Traditions So Much More Tradition Seven: Every OA group ought to be fully self supporting, declining outside contributions. Our Seventh Tradition has been an important one for me. For years, I put $1 in my meeting’s basket if I could afford it. Honestly, there were times when even that was a stretch, like when I was going to college at age 40, living on loans … Read More
Traditions Anonymous Generosity At my meeting, we would not want to know or care if someone tossed a lot of money into the Seventh Tradition basket. All Seventh Tradition contributions are anonymous. No one will know whether I put twenty pence or twenty pounds into the basket when it goes around. We use an opaque purse large enough for a person’s hand to fit in, … Read More
Traditions Cash Conscious I’ve had a few interesting occurrences happen with the Seventh Tradition. The first I can remember is a time I didn’t want to go to a meeting. I realized I didn’t have any cash, which sounded like a really good excuse: “I don’t have two dollars, so I’m not going.” Right? I used the restroom at the college I was attending … Read More
Traditions Costs and Benefits I tried a very simple exercise to try to quantify how I spent my money and time, showing what it’s like now in my recovery and the costs of my compulsive eating. I probably do give this level of service (about sixteen hours), but when it comes to money . . . looks like more is due in the pot … Read More
Fellowship Recovery We Need to Ask Our intergroup has struggled with having fewer funds than we’d like when it comes to covering our expenses. We need to pay for our website, buy liability insurance for meetings, facilitate workshops, and send representatives to regional conferences and World Service Business Conference to help OA grow and make vital changes. We need resources to carry the message to those … Read More
Traditions Giving Back Studying and working the Seventh Tradition has been one of the most important gifts of my recovery from the disease of compulsive eating. Learning to do my part has taught me how to behave responsibly in all aspects of my life. Truly, I did not know that doing a service or making a donation could be the pathway for me … Read More
Traditions Committed to Support Being ready to support OA financially is important. I do give at every meeting I go to, and last year I set up an ARC: Automatic Recurring Contribution. I set it for US$10 per month, charged to my credit card. I don’t miss the money, and I know it’s helping support OA as a whole. Putting money in the basket at … Read More
Fellowship Recovery Five Helping Concepts Back in 2007, I had the pleasure of hearing the chair of the OA Board of Trustees talk about how to strengthen meetings. She mentioned five simple (but not necessarily easy) concepts that may help all meetings and OA as a whole. 1. Offer radical hospitality. Newcomers want to be at the meeting. They are there because they are ready … Read More
