Tradition" or "Concept" of the month OR one question each from the "Step", "Tradition" and "Concept" of the month. Who can read for us?

e.   Fifth Sunday:  We read the Epilogue in Paths to Recovery, pages 339-341. We then have a Speaker speak for 15 to 20 minutes. Who can read for us? Who would like to be our Speaker?

10. Sharing:

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. Members are reminded to maintain their focus on our Al-Anon Steps, Traditions and Concepts of Service. We are asked to keep our other affiliations outside of the meeting. Outside issues are our religions, our professions, other publications, philosophies and Twelve Step programs.

There is a three minute time limit for shares.  When the spiritual timekeeper says time it means please wrap-up your share. Also when the spiritual time keeper says time, please acknowledge that you heard them, by saying maybe “thank you, I’ll just wrap up”. This way the time keeper doesn’t have to repeat themselves.  Do we have a volunteer to be our spiritual timer?  Would our spiritual timer like to share first?

11. Suggested Al-Anon Closing

It is now 25 minutes after the hour and that is all the time we have for sharing.

a. If you did not introduce yourself at the beginning of the meeting and did not share during the meeting, we invite you to introduce yourself now if you would like to be acknowledged.

b. Chairperson or volunteer reads: Suggested Al-Anon/Alateen Closing (How Al-Anon Works pg.380 or pg.396)

The Al-Anon Declaration: (It can be found in Paths to Recovery

 Roman Numeral page IX (9)

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 pg. 10)

12. Names & Telephone Numbers: Would anyone like to get contact information from another member or leave their information for outreach?

THE MEETING IS CLOSED

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 schedule information for this line can be found at (712) 432-8733 PIN: UNITY411#. The backup number for the meeting schedule 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 states: This meeting is now formally closed.

Newcomer Greeter & After-Meeting:

Newcomer greeter may opt to read “A few things to keep in mind at your first meeting” found at the bottom of the page at: https://al-anon.org/al-anon-meetings/.

Chairperson turns the meeting over to the newcomer greeter and the after-meeting fellowship.

Newcomer Greeter & After-Meeting:

Newcomer greeter may opt to read “A few things to keep in mind at your first meeting” found at the bottom of the page at: https://al-anon.org/al-anon-meetings/.

Chairperson turns the meeting over to the newcomer greeter and the 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 Wisdom to know the difference.

OLD BUSINESS:

3. Chairperson, 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. Chair, please read the motion.

 5c. We now go to voting…

 6. All in flavor say “I” and state the order of “I’s”  Like  “I one” and then “I two” 

  and so on.

 7. Any opposed?  Say “nay one” and so on.

 7a. Any abstentions?  Say “abstaining one and so on.

7b. 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. Chair, please read the motion.

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              

Are there any other topics someone would like to raise before closing?

Close with Serenity Prayer

Our business meeting is now closed. Thank you all for your participation.