[Businessmtg] Al-Anon Service Beyond the Group

[Steve Rankin]

Hi ASPers,

As I just mentioned in my note to Lynne, I'm going to try to describe
Al-Anon service.  This is *my* perspective of Al-Anon service after over 35
years of service in my 38 years of Al-Anon.

The Group Level.  

Service as most members understand it is what they see at the Group level.
A member serves by unlocking the building where the group meetings.  Members
set up the meeting; maybe chairs and tables need to be set up.  Literature
is set out for member.  Someone makes coffee or tea.  Sometimes someone
brings cookies.  A member gets the meeting started by reading the Opening.
The Seventh Tradition basket is passed and the Treasurer collects the
donations so she can pay the rent.  Maybe there is a Group Rep, and maybe
the GR gives a [boring] report on what happened at the district meeting.
After the meeting, members wash the coffee cups, put everything away, and
the member with the key locks up.  

All of that was service, but this note is to describe service "Beyond the
Group Level".  The following is a simplified description of service
structure beyond the group level.

 

 

There are 4 levels of the Al-Anon service structure.

*	Groups
*	Districts.  
*	Areas.  
*	World Service.   

 

I mentioned the Group Representative.  Many, maybe even most groups elect a
Group Rep.  The GR is the cornerstone of service beyond the group level.  

*	GRs are the liaison between the Groups and the greater Al-Anon
service structure.
*	GRs inform their group about what's going on in Al-Anon.
*	GRs attend monthly District Meetings. 
*	GRs vote on issues at the District.
*	GRs elect District officers.
*	GRs attend the Area Assembly.  Usually an annual event, but possibly
more often.
*	GRs elect Area officers, including the Area Delegate to the World
Service Conference.

Districts are composed of Groups in a common geographic area.  Districts
have elected officers such as the District Rep, Secretary and Treasurer, as
well as appointed Coordinators that serve specific functions, such as
literature, outreach, etc. 

*	For example, San Francisco is a District.  The SF East Bay is split
into 2 districts.  There were 26 districts in Northern California.  
*	District service positions are elected from among the GRs of the
district.
*	The District Rep attends Area business meetings.
*	 

Areas are composed of Groups and Districts in a geographic area.  

*	Most Areas are states of the USA, although a few large and populous
states have been split into more than one Area (California & Texas).  
*	Areas hold business meetings known as "Assemblies".  These are
usually annual affairs, although some Areas may hold them more often.
*	Some Areas may hold more frequent business meetings to address
routine admin issues attended by Area officers & District Reps.
*	GRs vote on issues at Assemblies.
*	GRs elect Area officers from the pool of District Reps and existing
Area officers.

World Service.

*	Delegates attend the annual "World Service Conference" where they
discuss and decide on Al-Anon policy, new literature, changes, etc.  Yes,
this is where the decision is made on what new CAL literature will be.  And
more.
*	Additionally. . .
*	The USA and Canada are divided into geographic "Regions".
*	The Delegates of Regions elect "Regional Trustees" to the World
Service Board of Directors.  Regional Trustees are Past Delegates, meaning
they have served as a Delegate.
*	The World Service Board also appoints "At Large Trustees".  At Large
Trustees do not have specific prerequisite service.  

 

Up until now, ASP and the other electronic meetings have been excluded from
this structure.  For the last 25+ years we have had neither voice or vote on
anything.

That changed completely in April when the World Service Conference voted to:

1.	Recognize electronic meetings as Groups.
2.	To eliminate the specific Policy on Electronic Meetings in
accordance with Tradition Three that states "The relatives of alcoholics,
when gathered together for mutual aid, may call themselves an Al-Anon Family
Group" and to recognize these meetings as Al-Anon Family Groups.

So. . . ASP is now officially "A Serenity Place Al-Anon Family Group" and we
are a part of the new "Virtual Area".  Finally!!

The big question is - what are we going to do about it?  

   Are we going to participate in this?

   Are we going to elect a Group Rep?

   Are we going to make the Group Rep part of our Steering Committee?

   Are we going to support the Virtual Area?

I certainly hope so, but this is your decision to make, not mine.

Hugs,

Steve