October Bulletin
Remember during this spooky time of year, we do not need “to avoid a place where there is drinking, if we have a legitimate reason to be there.” page 101, Working with Other, The Big Book
Step 10
Step 10: Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
Questions adapted from Page 86 of the Big Book:
Was I resentful? Was I selfish? Was I dishonest? Was I afraid?
Did I promptly admit when I was wrong today?
Do I owe an apology or amends?
Did I do or say something today out of fear?
Have I kept something to myself which should be discussed with another person at once?
Did I think today of what I could do for others?
Was I kind and loving toward everyone?
Did I reach out to someone else in recovery today?
Was I thinking of myself most of the time?
What could I have done better today?
Did I reach out to my Higher Power for help or guidance at any point today?
Meeting Notes and News
New Meeting: First Step Group, Thursdays at noon, Galieian Lutheran Church, 3404 Hwy 51., LaPlace, 70068
Little Red Book Study still exists despite disappearing from the website for a little while. It is Thursdays at 5:30PM, Carrollton United Methodist Church, 921 S. Carrollton Ave., New Orleans.
New Meeting in Norco: Norco Noon, Mondays at Noon, First Baptist Church, 626 5th St., Norco, LA.
Imagine Recovery has moved to 1476 Magazine St. I don’t know where is going.
132 Group & Up & At ‘Em moved to new Imagine Recovery Location.
Open on Sundays & BYOB have moved to St. Francis of Assis, 631 State St.
Tradition 10
Short Form: Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
Long Form: No AA group or member should ever, in such a way as to implicate AA, express any opinion on outside controversial issues - particularly those of politics, alcoholic reform, or sectarian religion. The Alcoholics Anonymous groups oppose no one. Concerning such matters they can express no views whatever,
Tradition Check list from the Grapevine:
Do I even give the impression that there really is an “AA opinion” on doctors? Psychiatrists? Churches? Hospitals? Jails? Alcohol? Prescribed medications? Other drugs? Other 12-Step programs? Vitamins? Al-Anon? The federal or state government?
Can I honestly share my own personal experience concerning any of those without giving the impression that I’m stating the “AA opinion”?
What in AA history gave rise to the Tenth Tradition?
What would AA be without this Tradition? Where would I be?
Do I breach this or any of its supporting Traditions in subtle, perhaps unconscious, ways?
How can I manifest the spirit of this Tradition in my personal life outside AA? Inside AA?
Should the meeting secretary intervene to remind AA members about this Tradition if a member starts criticizing one political party compared to others or favoring a religion over others?
Service Board Notes - September
Service Board Budget
The budget passed with substantial unanimity. A motion to “have a six month budget review of this fiscal year” also passed. This will better allow the board to see how the budget compares with in world expenses and will help create a better budget for next year.
Website Progress
The website is up and running successfully. There are a few technical glitches when the Meeting App a.k.a. the Chair App scrubs our data, but the error is not on our end and there is little we can do about it.
Committee Information
Pi/CPC will meet the first Monday of the month on the Service Board zoom account at 6:30 PM starting on October, 5.
Structures and Procedures Committee will meet the first Thursday of the month on the Service Board zoom account at 6:30 PM starting on October, 1.
There was talk of starting the Unity and Service Committee again, but it is the early stages of talking about it, so it will be a while before anything that happens with this.
Convention and Committee News
Big Deep South 2027 committee meets the first Wednesday of the month at 6200 Camphor St. In October they will be choosing the theme. Anyone may suggest a theme (as long as it is from the Big Book) but only committee members can vote on which one will be chosen.
The art work will be decided in the November meeting.
dAAy in the Park’s committee meets every other Tuesday, and are next meeting Tuesday, October 6, at Central Office.
Districts
District 12: Has chosen The Best is Yet to Come for their Spring Round Up
District 20: Is holding their elections October 8. They have also reserved a venue for the New Years Eve Party.
Spooky Trivia
Trivia for the month of October:
What is the Celtic Festival that Halloween is based on? How was it celebrated?
What was the original purpose of the jack o’ lantern?
What is the average number of seeds in a pumpkin?
Who was the original “scream queen” is the first Halloween movie?
Answers provided in next month’s bulletin.
Answers from last month’s Trivia Questions:
What was the first name of the third permanently-sober member of the fellowship? Bill (Dotson) often portrayed in the Man on the Bed painting.
Who was the primary founder of the Cleveland Group? Clarence S.
Who agreed, in 1938, to contribute $5,000 (in $30 weekly increments) to help support Bill and Dr. Bob’s efforts? John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
What was the name of the corporation formed by Bill W. and others in the last 1930's for the purpose of publishing the Big Book? Works Publishing, Inc.
Concept 10
Short Form: Every service responsibility should be matched by an equal service authority, with the scope of such authority well defined.
Long Form: Every service responsibility should be matched by an equal service authority - the scope of such authority to be always well defined whether by tradition, by resolution, by specific job description or by appropriate charters and bylaws.
Concepts Questions, part of Service Material from the General Service Office, Concepts Checklist:
Do we understand “authority” and “responsibility” as they relate to group conscience decisions by GSRs, DCMs, and our area Delegates?
Why is delegation of “authority” so important to the overall effectiveness of AA?
Do we use this concept to define the scope of “authority”?
Central Office Report
Central Office hasn’t burned down yet. The bills are being paid and literature is being bought. We ran out of 2 year chips for a while, but we have them in now.
Volunteers Needed: We need volunteers for many shifts. If you are interested please email us at office@AANewOrleans.org or call us during business hours at 504.836.0507. Thanks for thinking about taking action.
New Item: We are launching a newcomer Big Book bundle. It will sell for $20 starting in November. The item will be launched at dAAy in the Park.
5th Edition: The hardcover 5th Edition of the Big Book is expected to be released in February of next year. We are planning to purchase many copies of the 4th edition softcover and large print for those who do not want to make the transition immediately, in addition to as many copies of the 5th edition as they will let us purchase at a time. Based on the release of the Plain Language Book, it will probably only be a couple of boxes at a time, which would be somewhere between 40-100 books at a time.