By Roger C.
What do you need to start a new AA group?
Some oldtimers will tell you that all you need is a resentment and a coffee pot.
That’s because many new groups get started when a few people find something amiss in their current group and decide they want a group of their own.
In fact, it’s not much more complicated than that.
The long form of Tradition Three lays out the fundamental principles of an AA group:
Our membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism. Hence we may refuse none who wish to recover. Nor ought AA membership ever depend upon money or conformity. Any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an AA Group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation.
That’s pretty straightforward.
Of course, you’ll also have questions about the mechanics of a group, and fortunately your AA service office – the General Service Office (GSO) in New York - has some answers. You know, questions like: What does a secretary do? What kinds of meeting formats are there? How do you get on the area meeting list? How does a group interact with AA as a whole? What on earth is a group conscience? All of these questions – and more! – are dealt with in this 52 page pamphlet, The AA Group …Where it All Begins.
Once you feel you’re off to a good start, you can complete the New Group Form and register with the GSO.
That’s pretty much it. If you have any other questions, send us an email. We would be glad to help.
Best of luck if you decide to launch a new AA group!
Download Starting an AA Group.
Hello,
I live in Innisfil and the agnostic meetings are too far for me. Is there any demand for an agnostic group in Innisfil or Barrie? The regular AA meetings with continiously thanking God rub me the wrong way and makes no sense and deter me from attending these meetings. I need the help (badly)of AA without imaginary friends but real people. Really appreciate any help.
Thanks so much,
Debbie
Bravo. If visiting Australia, you are welcome to come to my meeting. Friday night 8:00pm Southport, Gold Coast, Community Centre, 6 Lawson Street, Southport. We close the meeting with the Declaration of Unity, no hand holding. Meeting is growing.
Yours in Service
WALLY
Prayer in the circle
An old-timer of 27 years taught me why he stays outside of the circle at the end of any AA meeting. The relationship that he has with his Higher Power is his private relationship and he chooses to keep that part on a personal level. He never had much church or religion in his life and the belief that he established in the 2nd step was one of his own making. He was taught that the choice he made was his own conception of god (page 12) and that trusting an infinite god rather than our finite self (page 68) was the key to a problem that he had for years. The belief was enough for him to get through the day and to put out his hand to help any other alcoholic get sober, which was extremely important to him. As the years evolved he discovered that the more he gave a helping hand the more his spiritual concept grew. The closer to an open mind he stayed with his personal HP, the more he found and discovered about himself (page 158). The idea that GOD (god, HP, Buddha, etc.) will reveal more and disclose more to each of us (page 164) is based on how well we are willing to rid ourselves of past prejudices. The old-timer passed away with cancer and there was not in him one bit of fear with going.
If it’s an agnostic Alcoholics Anonymous meetng you want to start, you can get some meetings script ideas from here: http://www.agnosticaanyc.org/documents.html
This is a popular preamble:
This group of A.A. attempts to maintain a tradition of free expression, and conduct a meeting where alcoholics may feel free to express any doubts or disbeliefs they may have, and to share their own personal form of spiritual experience, their search for it, or their rejection of it. We do not endorse or oppose any form of religion or atheism. Our only wish is to assure suffering alcoholics that they can find sobriety in A.A. without having to accept anyone else’s beliefs or having to deny their own.
There are some more ideas here: http://aaagnostics.org/
Good article Roger, thanks so much. Resentments sure do have a power to them them don’t they?