OPENING
* Reprinted with permission of Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA.” Compliance with Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc.’s copyrights and trademarks is required. *
* Reprinted with permission of Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA.” Compliance with Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc.’s copyrights and trademarks is required. *
The Serenity Prayer
The Serenity Prayer
Hello my name is ________.
Hello my name is ________.
Please join me in a moment of silence, followed by the Serenity Prayer:
Please join me in a moment of silence, followed by the Serenity Prayer:
<moment of silence>
<moment of silence>
God, grant me the serenity
God, grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
To accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
And wisdom to know the difference.
Suggested Al-Anon Welcome
Suggested Al-Anon Welcome
Please silence your cell phones.
Please silence your cell phones.
We welcome you to the __________ Al-Anon Family Group Meeting, and hope you will find in this fellowship the help and friendship we have been privileged to enjoy.
We welcome you to the __________ Al-Anon Family Group Meeting, and hope you will find in this fellowship the help and friendship we have been privileged to enjoy.
We who live, or have lived, with the problem of alcoholism understand as perhaps few others can. We, too, were lonely and frustrated but in Al-Anon we discover that no situation is really hopeless and that it is possible for us to find contentment and even happiness, whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not.
We who live, or have lived, with the problem of alcoholism understand as perhaps few others can. We, too, were lonely and frustrated but in Al-Anon we discover that no situation is really hopeless and that it is possible for us to find contentment and even happiness, whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not.
We urge you to try our program. It has helped many of us find solutions that lead to serenity. So much depends on our own attitudes, and as we learn to place our problem in its true perspective, we find it loses its power to dominate our thoughts and our lives.
We urge you to try our program. It has helped many of us find solutions that lead to serenity. So much depends on our own attitudes, and as we learn to place our problem in its true perspective, we find it loses its power to dominate our thoughts and our lives.
The family situation is bound to improve as we apply the Al-Anon ideas. Without such spiritual help living with an alcoholic is too much for most of us. Our thinking becomes distorted by trying to force solutions, and we become irritable and unreasonable without knowing it.
The family situation is bound to improve as we apply the Al-Anon ideas. Without such spiritual help living with an alcoholic is too much for most of us. Our thinking becomes distorted by trying to force solutions, and we become irritable and unreasonable without knowing it.
The Al-Anon program is based on the suggested Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, which we try, little by little, one day at a time, to apply to our lives along with our slogans and the Serenity Prayer. The loving interchange of help among members and daily reading of Al-Anon literature thus make us ready to receive the priceless gift of serenity.
The Al-Anon program is based on the suggested Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, which we try, little by little, one day at a time, to apply to our lives along with our slogans and the Serenity Prayer. The loving interchange of help among members and daily reading of Al-Anon literature thus make us ready to receive the priceless gift of serenity.
Anonymity is an important principle of the Al-Anon program. Everything that is said here, in the group meeting and member-to-member, must be held in confidence. Only in this way can we feel free to say what is on our minds and in our hearts, for this is how we help one another in Al-Anon.
Anonymity is an important principle of the Al-Anon program. Everything that is said here, in the group meeting and member-to-member, must be held in confidence. Only in this way can we feel free to say what is on our minds and in our hearts, for this is how we help one another in Al-Anon.
Suggested Preamble To The Twelve Steps.
Suggested Preamble To The Twelve Steps.
The Al-Anon Family Groups are a fellowship of relatives and friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength and hope in order to solve their common problems. We believe alcoholism is a family illness and that changed attitudes can aid in recovery. Al-Anon is not allied with any sect, denomination, political entity, organization or institution. It does not engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any cause. There are no dues for membership. Al-Anon is self-supporting through its own voluntary contributions.
The Al-Anon Family Groups are a fellowship of relatives and friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength and hope in order to solve their common problems. We believe alcoholism is a family illness and that changed attitudes can aid in recovery. Al-Anon is not allied with any sect, denomination, political entity, organization or institution. It does not engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any cause. There are no dues for membership. Al-Anon is self-supporting through its own voluntary contributions.
Al-Anon has but one purpose to help families of alcoholics. We do this by practicing the Twelve Steps, by welcoming and giving comfort to families of alcoholics, and by giving understanding and encouragement to the alcoholic.
Al-Anon has but one purpose to help families of alcoholics. We do this by practicing the Twelve Steps, by welcoming and giving comfort to families of alcoholics, and by giving understanding and encouragement to the alcoholic.
Our Three Legacies are Recovery through the steps, Unity through the traditions, and Service through the concepts.
Our Three Legacies are Recovery through the steps, Unity through the traditions, and Service through the concepts.
Twelve Steps
Twelve Steps
Because of their proven power and worth, A.A.’s Twelve Steps have been adopted almost word for word by Al-Anon. They represent a way of life appealing to all people of good-will, of any religious faith or of none. Note the power of the very words!
Because of their proven power and worth, A.A.’s Twelve Steps have been adopted almost word for word by Al-Anon. They represent a way of life appealing to all people of good-will, of any religious faith or of none. Note the power of the very words!
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol – that our lives had become unmanageable.
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol – that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
2. Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Read this Month’s Tradition
Read this Month’s Tradition
12 Traditions
12 Traditions
1. Our common welfare should come first; personal progress for the greatest number depends upon unity.
1. Our common welfare should come first; personal progress for the greatest number depends upon unity.
2. For our group purpose there is but one authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants—they do not govern.
2. For our group purpose there is but one authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants—they do not govern.
3. The relatives of alcoholics, when gathered together for mutual aid, may call themselves an Al-Anon Family Group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation. The only requirement for membership is that there be a problem of alcoholism in a relative or friend.
3. The relatives of alcoholics, when gathered together for mutual aid, may call themselves an Al-Anon Family Group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation. The only requirement for membership is that there be a problem of alcoholism in a relative or friend.
4. Each group should be autonomous, except in matters affecting another group or Al-Anon or AA as a whole.
4. Each group should be autonomous, except in matters affecting another group or Al-Anon or AA as a whole.
5. Each Al-Anon Family Group has but one purpose: to help families of alcoholics. We do this by practicing the Twelve Steps of AA ourselves, by encouraging and understanding our alcoholic relatives, and by welcoming and giving comfort to families of alcoholics.
5. Each Al-Anon Family Group has but one purpose: to help families of alcoholics. We do this by practicing the Twelve Steps of AA ourselves, by encouraging and understanding our alcoholic relatives, and by welcoming and giving comfort to families of alcoholics.
6. Our Family Groups ought never endorse, finance or lend our name to any outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary spiritual aim. Although a separate entity, we should always co-operate with Alcoholics Anonymous.
6. Our Family Groups ought never endorse, finance or lend our name to any outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary spiritual aim. Although a separate entity, we should always co-operate with Alcoholics Anonymous.
7. Every group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
7. Every group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
8. Al-Anon Twelfth Step work should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
8. Al-Anon Twelfth Step work should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
9. Our groups, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
9. Our groups, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
10. The Al-Anon Family Groups have no opinion on outside issues; hence our name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
10. The Al-Anon Family Groups have no opinion on outside issues; hence our name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, films, and TV. We need guard with special care the anonymity of all AA members.
11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, films, and TV. We need guard with special care the anonymity of all AA members.
12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles above personalities.
12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles above personalities.
Introductions
Introductions
We’ll go around the room and introduce ourselves by first name only.
We’ll go around the room and introduce ourselves by first name only.
Newcomers
Newcomers
Is there anyone here for the first time or has been to less than 6 meetings?
Is there anyone here for the first time or has been to less than 6 meetings?
If Yes: Welcome. We suggest that you attended 6 different meetings before making up your mind about whether or not Al-Anon is right for you. Each meeting location and time is unique; comprised of different people and different formats. Give the newcomers Conference Approved Literature (possibly a Newcomer’s Packet that includes Information for the Newcomer, S-4). We urge you to read the material. Share a little about the Twelve Steps and the slogans. Show them the value of using the program to cope with problems (e.g. Healthy Responses instead of Unhealthy Reactions). It is also helpful to keep in touch by telephone between meetings with new members. For more information, see the guideline Beginners’ Meetings (G-2).
If Yes: Welcome. We suggest that you attended 6 different meetings before making up your mind about whether or not Al-Anon is right for you. Each meeting location and time is unique; comprised of different people and different formats. Give the newcomers Conference Approved Literature (possibly a Newcomer’s Packet that includes Information for the Newcomer, S-4). We urge you to read the material. Share a little about the Twelve Steps and the slogans. Show them the value of using the program to cope with problems (e.g. Healthy Responses instead of Unhealthy Reactions). It is also helpful to keep in touch by telephone between meetings with new members. For more information, see the guideline Beginners’ Meetings (G-2).
Announcements and Reports
Announcements and Reports
Are there any announcements and is there any business to discuss ?
Are there any announcements and is there any business to discuss ?
This is a time for announcement of local Al‑Anon events, service meetings, and other group business, including day and time of business meetings, treasurer’s report, and mail from the district, Area, or World Service Office. Reports may include:
This is a time for announcement of local Al‑Anon events, service meetings, and other group business, including day and time of business meetings, treasurer’s report, and mail from the district, Area, or World Service Office. Reports may include:
- Group reports (Secretary, Treasurer, Group Representative, Intergroup Representative)
- District, Area, World Service Office
- Other Al‑Anon/Alateen-related announcements
Literature, Passing the Basket, Calendar, and Telephone List
Literature, Passing the Basket, Calendar, and Telephone List
We have no dues or fees. The basket being passed around is for voluntary contributions to cover group expenses. You’re not required to contribute.
We have no dues or fees. The basket being passed around is for voluntary contributions to cover group expenses. You’re not required to contribute.
A Telephone List is being passed around which is also voluntary. If you would like to make yourself available for anyone to call you, leave your First Name and Telephone Number. Also feel free to contact anyone on the list. If you do not want to be called, do not put your phone number on the list.
A Telephone List is being passed around which is also voluntary. If you would like to make yourself available for anyone to call you, leave your First Name and Telephone Number. Also feel free to contact anyone on the list. If you do not want to be called, do not put your phone number on the list.
There is Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature on the table.
There is Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature on the table.
A Calendar is being passed around for volunteers to chair this meeting.
A Calendar is being passed around for volunteers to chair this meeting.
Meeting Subject
Meeting Subject
Introduce the speakers or the subject to be discussed.
Introduce the speakers or the subject to be discussed.