Open Meeting

Suggested Open Meeting Format

It is suggested the chairperson have at least 30 days of continuous sobriety. 

Prior to beginning ask one person to begin reading How It Works and a second person to read the Twelve Traditions.  Also consider a discussion topic, if you plan to suggest one.

Welcome everyone to the (time and date) meeting of the Here’s HOW Group of Alcoholics Anonymous. My name is ________________. I am an alcoholic.

This is an OPEN meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous and it is open to all members of the community. Our weekly meeting schedule is listed on the website. The HOW Group welcomes visitors to our meetings and we ask that everyone respect the group’s primary purpose, which is “to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.”

 Please watch your background noise, mute your microphone if you are in a noisy area and wear a headset if possible. The Here’s HOW group has a no “cross-talk” policy, which means we do not reply when someone else is talking. Because the opinions on the causes of and treatment of alcoholism vary so widely, any opinions expressed in this meeting are purely personal and do not necessarily reflect the views of AA as a whole. If problems occur, our common welfare should come first. 

Let’s begin the meeting with a moment of silence followed by the Serenity Prayer.

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”

AA PREAMBLE:  AA is a fellowship of  people who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.  The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses or opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

Are there any visitors from the community who are simply here to learn about our program?

Are there any visitors from another AA group who wish to be recognized? 

Many feel that the most important person at an AA meeting is the newcomer. Is there anyone here attending their very first AA meeting? (The newcomer can be offered a desire chip, a meeting list with phone #s and pamphlets if they choose.) 

Is anyone celebrating an anniversary or wishes to establish a sobriety date? (If there is an anniversary, remind them we will have a chip for them when HOW reopens physically.) 

The HOW group encourages sponsorship and we strongly recommend that women sponsor women and men sponsor men. For newcomers seeking a sponsor we ask that HOW Group members who are willing to be sponsors list your name in chat. 

Are there any AA related announcements? 

There are links to online versions of many AA books on our website under “Resources”. You can order literature from aa.org

We would like to remind everyone in keeping with the Seventh Tradition, that we are self-supporting. There is a PayPal link on our website. 

I have asked a friend to begin reading “How It Works” from chapter 5 of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. Please read what you like and pass it around.

I have asked another friend to read the Twelve Traditions.

We would like each member to have the opportunity to share if they desire, so limit your sharing to 5 minutes or less; and wait for all others to share before speaking again.  We encourage sharing as it relates to alcohol or one’s own personal experience as it relates to alcoholism. In keeping with our primary purpose, we read only AA conference-approved literature or AA Grapevine literature in our meetings. 

If this is a Big Book, 12&12, Living Sober or similar meeting using AA literature, one might jump right to the appropriate reading…or ask:

“Would someone like to read the Daily Reflections for today?” After the reading consider offering a topic to focus the discussion, such as a concept from the reading or a “first step meeting” for a newcomer.

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Begin Closing the Meeting by the top of the hour.

Our time is about up…If you need to discuss something after the meeting, please don’t hesitate to do so with an individual member.

Everyone remember the Twelfth Tradition: Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities. Who you see here and what you hear here, let it remain here. 

Everyone, please join hands and, after a moment of silence for the alcoholic who still suffers, in and out of these rooms, all who care to, let us close with the _____prayer.

(Such as the Serenity Prayer or a prayer of choice)

03-21-2020

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