Wednesday 9am - Technical Information
There is helpful information for chairing meetings at: http://phonemeetings.org/information.htm
FORMAT
Wednesday 9am Step Two Beginners’ Meeting
Hi I am___________, your chairperson for this meeting. We welcome you to the Wednesday 9am Step Two Beginners’ Meeting. This meeting lasts for 1 hour and 15 minutes, and closing will begin 12 minutes after the top of the hour.
The intention of this meeting is for newcomers to Al-Anon to feel welcome and to know how important you are to our fellowship. All Al-Anon members are always welcome here. The topic for this meeting is Step Two. We hope that the reading and study of the Step will help the newcomer feel part of our Al-Anon Family Group.
Let’s open with a moment of silence followed by the 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)
1) PHONE ETIQUETTE:
a. You’ll enter the meeting being muted.
b. Un-mute and mute with *1 keys.
c. Do not share on a speaker phone.
d. Please stay muted at all times unless sharing
2) READINGS:
We need volunteers to please read:
a. Our Suggested Al-Anon Welcome, How Al-Anon Works p. 8 or in the Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual.
b. Al-Anon’s Preamble to The Twelve Steps
c. Al-Anon’s Twelve Steps (one page after December 31st in all three meditation books)
d. The Tradition & Concept of the month (one and two pages respectively after the Twelve Steps in all three meditation books)
3) ANNOUNCEMENTS:
a. Seventh Tradition: Al-Anon is fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions. Our WSO ID# is 30534440. You can contribute by calling WSO @ 757-563-1600, online at al-anon.org and at your face-to-face meetings.
b. Are there any Al-Anon related announcements?
c. Our Business Meeting is held on the first Wednesday of the month after the close of the meeting;
4) NEWCOMER GREETER:
Do we have a newcomer greeter who is available to answer questions about Al-Anon after the meeting?
ROLE OF THE NEWCOMER GREETER (Should have at least have a year of Al-Anon recovery):
a. Ask for questions from newcomers. (Those new to Al-Anon in the last 3 months)
b. Conduct Q&A with newcomers.
c. Invite newcomers to share.
5) Now we will go around the globe and introduce ourselves:
Hi I’m______ from _______
6) Leader asks for volunteers to read on Step Two:
1st Week, odd-numbered months (Jan, Mar, May, etc): How Al-Anon Works
1st Week, even-numbered months (Feb, Apr, June, etc): Reaching for Personal Freedom. Read all paragraphs, pp. 15-18; please do not read the questions.
2nd Week of the Month: Twelve & Twelve. Whole step, including story.
3rd Week: Paths To Recovery; up to Members Share...
4th Week: 3 Meditation books, One Day at a Time, Hope for Today, Courage to Change.
5th Week: 10-minute Speaker on Step Two
7) SPEAKER (Weeks 1-4): May we have a volunteer to speak on Step Two for five minutes?
8) 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. 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.
9) By Group Conscience and for the safety of our members, we do not speak over one another and we do not comment on or respond to, in any way, another person’s share. In Al-Anon we speak from the “I” perspective and we don’t give advice.
10) TIMEKEEPER: We have 3 minute shares. Who would like to volunteer to be our spiritual timekeeper? Please be gentle when you call time. When you hear the timekeeper call time, please let them know you heard them by saying Thank you, I’ll wrap up, etc.
11) SHARING: We are now open for 3 minute sharing. We invite newcomers and people new to the bridge to share first, or anytime (Note to Chair: After 2-3 newcomers share, sharing is open to everyone).
12) CLOSING:
We now begin the closing. I would like to thank all who did service: Our timekeeper, readers, all those who shared and those who listened. Fellowship continues after the meeting.
May we have a volunteer to read our Suggested Al-Anon Closing from HOW AL-ANON WORKS p. 396 (p. 380 in the older book) or our Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual p. 22?
13) SERENITY PRAYER:
Please join us in reciting the 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)
14) NAMES AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
Would anyone like to request a telephone number?
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 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?
16) Secretary turns meeting over to newcomer greeter and 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 things someone would like to add before closing?
Serenity Prayer
Business Meeting is now closed.