Zoom MeETING CHAIRPERSON INSTRUCTIONS
Meeting Opening & Closing
GENERAL NOTES TO CHAIRPERSON
- Before the meeting begins: Please arrange for someone to speak on the step being discussed tonight.
- End time of the meeting: Sharing goes until 5:55pm ET, and meeting ends at 6:00pm ET. EXCEPT: on the nights we EXTEND THE MEETING TIME by 10 minutes, so sharing goes until 6:05pm ET for these 3 longer readings:
- Step 1 (part 2): Chapter 3: More About Alcoholism
- Step 2 (part 1): Chapter 4: We Agnostics
- Step 2 (part 2): Chapter 2: There is a Solution
READ:
I. Greeting
Good evening, everybody. My name is _______________.
This is the Sunday night meeting of the Big Book Step Study for Family and Friends of Alcoholics Group, and we will open the meeting with a moment of silence to do with as you wish.
Reminder that the sound is best if everyone is muted unless they are speaking. Please take a moment to mute yourself either using the mute feature on Zoom or by pressing *6 if you are calling in by phone.
II. Preamble:
This group is a fellowship of relatives and friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength and hope in order to solve their common problems. This group is not affiliated with any other 12-step program, organization or institution. There are no dues for membership, and we are self-supporting through our own voluntary contributions.
It was voted by group conscience that the purpose of this meeting is to help relatives and friends of alcoholics by studying, discussing our experience, and practicing the 12 steps as they were originally laid out in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.
We ask that discussion be limited to our experience with the step being studied tonight. It has become apparent to us that when we stopped blaming people, places, and things for our problems, decided to take an honest and fearless look at ourselves as the root cause of our difficulties and decided to apply these twelve principles in our lives, we got better.
If discussion strays from the step being studied, the chairperson will remind you of the purpose of this meeting. It is not the group's intention to be intimidating or insulting to anyone. We only know that if we are talking about the problem we cannot be talking about the solution.
If you have done these steps as they are laid out in the Big Book with the help of a Big Book step study sponsor, please share your experience with us as it pertains to you as a relative or friend of an alcoholic.
We also ask that you not identify yourself with any other fellowship except Al-Anon. If you haven't done these steps we ask that you be open minded enough to listen. If you have any questions or concerns, please approach the chairperson after the meeting.
III. Ask for the Welcome Report
IV. Step and Reading:
Tonight we are on Step _________ which is on page (or pages) _________ in the Big Book. (Commence with the Reading).
When the reading is done:
Would someone volunteer to be our time keeper? (Timekeeper does not need to be through the process)
V. Speaker:
I'd like to introduce our speaker, _____________, who will speak for 10-15 minutes on the Step tonight. (Ask timekeeper to let speaker know when 5 minutes remain).
VI. When speaker finishes, say:
The group has voted to temporarily suspend collections until further notice.
VII. Reminder:
If you are new to this meeting please listen carefully. To share at this meeting you must have worked the 12 steps as they're outlined in the AA Big Book with the help of a Big Book Step Study Sponsor. If you have worked the steps in this manner, we welcome you to share your experience on today’s step.
If you have done the steps alone, or with a sponsor who has not worked the 12 steps with a Big Book Step Study sponsor, we ask that you just introduce yourself and state whether you are listening, reading or writing. If you don't understand these instructions or you're not sure whether you should share, please just pass when we come to you, and then talk to the chairperson after the meeting. We thank you for respecting group conscience.
We also ask that you not identify yourself with any other fellowship except Al Anon. Group conscience has voted a 3 minute time limit on comments. At 2 minutes, the timekeeper will raise a finger or say “one minute left,” and at 3 minutes, the timekeeper will unmute and say “that’s time.”
- - General Sharing opens - -
VIII Closing the Meeting:
A. At 5:55pm (or by 6:05pm for the long readings), end the sharing and say:
“It is now time to stop the sharing. Would those who haven’t shared please take a moment to introduce yourselves.”
B. After people introduce themselves, say either:
- (Most weeks) “A reminder that our Zoom meeting will remain open for 10 minutes after the end of the meeting, and all are welcome to use this time to ask questions, connect with a sponsor, exchange phone numbers, or for general fellowship."
- (Last Sunday of the month) “Reminder that we will have our business meeting after the meeting. All are welcome to attend, and we hope you will.
C. Closing words and readings:
“I would like to read the 12th Tradition of Al-Anon which states: ‘Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions ever reminding us to place principles before personalities. 'Whom you see here, what you hear here, when you leave here, let it stay here.” ALL: “Hear Hear”
“For those who have been through the process and are willing, please raise your hand (or say your name) if you are available to be a sponsor. Feel free to give your number or put it in the chat.
Select someone newer to the meeting (if possible) to read the last two paragraphs on page 164.
“Could someone newer to the meeting please volunteer to read the last two paragraphs on page 164 of the Big Book."
After the reading - Closing prayer:
“We end this meeting with the Third Step Prayer, which can be found on page 63 of the Big Book.
“Will all who care to join me in closing with the Third Step Prayer?”
"God, I offer myself to Thee – to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always!"
- END -
