Ask-It Basket Effective Avenues Q. I am a just a member of OA; I hold no special service position. Our face-to-face meetings are floundering with a steady decline in attendance. May I ask for assistance to change this? I know I can place brochures and OA materials out in the community as long as our Tradition of anonymity is not broken. Would it be … Read More
Fellowship Recovery Intergroup Participation Q. Are there any suggestions on what an intergroup can do to attract participation from the Fellowship? A. Yes. First, let me assure you that yours is not the only intergroup that has challenges with this issue. The good news is that there are a number of ways to stimulate growth in intergroup participation. One way to get started is … Read More
Steps Traditions The Value of OA From the earliest times of Twelve Step recovery, almost every effort to carry the message has included a financial cost. The need to cover these expenses inspired the development of the Seventh Tradition. We’re told that every group needs to be fully self-supporting, not only financially but also by sharing service positions to keep the meeting strong. We’re encouraged to … Read More
Service Tools & Concepts Don’t Disappear Last year, I reflected on whether I should run for another term as intergroup chair. Because of work and family commitments, I felt I was not as effective in the last term as I could have been. It was the second time I had served as an intergroup chair in my twenty-five years in OA. I wondered if I should … Read More
Fellowship Recovery Double Duty I was a member of Central Florida Intergroup, serving on CFI’s Public Information/Professional Outreach Committee. I’d noticed on our area’s convention center website that a national teachers’ union would be hosting its annual convention in July. About 14,000 teachers would be in attendance from around the country I inquired about what it would take to establish a presence for Overeaters … Read More
Relapse Twelfth Step Within Packet Project Assemble Twelfth Step Within packets to give to struggling members! Place these packets on your literature table or hand them out at a Twelfth Step Within event. The packets might include: A current list of local OA meetings with contact names and telephone numbers A list of names and phone numbers of those willing to sponsor A list of names … Read More
Share It Shopping for Support This morning I read a Lifeline article about raising money for a workshop (“We Need to Ask,”). What our intergroup found worked best was having a boutique. Everyone has lovely clothes they no longer wear. We also include jewelry, crafts, and more. This not only helps the intergroup with contributions but also helps the OA member who is losing weight but … Read More
Service Tools & Concepts Give It Some G-A-S When I came into OA in 1983, I was taught early on about the G-A-S that makes the program run: Gratitude, Abstinence, and Service. I started my service by giving rides to meetings, arranging for my two daughters to babysit so young mothers could get to meetings, and making at least three phone calls every day. I set up the … Read More
Traditions All In Charge Tradition Nine OA, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve. It took me a while to become comfortable with Tradition Nine. To my ordered, rule-oriented mind, Tradition Nine felt a little loosey-goosey. Who’s in charge? How do we get anything done? Who makes the decisions? These were … Read More
Recovery Love, Licks, and Fellowship Thank you for making “Pets and Recovery” a topic for Lifeline. My name is Chloe V., and I’ve served my local OA as a recovery mascot for many years. At first, I just attended one meeting occasionally, but everyone was so friendly I wanted to keep coming back. I became mascot to our intergroup when Mommy served on the board. … Read More