Welcome Carrying the Message of Service Opportunities 3 Legacies Our First Legacy, Recovery, has given us a second chance to find happiness and freedom; to live useful and productive lives. Our Second Legacy, Unity, has provided us with a fellowship made up of people who share our own common problem; who give us the love and support necessary to maintain our sobriety. Our Third Legacy, Service offers us the opportunity to implement our primary goal to carry the message to the alcoholic who still suffers. AA's LEGACY OF SERVICE Bill W Our Twelfth Step, carrying the message, is the basic service that the AA Fellowship gives: this is our principal aim and the main reason for our existence. Therefore, AA is more than a set of principles; it is a society of alcoholics in action. We must carry the message, else we ourselves can wither and those who haven't been given the truth may die. Hence, an AA service is anything whatever that helps us to reach a fellow sufferer, ranging all the way from the Twelfth Step itself to a phone call and a cup of tea, and to AA's General Service Office for national and international action. The sum total of all these services is our Third Legacy of Service. AA's LEGACY OF SERVICE Bill W Services include meeting places, hospital co-operation, and offices; It means pamphlets, books, and good publicity of almost every description. It means committees, delegates, trustees, conferences and conventions. And, not least, it means voluntary money contributions from within the Fellowship. 1
Structure of AA Over 60 Groups offering over 100 meetings in Galway City and County Where it all Begins. East Galway West Galway Connaught Leinster Munster Ulster World Service Any two or more alcoholics gathered together for the purpose of sobriety provided that, as a group, they have no outside affiliation The primary purpose of the AA Group is to carry the AA message to those alcoholics who haven t heard it yet. Tradition Four states that each Group is autonomous except in matters affecting other Groups or AA as a whole Members, Secretary, Treasurer, Greeter, Literature secretary 12 Step work, Sponsorship,, Members, by just showing up! By saying hello, offering a handshake, offering a smile, offering our phone number, making a cuppa for the visitor or new member, introducing new members or visitors, Qualifications: a desire to quit drinking 2
Secretary: opening the door, setting up the meeting, making tea, buying the Right biscuits, the Right coffee and tea, choosing a speaker, Qualifications: set by the group conscience Treasurer: responsible for the basket collections, simple book-keeping, informs the group about their financial state, pays the bills, Qualifications: suggested 2 years sobriety Greeter: Take on the responsibility to greet all new visitors and members, make them welcome Tell them where to get a cuppa, make them a cuppa 12 Step work. Let people know you are available for 12 Step calls Literature secretary. Make sure the group has a supply of literature for the new member and each group member. Sponsorship: Taking a new member through the program. When we see someone struggling, offer your phone number, a cuppa,, 3
General Service Representative (General Service Rep). The voice of the Group Conscience Usually has 2 to 3 years continuous sobriety has time available for Area meetings may become a Committee Member or an Area Delegate An effective needs: 1. to be open minded and a good listener; 2. to be an information gatherer; 3. a keen interest in AA as a whole; 4. a willingness to serve AA. General Service Representative Group + Group + Group (General Service Rep). The voice of the Group Conscience Whatever authority there is in AA is vested in the Group Conscience, and is then conveyed by the to the wider AA community through the AA structure. If there's no Galway City and County Between Galway City and County there are over 60 groups organising over 100 Meetings each week. (General Service Rep) The primary purpose of the AA Group is to carry the AA message to alcoholics Much of this task is beyond the capacity of the individual Group, so all the Groups co-operate with one another to set up various means for reaching the suffering alcoholic in the community. By establishing s 4
The Area DVD, pamphlet, telephone, Change the existing website (General Service Rep) s help to carry the message to the public, prisons, medical profession and the various people and institutions involved with alcoholism, without compromising our Traditions. Advertising AA as a whole It sets up a Telephone helpline IGD IGD IGD Cd CD CD IDG (Inter-Group Delegate) CD ( Delegate) What Next? Get involved in Group activities Attend Group conscience meetings Volunteer your time for service If asked to do something.. Do It! Thank You If you have any questions Whenever anyone, anywhere reaches out, I want to hand of AA always to be there and for that I Am Responsible.. 5