[Businessmtg] Newcomer's

[Steve Rankin]

Hi Jerry and everyone in the Business Meeting,

First, I think I need to point out that not every face-to-face meeting gives
"special attention" to newcomers aside from welcoming them. 

In fact, my own personal experience in over 35 years of attending
face-to-face meetings is that the majority of meetings DO welcome newcomers
but DO NOT provide an organized form of special attention to newcomers. 

Perhaps more importantly, my experience is that we are most successful when
we remember that this is a program of attraction, not promotion. 

In other words, a newcomer that attends a meeting where there is a lot of
recovery reflected in real live experience, strength and hope in the shares
AND members with an a happy, joyous and free attitude, those newcomers will
come back because they want what we have. 

OTOH, a newcomer that attends a meeting where they are shuffled off to a
special Newcomers meeting in lieu of the regular recovery meeting doesn't
have an opportunity to experience that. Instead, what I see happening is
well-meaning members of Al-Anon thinking that they know what the newcomer
needs, and attempting to guide them in that direction. 

As for having more newcomers than ever?  That is because we have streamlined
our process for bringing newcomers into our meeting at ASP. The number of
newcomers has nothing to do with this discussion. In fact, I've learned that
if can reach just one member with my ESH, then my message helped someone. I
can't ask for any more than that.

As for the Newcomer's Committee? From what I've seen in our 22 years of ASP
is no different than my 35 years in Al-Anon . . . that most newcomers leave
after a short time here. That is no different than anywhere else in the
fellowship. 

As an old-timer liked to say . . .

If they are ready, you can't say anything wrong.
If they are not ready, you can't say anything right.

In other words, I believe that we need to keep our focus on our own
recovery, not on the newcomer. And if we keep our focus on our own recovery,
then newcomers will want what we have. We don't need a Newcomer's Committee
to do that. 

Likewise, newcomers to ASP joined ASP - they did not join anything else,
including a Newcomer's Meeting.

Love and SERENITY,
Steve







Thoughts and recommendations on the Beginners' Committee.

Is there interest in providing our newcomers with some specialized 
attention similar to what they'd receive in a face-to-face environment 
(1st Step Page? &/or other ideas) or do we disband this committee? We 
have more newcomers than we've ever had; are we supporting them as well 
as we could?

All other topics are out of order (gentle gavel tap, tap, tap).

Jerry H., BM Chair
-





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