Thursday  10pm - Technical Information

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

Format:

Thursday 10pm Blueprint for Progress

1.  Welcome to the Blueprint for Progress Fourth Step meeting.  Hi, my name is ___________, a grateful Al-Anon member and your Chairperson for this meeting.

Phone Etiquette:

--You’ll enter the meeting being muted

--Un-mute and mute with *1 keys

--Do not share on a speaker phone

--Please stay muted at all times unless sharing

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.  Press *1 if you would like to join us.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

3. 7^th Tradition:  Al-Anon is fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.  We ask that you send your contributions to our World Service Office: 1600 Corporate Landing  Parkway, Virginia Beach, VA 23454-5617 – with this meeting’s WSO ID# 30594084.  Contributions can also be made online at      al-anon.org or at your face-to-face meetings.

For expenses related to the maintenance of the phonemeetings.org website, donations can be made there under the Contributions page.

4.  At this meeting, we ask that if anyone wants to announce meetings with other phone numbers and access codes, that you wait till after the closing when meeting information is given.

5.  Are there any Al-Anon announcements?

6.  Our Business Meeting is on the 1^st Thursday of the Month. There is a suggested business meeting format at the end of this format.

7. INTRODUCTIONS:

Let’s go around the globe and introduce ourselves. If you are new to Al-Anon or the Al-Anon Phone Meetings, if you want to, let us know when you introduce yourself so we can welcome you.  Please press *1 to unmute. I’ll start . . .

Hi, I’m ______(Name)_____  from (_______State___)

8.  May we have three volunteers to read:

a.  Suggested Welcome, found in the Service Manual, p. 11, or How Al-Anon Works, p.8,

b.  Preamble to the Twelve Steps, found in the Service Manual, p.13, or at the beginning of the three daily readers,

c.  the Twelve Steps with introductory paragraph, which are found in the back of all three daily readers?

9. TOPIC: We will be using Al-Anon’s Blueprint for Progress.  If you don’t have this workbook, please have pen and paper ready.  Writing is a suggested part of the meeting, but you are also welcome to meditate on the readings and questions.

          We will tell you how to order THE REVISED EXPANDED EDITION OF BLUEPRINT FOR PROGRESS from Al-Anon at the end of the meeting.

10.  It is our intention in this meeting to start from the beginning of the Blueprint for Progress and work through it until completed. We will study 3 to 5 sub-questions a meeting, followed by the FINDINGS question at the end of a MAIN CATEGORY. At the next meeting we will pick up where we left off.

11.  We will need three readers who have the Revised Edition of the Blueprint for Progress?

Will someone please read THE PURPOSE FOR STEP FOUR – all of page 9 and the first paragraph on page 10.

12.  Tonight we are working on the topic _______________________ found on page _______. 

Would someone please read the Category Explanatory and the Reflections paragraphs that we are working on this week? 

13.  Would someone please read 3 to 5 questions, followed by the Findings question.  Please read them three times slowly, so others can write them down, and then please time the group for 5 minutes so we can write and/or meditate on the questions.

14. SHARING:  We will now have three minute shares. When the timekeeper calls “time,” please acknowledge that you heard, and wrap up your share.   Is there someone who would like to be our spiritual timekeeper?

When sharing, you may read, share, or both. As these questions are very personal, you are also welcome to share in a general way on the topic. 

Would the timekeeper like to share first?

15.  Who would like to share?

End meeting at a quarter after the hour:   Thanks everyone for sharing and being here tonight.

16. To get the Expanded Blueprint for Progress workbook, as well as any other literature you can:

a.  Purchase it at a face-to-face meeting

b.  Call our Al-Anon World Service Office (WSO) at (757) 563-1600

c.   Purchase online at www.al-anon.org.  Click on the English link and then under Publications go to “Shop online.”  Once there go to “Product Search” and type in P-91 or Blueprint for Progress.   When the pictures of the workbooks come up, make sure you get the revised expanded edition.

d.  Or you can get it at your local Al-Anon Intergroup Office (which may also be called an Information Service Office or Literature Depot). Check online or in your phone directory, check with the WSO or ask about this at your face-to-face meeting.

17.  PHONE NUMBERS:   It is time to call out the names of people you would like to get a phone number from and after the closing we will get the numbers. The people who shared were: (list the names).

18.  Is there someone on the line that could stay after the meeting to answer questions for newcomers and continue fellowship?

SUGGESTED AL-ANON CLOSING:

May we have a volunteer to read the Suggested Al-Anon Closing, found on p. 20 of the Service Manual, or How Al-Anon Works, p. 396?

All who would like to join me in the Serenity Prayer, please press *1.

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. 11)

Thank you everyone that read and shared, and a special thank you for our Spiritual Timer. 

19) TELEPHONE NUMBERS:

For those whose numbers were requested, would you like to leave your contact information? Would anyone else like to leave their number or contact information for outreach?

THE MEETING IS NOW 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 turns meeting over to newcomer greeter and 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. 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 favor say “I” and state the order of “I’s” Like “I one,” “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 the number in favor, the number opposed and the of 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 favor say “I” and state the order of “I’s…like, “I one”, “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.