AA Format for Chat Meetings

WELCOME to the 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM/1:00 PM to 3:00 PM Monday/Wednesday Chat meeting of Hope In Suffering. My name is _____.

Let’s open with a moment of silence followed by the 3rd 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 to 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. Amen.

Let’s start off by going around the room to do a check-in. Please state your first name and what you are feeling (ie. Angry, happy, sad etc). No thoughts. Just Feelings.

At this time we would like to give a special welcome to all newcomers. By a show of hands and state your first name, who is a newcomer to this meeting? Who is visiting to Alcoholics Anonymous? Are there any AA announcements?

We will now display a list for those who wish to be contacted for meeting information, including Group Conscience. This next list are for those who are willing to act as a support person. Copies are available for those who want or need them. If you are in need of a sponsor, please come see the chair person at the end of the meeting and they will point you in the right direction.

What is a sponsor and why is it important?
A sponsor is someone who has worked the twelve steps of EA. They are someone that is both a person for accountability as well as a guide to help the twelve steps work in your life. It is important that you are not alone in your recovery. Alone is what got us into the doors of recovery.

Who would like to read the Twelve Steps?

Who would like to read the Twelve Promises?

Who would like to read the Twelve Traditions?
We discourage the use of Cross Talk.

What is cross talk

Cross talk refers to people speaking out of turn, interrupting someone while they are speaking or giving direct advice to someone in a meeting. We speak only from one’s own experience and avoid giving direct advice or lecturing a group or individual. We will give neither positive or negative feedback. We are NOT professionals!

The chairperson may give signs for a time warning or that the person sharing is getting of topic or not using “I” statements. This is for the meeting to both run smoothly and allow everyone the ability to share.

Any materials read must be out of the 12 step literature or on topic. If sharing gets off topic the chairperson and discussion leader will intervene.

The format for AA is the following: 1st week of the months is a step meeting, 2nd week is a promise meeting, and the rest of the month are topic meetings. (If topic meeting: Does anyone have a topic?)

Today we are working on Step/Promise/Topic____.

Will the discussion leader please give the reading for tonight?

We will now be open for sharing. You can be recognized by typing !. Please introduce yourself by using your first name only and with a “Thank you for listening” so we know when you are done.

AFTER SHARING:

AA is a self supporting meeting. Donations go towards purchasing literature and weekly meetings.
We work on a chip system. In the case of an online environment, I can send you a image of a chip that you can place in your signature or in your own personal computer for you to look at as a reminder. We recommend placing this close at hand (even printing a picture) to remind you where you are on your recovery.

We would like to close the meeting with the “Just for Today’s”. Please read the first one then pass it to the next person for the second and so on.

We will now end 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 the wisdom to know the difference. Amen.