FA/WSI CONTINUING EFFECT MOTIONS MANUAL

FA/WSI CONTINUING EFFECT MOTIONS MANUAL Note: All motions are adopted by the group conscience of Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous, World Service, Inc. (WSI). Not included in this list are Bylaws, motions temporary in nature and board or committee procedures. INDEX Note: The index is arranged alphabetically. The motions are arranged chronologically in the order of the date they were passed. Topic Month Year Anonymity, Electronic Communication, and Use of FA Intellectual Property May 2009 AWOL March 2000 FA Book available June 2014 Chapter Support Committee Policies and Procedures June 2006 Conference Approval for FA/WSI Policies and Procedures May 2008 FA Conference-Approved Literature May 2009 FA Conference-Approved Literature (revised from 2009) June 2011 Fellowship Convention June 2012 Intergroup Bylaw registration and review February 2001 Intergroup startup money May 2001 Literature Approval March 1999 Literature Approval Process Policy May 2009 Literature Donation to new meetings August 2000 "Living Abstinently pamphlet June 2016 Meeting format approval by Conference June 2012 Meeting Requirements June 2011 Membership Description September 2000 New Standing Committee and New FA Terminology June 2005 Pamphlet Rack donation October 2000 Procedures to Help FA Meetings Abide by Meeting Requirements and Standards June 2012 Public-Facing or Fellowship-wide Activities May 2003 Sample FA Meeting Format approval June 2012 Rev 6/7/2016 10:04 PM 1

Secretary to the Board March 2001 Statement on Sponsorship June 2010 Supplying of pamphlets to professionals October 2001 connection Magazine May 2009 Travel Scholarship October 2000 Twelve Concepts June 2006 Two Brochures April 2004 Voting Delegates May 2002 WSB Mission Statement June 2010 WSC Mission Statement June 2011 FA/WSI CONTINUING EFFECT MOTIONS Updated 06/07/2016 1999 March: It was adopted that all literature (defined as any pieces of writing intended for publication and distribution to the general public or FA members) bearing the FA logo or in any way pertaining to Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous be approved by the FA/WSI literature committee. See Policy and procedure Literature Committee. 2000 March: The following motion, proposed by the World Service Board, was adopted by a unanimous vote of the World Service Conference: AWOL meetings are not FA meetings. Individual food addicts may be FA members without joining an AWOL group. AWOL meetings are not intended to fulfill the same functions as FA meetings. AWOL meetings have leaders, requirements and, after an initial joining period, are closed to new members. AWOLs have led to the founding of FA. AWOL meetings must be recognized and supported in order for FA to survive. In keeping with the Twelve Traditions, individual FA groups, in their autonomy, may make a decision as to how to announce the times and locations of AWOL meetings; contributions from AWOL groups to FA will not be accepted unless sent anonymously. 2000 August: It was adopted that FA/WSO will provide any meeting which is starting and registered with WSI with the following: one "Alcoholics Anonymous" Big Book, one Twenty Four Hours A Day" book, and 20 of each of the following; "Just for Today cards, FA pamphlets, The Twenty Questions and Meeting Directories and Six Qualification Tapes. Included in the packet to the new meeting will be one of each of the following; literature order form, tape order form, meeting registration/change form, Rev 6/7/2016 10:04 PM 2

meeting set up practices and format, email list, long distance sponsor list, flier, resource list, five meeting directories. 2000 September: The following motion, proposed by the World Service Board, was adopted by a unanimous vote of the World Service Conference: Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous offers a Twelve Step program of recovery from all forms of food addiction; obesity, bulimia, anorexia, obsession with diet and weight control, for all those who desire to recover. 2000 October: It was adopted that WSI will donate 50 Are You Having Trouble Controlling the Way You Eat to any group wishing to stock a pamphlet rack. The group will be responsible for purchasing the rack and any subsequent filler pamphlets. 2000 October: It was adopted that WSI will budget $2,000 a fiscal year to a Travel Scholarship to send speakers to areas of minimal FA resources. This fund will be administered by the Twelve Step Committee. 2001 February: It was adopted that at the time of registration and every two years thereafter, each Intergroup will submit their Bylaws to the WSI Bylaw Committee for review unless there are no changes to their Bylaws. 2001 March: It was adopted that a Secretary may be appointed to take minutes at the WSB meetings. 2001 May: It was adopted that upon request FA/WSI shall supply any Intergroup, which has a demonstrable need, with money for startup. Procedure shall be as follows: an application shall be obtained from the WSO, the application will ask need and purpose, the WSI treasurer shall review the application, render a decision and issue a check or statement of denial with reason attached within thirty days. 2001 October: It was adopted that WSI will supply any professional office (PO) or employee assistance plan (EAP) with 50 of the pamphlet Are You Having Trouble Controlling the Way You Eat. The request will be honored if it comes through the PO or EAP. A member may make the request for the PO or EAP provided they have consulted the PO or EAP and the PO or EAP is desirous of the information. To monitor further need the FA office will contact the PO or EAP every two months. 2002 May: It was adopted that each FA Group will be entitled to one vote at the World Service Convention which may be exercised in person by their elected delegate. The voting delegate must have two years of continuous abstinence. 2003 May: 1. All public-facing or fellowship-wide activities, such as FA Information Sessions or topic discussion meetings, shall be conducted using formats either created or approved in advance of the activity by the WSB. 2. In order to avoid the appearance of any single FA member or group of members as an authority figure or figures, i.e., to follow the Second Tradition, there shall Rev 6/7/2016 10:04 PM 3

be no FA workshops on topics relating to how to live the FA way of life (e.g., topics such as Abstinence or Sponsorship ). Such workshops violate the Second Tradition because they present individual FA members as authority figures, and inherently discount the collective voice of experience of the many other FA members who may have alternative perspectives on the workshop topics. Leaders of such workshops also run the risk of taking on the role of FA guru, which is dangerous for their own humility and mental, physical, and spiritual sobriety. WSI policy recommends, therefore, to instead hold discussion meetings on specific topics relating to the FA way of life, known as topic-discussion meetings, using formats either created or approved in advance by the WSB. 3. Workshops on organizational or administrative matters (e.g., how to start an intergroup or chapter) shall be conducted as needed at the chapter, intergroup, or WSB levels, respectively, using formats either created or approved in advance by the WSB. 4. A Friendly amendment was accepted to format language: The opinions expressed here reflect the experience of the speaker only and do not necessarily reflect the views of FA as a whole. 2004 April: It was adopted by a unanimous vote that two new brochures, Starting Recovery Early: Stories of Recovery from Food Addicts in Their Teens and Twenties and To Our Families and Friends, be added to the FA approved literature available for sale through the World Service Office. 2005 June: It was adopted by a unanimous vote of the World Service Conference that the Ad Hoc Committee (Chapter Support) would become a standing committee, and the Chair was elected in accordance with Article III, section 5 of the WSI Bylaws. 2005 June: It was adopted that FA would change its terminology to read as follows: World Service Office (WSO): the central FA Office, in Malden, Massachusetts. World Service Board (WSB): the Board of Trustees of FA. World Service, Inc. (WSI): FA s central operating organization. World Service Conference (the FA Conference): the voting members of FA, the voice of FA. Annual World Service Convention (the FA Convention): the annual business meeting of FA. 2006 June: Policies and Procedures of the Chapter Support WSI committee were adopted. 2006 June: The Twelve Concepts of FA both the short and long forms were adopted. 2008 May (as amended in 2009): It was adopted that the approval of the Conference of WSI shall be sought for those policies that are to be administered by the board and that affect FA or WSI as a whole. These are to be designated Conference-adopted policies, and they are to be adopted and amended as motions in accordance with the Conference s Rev 6/7/2016 10:04 PM 4

usual procedures. In case of dispute, the Conference shall determine whether a policy adopted by the board affects FA or WSI as a whole. 2009 May: It was adopted that the World Service Board moves that the Conference recognize theconnection Magazine as the international journal of Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous. 2009 May: 1. No materials may be offered for sale or distribution at an FA meeting, except as follows: a. Conference-approved literature (as listed below in subsection 2) b. Conference-recognized literature c. WSB-approved literature d. Materials distributed by the boards or committees of WSI, FA intergroups, or FA chapters e. Telephone lists (of registered FA meetings) f. Meeting directories (of registered FA meetings) g. FA Information Session notices 2. FA Conference-Approved Literature includes: a. Twenty Four Hours A Day book (Hazelden) b. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) c. The Little Red Book (Hazelden) d. The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (AA) e. All FA pamphlets and books that have been approved by the World Service Conference, including those translated into other languages. 2009 May: It was adopted that Conference-approved FA literature consists of works intended for the entire FA fellowship and made available to the public at large. Such literature shall be written or revised by or under the direct supervision of the Literature Committee. The process for the writing, revision, and approval of such literature is described below: Requests for Literature Meetings, chapters, and intergroups (or their boards) may submit to the Literature Committee chair a written request for the writing or revision of a piece of literature. If approved by the Literature Committee, the request shall be taken to the World Service Board. Requests approved by the WSB are given to the Literature Committee for their direct action. Should it see the need, the WSB may directly ask the Literature Committee to create or revise a piece of literature. Writing and Revision Rev 6/7/2016 10:04 PM 5

The Literature Committee or its subcommittees shall submit the completed draft of its work to the WSB to receive the board s feedback and input. The draft shall then be returned to the committee for revision. This revised work shall be submitted to the board for its approval. Once approved, it will be deemed ready to submit to the fellowship for feedback. The final revision process will begin with a minimum of thirty days posting on the WSI website to allow for review and submission of comments by members of the FA fellowship. Within the next sixty days, the Literature Committee shall thoughtfully consider all feedback, further edit the draft as it deems necessary, receive comments from the WSB, and submit a final revision of the draft to the WSB for its approval. The final, WSB-approved draft of the proposed literature shall be posted thirty days prior to the World Service Business Convention, where it shall be presented as a motion for adoption by the World Service Conference. Conference Approval At the World Service Business Convention, work approved by the WSB and proposed for Conference approval shall be discussed, approved as is, or sent back to the committee for further revision and presentation at the Business Convention the following year. Revisions shall be done in accordance with the timeline and process described above. Once approved by the World Service Conference, literature shall be formally deemed Conference approved. 2009 May: It was adopted that registered FA meetings, intergroups, and chapters may freely use WSI materials owned or controlled by FA in registered FA meetings. Some examples of these materials are meeting formats, definition of a food addict, FA tools, and Meeting Guidelines. Use of such materials and any FA intellectual property is otherwise restricted. The World Service Conference directs that permission be obtained from the World Service Board by anyone wishing to use the FA logo, WSI materials, or other intellectual property on the internet or in any other medium of public communication. 2010 June: Statement on Sponsorship In FA, each sponsor is autonomous, as is each FA meeting. The World Service Board, World Service Inc., and the World Service Conference have never had, nor will these entities ever have, power or authority over the actions of individual sponsors. Our practice in FA is to encourage all sponsors to turn to their Higher Powers for guidance in every aspect of their sponsoring and to seek out the wisdom of their own sponsors and other members with long-term recovery. We urge all members of the FA fellowship to remember that as sponsors we are called upon to share our hope, strength, and experience of FA recovery with our sponsees. This often includes conversations about the many ways we experience improved physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Rev 6/7/2016 10:04 PM 6

The key to our program is following the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions to attain recovery from food addiction. It is not the sponsor s role to give medical advice. Sponsees should be urged to seek guidance from healthcare professionals regarding medications and medical matters. 2010 June: FA World Service Board Mission Statement In accordance with Concept 7, the World Service Board is charged with serving the FA fellowship as the principal planners and administrators of WSI policy, finance, and dayto-day operations. Our mission is to: Support strong, clear FA recovery from food addiction at all levels of our organization through the World Service Office and the development of systems, structures, web and written materials; Seek our collective understanding of our Higher Power s will in every aspect of our work, recognizing that we are asked to serve our fellowship worldwide in its growth and development, in accordance with the World Service Bylaws and the Twelve Concepts of FA. Guiding Principles: We value in our individual recoveries and seek to encourage in FA as a whole Honesty, humility, and reliance on a Higher Power A focus on the needs of newcomers Generosity of service 2011 June: WSC Mission Statement In accordance with Concept One, the voting body at the annual FA World Service Business Convention, also known as the Conference, serves as the active voice and collective conscience of the FA fellowship. In accordance with the Twelve Traditions and the Twelve Concepts of FA, our mission is to: 1) Carry forward the world services of FA, in an effort to reach the food addict who still suffers. 2) Vote in accordance with the dictates of our individual consciences, in conjunction with what will best serve FA as a whole. 3) Rely upon our trusted servants (the World Service Board) to act freely and effectively in our absence. 4) Ensure our future effectiveness by supporting rotation of leadership at all service levels. Guiding Principles: In carrying out this mission, we are committed to the six core principles defined in Concept Twelve: 1) We shall never become the seat of perilous wealth or power. 2) Sufficient operating funds plus an ample reserve shall be our prudent financial principle. Rev 6/7/2016 10:04 PM 7

3) No member should ever be placed in a position of unqualified authority over another. 4) All important decisions shall be reached by discussion, vote, and, whenever possible, by substantial unanimity. 5) Our actions shall never be personally punitive nor incite public controversy. 6) We will never perform any acts of government and will always remain democratic in thought and action. [The above statement articulates a vision of the central purpose and guiding principles of the work of the World Service Conference. It is intended to help clarify for all in our fellowship the role and function of the conference, and it will help the conference remember the central purpose that should guide its decision making.] 2011 June: Meeting Requirement Details (as adopted by the WSC); In addition to the description of FA Meeting Groups found in Article IV Section 1 of the WSI Bylaws, registration as an FA meeting group requires that: (1) an FA meeting group meet in person for 90 minutes in a public facility. (2) the chairs be arranged theater style, in rows facing the speaker. (3) no food plans be distributed at a meeting as an approved meeting document; but food plans may be offered between a sponsor and a sponsee as a component of the complete FA program of recovery. (4) no materials be offered for sale or distribution or read at an FA meeting, except as follows: a. FA Conference-approved literature. b. FA Conference-recognized material. c. WSI board-approved material. d. Material distributed by the boards or committees of WSI, FA intergroups, or FA chapters. e. Telephone lists (of registered FA meetings). f. Meeting directories (of registered FA meetings). g. FA Information Session notices. (5) an FA Meeting Group elect the following required service positions: a. WSI Contact- to maintain communication with World Service. b. Web & Directory Contact- to be listed as a contact person in FA meeting directories and to manage meeting information for the website. c. Intergroup Contact- to maintain communication with the local Intergroup. d. Chapter Contact- (only for a meeting that is registered with a Chapter) to maintain communication with the local Chapter. (6) in addition to the items listed in Article IV Section I (d)(3) of the WSI Bylaws, the format for the meeting shall include the following: a. The FA Preamble. b. The Big Book readings of How it Works and The Promises. c. The FA Tools of Recovery. d. Announcements welcoming the newcomer and identifying available sponsors. Rev 6/7/2016 10:04 PM 8

e. A break approximately midway through the meeting for greeting newcomers. f. The announcement of the Seventh Tradition. (7) Items noted above in (6) and in Article IV Section I (d)(3) of the WSI Bylaws may not be altered in any way from the Sample FA Meeting Format in the Meeting Guidelines posted on the FA website (currently Document 4). Other portions of the format (e.g. disciplines or placement of announcements) may be adjusted by group conscience. Any group of people that chooses not to adhere to the registration requirements above and in Article IV Section 1 or does not register with FA as a meeting will not be recognized as a registered FA meeting group. The group will not appear on the FA website or be listed in any FA meeting directories, may not use the FA name or format, and may not have their meetings promoted at FA group meetings, intergroups or chapters. 2011 June: FA Conference-Approved Literature (revised from CEM 2009). 1. FA Conference Approved Literature includes only the following: a. Twenty-Four Hours A Day book (Hazelden). b. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). c. The Little Red Book (Hazelden). d. The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (AA). e. All FA Pamphlets and books that have been approved by the World Service Conference, including both those in English and those translated into languages other than English. 2012 June: Procedures to Help FA Meetings Abide by Meeting Requirements and Standards A. Registration of New Meetings New meetings that wish to affiliate with FA are required to register using the online registration form. The form obligates the new meeting to agree to abide by the FA-WSI meeting requirements and standards as stated in the June 2011 continuing effects motion. Submission of the registration form indicates the meeting s agreement. Once registered, the meeting is added to the meeting lists of FA-WSI and the associated intergroup or chapter. It may then be included in printed meeting lists and on the FA website. B. Renewal of Registration for Existing Meetings All meetings in existence before October 1, 2012, will have ninety days from that date to renew their registration. This will assure that existing FA meetings are in alignment with the meeting requirements and standards established pursuant to FA Bylaws Art. IV, 1(f). The Renewal of Registration form requires meetings to abide by the meeting Rev 6/7/2016 10:04 PM 9

requirements and standards. Any meeting that fails to renew within ninety days will be given notice that it has an additional thirty days to do so. Failing that, it will receive a phone call from a member of a Board-designated committee to discuss its reasons for not re-registering. In this discussion, the committee member will offer guidance, support, and education to help the meeting with its final decision. The Board-designated committee will collaborate with the WSB in writing a letter to send to any group that does not renew or does not agree to the standards and requirements. The letter from the WSB will state that the meeting will be withdrawn from publicized meeting lists and the FA website. C. Periodic Renewal of Registration The Board shall require all existing FA meetings to renew their registration every three years. If FA meeting standards are changed, renewal of registration will be requested in the year following the change. The Board may shorten the interval between renewals for other reasons, if it deems it necessary. D. Procedures When a Meeting s Practices Are in Question Meeting practices should always be addressed first at the meeting level. If an FA member attends a meeting that is not operating in accordance with the agreed-upon FA-WSI requirements and standards, the issue should be discussed face-to-face with the meeting s WSI Contact in a supportive, respectful manner. The member should remind the WSI Contact of the requirements and standards that a meeting must accept in order to be considered an FA meeting. He or she will attempt to help the meeting better understand the registration process; the principles underlying our requirements and standards; and why the FA Conference, acting for the fellowship as a whole, does not support meetings that fail to abide by these standards. If the meeting does not wish to abide by the agreed-upon standards and the member believes that the meeting s practices could harm newcomers or FA as a whole, the member may approach the Board for support and guidance. The Board will designate a committee to respond to this concern (most likely the Inquiry Response Committee [IRC]). The Board-designated committee will work with the concerned member regarding next steps. The committee will assess whether or not one of its own members should communicate directly with the meeting s WSI Contact. The committee s role is to provide support, guidance, and education both to the concerned member and the meeting. A Meeting Becomes Willing to Abide by Meeting Standards After further conversations, if understanding is reached and the meeting agrees to the standards, it remains registered. Rev 6/7/2016 10:04 PM 10

A Meeting Does Not Agree to Abide by Meeting Standards Through its group conscience, an FA meeting may decide to persist in practices that conflict with FA-WSI meeting requirements and standards. After thoughtful evaluation of the situation, the WSB, in consultation with the Board-designated committee, may conclude that the meeting s practices pose a significant threat to newcomers or FA as a whole because the meeting identifies itself as an FA meeting. Essentially it is choosing to be something other than an FA meeting. If the meeting is notified of the Board s decision and still chooses to assert its identity as an FA meeting, the Board-designated committee will communicate with the meeting s WSI Contact and again attempt to clarify the principles underlying the FA-WSI requirements and standards. If the Board-designated committee determines that the meeting still rejects FA-WSI meeting requirements and standards, it will prepare a report for the Board recommending cancellation of the meeting s registration. The Board will send the meeting a copy of the report and give the meeting thirty days to respond. After the Board receives a response or sixty days following the meeting s receipt of the report, the Board will decide by majority vote whether or not to continue to recognize the meeting as an FA meeting. If the Board decides against continued recognition, the WSI secretary will notify the meeting and instruct the World Service Office to remove the meeting from the FA website, the associated intergroup or chapter directory, and any other FA documents. E. Procedure When a Meeting s Practices Are in Question and the Meeting Wants to Remove Itself from the FA Meeting Directories If a meeting decides through its group conscience not to abide by the FA-WSI meeting requirements and standards, it must send a meeting cancellation notice to its intergroup or chapter. F. Procedure for WSB to Report Back to WSI Conference When and Why Meeting(s) Have Been Removed When meetings are removed by the WSB from meeting lists, FA directories, and documents for reasons of non-compliance, for the purpose of educating the fellowship as a whole, the WSB will verbally report to the Conference at the next WSBC the reasons why each meeting, if any, was removed. 2012 June: The WSB moves that the Conference adopt the concept that a Sample FA Meeting Format be approved at the Conference level. The rationale for this motion was that the board was responsible for revising the document, but given that the meeting format is a very important document that identifies Rev 6/7/2016 10:04 PM 11

an FA meeting, the board decided that changes ought to come before the body (not just the board). Effect of this motion: Any changes to the meeting format have to be conference approved. 2012 June: The WSB moves that the Conference approve the Sample FA Meeting Format which is now posted on our website and has been sent to WSB contacts. Below are the sections that changed in the format: Literature announcement Free newcomer packets and phone lists are available at the literature table. In addition, books, pamphlets, CDs of individual stories, and copies of the connection magazine are for sale there as well. We also have trifolds to post in the community and letters to take to health care providers and/or faith community leaders. Someone will be at the table to assist you during the break and after the meeting. Would the literature person please stand and identify him or herself? connection announcement connection is a magazine of experience, strength and hope created by food addicts for food addicts. Subscribe at foodaddicts.org or purchase an individual copy at this meeting. You can also submit art and articles. Would the connection rep please identify him or herself? Proposed wording: The Disciplines of the Meeting 1. No smoking, food, or drinks please. 2. We encourage people to arrive early to help set up the room and greet newcomers. 3. Please refrain from texting, doing handicrafts, or engaging in any activity that might distract others. 4. We do not mention food by name or describe it in detail, as this may make some of our members uncomfortable. The Tool of Service We do service by staying abstinent, giving us the freedom from compulsion and obsession with food to allow us to be available to others. Any service that will help reach a fellow sufferer adds to the quality of our own recovery. Sharing at meetings, talking to newcomers, answering the phone, putting away chairs, doing whatever needs to be done for FA, including supporting your intergroup or chapter and attending business meetings, are ways we give back what we have so generously been given. Do what you can when you can. A life of sane and happy usefulness is what we are promised as a result of working the Twelve Steps. Service fulfills that promise. Meeting Format Must Contain: The meeting format must contain the following: The FA Preamble, How it Works, the Promises of the Program, the FA Tools of Rev 6/7/2016 10:04 PM 12

Recovery, announcements of the 7th tradition collection, welcoming the newcomer and identifying available sponsors, and a break approximately midway through for greeting newcomers. All portions must be identical (unaltered) to those found in the Sample FA Meeting Format of the Meeting Guidelines. Things That Can Be Changed: Additions to the disciplines such as Perfume announcement. No gum chewing. Where to park. Placement of announcements. Collecting 7th tradition after qualification if you have a lot of latecomers. 2012 June: The WSB moves that the WSC recommend that the Board continue to organize and hold a Fellowship Convention. 2014 June: The WSB moves the Conference adopt the Book Committee s recommendation to: 1) make the FA Book available to the public solely through the FA website at this time, and 2) delegate future distribution decisions to the World Service Board. 2016 June: The Literature Committee moves the 2016 World Service Conference approve the Living Abstinently pamphlet as FA Conference-approved literature for distribution to the fellowship and, specifically, to place it on the literature table at meetings for sale as well as for use in Tools meetings. Rev 6/7/2016 10:04 PM 13