Wednesday Noon - Technical Information
There is helpful information for chairing meetings at: http://phonemeetings.org/information.htm
FORMAT:
Wednesday Noon “Growing Up With Alcoholism” Meeting
Welcome to the Wednesday Noon “Growing Up With Alcoholism” Al-Anon meeting, using our From Survival to Recovery book.
My name is ____________, a grateful Al-Anon member and your Secretary/Chair for this meeting.
This meeting is 1 hour and 15 minutes long. In this meeting we read from our book From Survival to Recovery.
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.
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
READINGS:
May we have volunteers to read?:
1. The Suggested Al-Anon Welcome, How Al-Anon Works p. 8?
2. Preface in From Survival to Recovery (page after the Table of Contents)
3. Preamble to Al-Anon’s Twelve Steps
4. Al-Anon’s Twelve Steps
5. Tradition and Concept of the month - Note: In December, the 12th month, please read all five Warranties - they ARE Concept 12!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
3. 7th Tradition: Al-Anon is fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions, we ask you to send directly to Al-Anon’s World Service office, Regional offices, area offices and state that this donation is from the Wednesday Noon “Growing Up With Alcoholism” Meeting WSO ID# 30731716 or give at your local meeting.
4. Al-Anon literature is available by calling our World Service Office at 757-563-1600, on our Al-Anon website: al-anon.org, through your local literature distribution center and at face-to-face meetings.
5. Meeting information will be read at the end of the meeting after Numbers are given out.
Our business meeting is on the 1st Wednesday of the month. THE BUSINESS MEETING WILL RUN NO LATER THAN 2PM EASTERN TIME. A Suggested Business Meeting Format can be found at the end of this formal meeting format. When there is a business meeting, would someone be willing to leave their phone number in case newcomers have any questions?
6. Let’s go around the globe and introduce ourselves.
Hi, I am ______(Name) from (_______State___)
7. NEWCOMER WELCOME: Do we have any Al-Anon newcomers today? Either new to Al-Anon or to this bridge? Please give us your first name so we may greet you.
8. Are there any Al-Anon related announcements?
NEWCOMER GREETER: Do we have a volunteer on the line today that can stay for approximately 10 minutes after the phone meeting and greet the newcomers and provide information of the phone etiquette or on Al-Anon?
MEETING TOPIC:
9. By group conscience, this meeting's format shall be as follows:
a. We will read one story in our book From Survival to Recovery followed by open sharing. Today we are reading _____________ on page ___________.
b. May we take a quick count of the number of books available on the line today?
c. The reading will be seamless. Each person reads ______ paragraph(s) until the reading is completed before we open up for individual shares.
10. SHARING:
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.
Please keep the focus on the Al-Anon program, Steps, Traditions and Concepts of Service. Let's leave other affiliations, religions, our professions, outside publications, philosophies, other Twelve Step programs outside of the Al-Anon meetings.
“Our common welfare comes first...if you’ve recently shared please be considerate to our members & give them the opportunity to share as well”
11. SPIRITUAL TIMEKEEPER: 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. This way the time keeper doesn’t have to repeat themselves. For the best use of our time it is suggested that members have something to write with during the meeting. Do we have a volunteer to be our spiritual timer? Would our spiritual timer like to share first?
12. CLOSE: It is now time to close the meeting. Today we read the story starting on page ______ out of our book From Survival to Recovery. Thank the readers, spiritual timekeeper and all who read and shared. (Note to leader If no one stepped up earlier to continue fellowship and answer questions from Newcomers ask again)
Would someone please read the Epilogue on p. 289 in From Survival to Recovery?
Please press *1 to unmute yourselves for all those who want to join us in the Al-Anon Declaration (found on page roman numeral IX in Paths to Recovery or Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual p. 22) 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 the wisdom to know the difference.
(Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual p. 10)
16. Meeting is now closed!
NAMES & NUMBERS:
Ask for names that members want contact information for and ask those members to stay on the line to share their information.
(Leader asks if anyone would like to hear information on all registered Meetings, Meeting schedules or The Unity Line)
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?
18. Turn the meeting over to the newcomer greeter for 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” 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 favor 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
Business Meeting is now closed.