MBAIAA Newsletter – May 2018

Published on May 22, 2018

Step 5 – “Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.”

“All of A.A.’s Twelve Steps ask us to go contrary to our natural desires… they all deflate our egos. When it comes to ego deflation, few Steps are harder to take than Five. But scarcely any Step is more necessary to longtime sobriety and peace of mind than this one.

A.A. experience has taught us we cannot live alone with our pressing problems and the character defects which cause or aggravate them. If we have swept the searchlight of Step Four back and forth over our careers, and it has revealed in stark relief those experiences we’d rather not remember, if we have come to know how wrong thinking and action have hurt us and others, then the need to quit living by ourselves with those tormenting ghosts of yesterday gets more urgent than ever. We have to talk to somebody about them.”

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, page 55

Alcoholics Anonymous Events To Plan For

Monterey Intergroup Birthday / Speaker Meeting
Saturday, May 26th @ 7:30 PM

Hosted this month by Friday Night Men’s Stag – a group that meets Friday at 8:00pm in Pacific Grove at St Mary’s Church. The speaker is Leonard O.
This is a monthly birthday meeting held on the last Saturday of each month (except for December when the meeting is held along with a holiday banquet ). The first part of the meeting includes a presentation of birthday medallions for those celebrating annual A.A. anniversaries and all are invited to participate. Birthdays are followed by an A.A. speaker who shares for 40 to 45 minutes and the meeting ends about 9pm. Coffee is typically ready no later than 7pm. Arrive early for good parking, fellowship and a great seat!

Monterey High School Cafeteria
Herman Drive at Larkin, Monterey CA 93940

Unity Day – A Thirty-Five Year Tradition
June 17 @ 10:00 AM

The Monterey and Salinas Intergroups gather together at Toro Park to celebrate the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1935. There is a big barbecue, live music, raffles, games and lots of fun. This year it falls on Father’s Day. Come on out, bring your family and friends, sponsors, sponsees, chairs, blankets and sunscreen. It is a GREAT opportunity for fellowship! The gates open at 10, lunch will be served from noonish til 2-ish and is $10.00. Please leave your pets at home. The meeting is at 3 and as always, is free.
These events don’t throw themselves. We NEED people to step up. We need stuff for the raffle. If you have a service to provide, or something else that would be a good prize for the raffle, please let us know. Also, individual meetings are encouraged to pass the basket an extra time or two and either donate a prize, gift certificate or cash to the raffle. Bring your favorite home-baked dessert and donate it to our bake sale – or – stop at the store on your way there, pick up something yummy and bring that.
If you can be of service that day, let us know. Call Jana at Central Office 373-3713.

Be sure to check out our website Events Calendar as there are many festivities ahead this spring and summer!

News From General Service

There is a new poster available from General Service.
It provides a reminder that ‘anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions’ and how easy it is to forget this in the digital age.

To see current IGR minutes and financial reports CLICK HERE

A Note From Jana

Things are humming along quite nicely here at the office. Many thanks to the many volunteers who contribute their time to do the necessary work of sharing the message.
Your Steering Committee and Intergroup Representatives are also an important part of fulfilling Central Office’s Primary Purpose – to ‘carry the message to the alcoholic still suffers’.
With that in mind, there are important positions on the Steering Committee that are coming up for election in July. To quote our Bylaws:
“Except as otherwise specified within these Bylaws, Steering Committee members shall be elected and installed in the following manner:

A) The Treasurer, Recording Secretary, three Intergroup Representatives-at-large, PI/CPC
Chairperson, And Twelfth Step Committee Chairperson shall be elected as the final matter of new business at the regular Intergroup Representatives meeting in July of each year.”

The Men’s Twelfth step Chair is the position that is currently available.
For further information regarding the duties and sobriety requirements, please refer to the Bylaws section on our website

http://aamonterey.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/mbaiaa-bylaws-nov-2012.pdf
The election info appears on pages 5 and 6
Contact Central office if you are interested in being on the list of people for election so that you can appear on the agenda of the July Intergroup meeting which is held July 10th at 7:00 pm at St. James Church.
In closing, the three sides of the triangle are Unity, Service, Recovery. The only way to keep our Recovery is to give it away freely.

We Are Always In Need Of People To Be Of Service

If you are interested in being a part of what we do here at Central Office, I am always looking for office volunteers . People to be on the other end of the phone when someone reaches out for help. It is generally a four hour commitment (either 9:30 – 1:30 or 1:30 – 5:30) 1 day per week. Currently, I need a few people to keep on a list of those that are willing to fill in for these positions once in a while. Call or come by and let’s talk!

In closing, please feel free to stop by Central Office. If you are one of the ‘Trusted Servants’ at a meeting (Secretary, Treasurer,etc,) and you have any questions about the responsibilities of that position, don’t hesitate to ask what those responsibilities might be.

I am in the office Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30 -5:00.