MBAIAA Newsletter – July 2021

Published on July 27, 2021

Step 7 – “Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.”

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions – Page 63

“When we have finally admitted without reservation that we are powerless over alcohol, we are apt to breathe a great sigh of relief, saying, “Well thank God that’s over! I’ll never have to go through that again!”  Then we learn, often to our consternation, that this is only the first milestone on the new road we are walking.  Still goaded by sheer necessity, we reluctantly come to grips with those serious character flaws that made problem drinkers of us in the first place, flaws which must be dealt with to prevent a retreat into alcoholism once again.  We will want to be rid of some of these defects, but in some instances this will appear to be an impossible job from which we recoil.   And we cling with a passionate persistence to others which are just as disturbing to our own equilibrium, because Traditions page we still enjoy them too much. ”

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions – Page 73

What’s Happening Locally

July Birthday Meeting – Saturday July 31st @ 7:00PM

The Birthday meeting is on Saturday, July 31st at 7:00pm.  This month the meeting is hosted by The Sunday Evening Big Book Study.  They are currently meeting on Zoom, but traditionally gather at St. James Church on Franklin and High in Monterey.  The speaker will be Cat. T.

Please join us!  There will be a 50/50 raffle which you can participate in by sending money through Venmo.  Tickets are 3 for $5.00 and be sure to put the word ‘Raffle” on the transaction.  We will be drawing the winner at the end of the meeting.  The meeting will be open at least 20 minutes early and after the meeting for fellowshipping.  Come a little early, stay a little late, we will have time for fellowshipping. It will be wonderful to see all of your faces.  During this time of ‘Shelter in Place’, we cannot gather together in celebration as we usually do, so this will be the next best thing!

Also, we are happy to mail you a sobriety coin if you are celebrating a milestone.  Just send an email to Central Office and let us know your mailing address and the number of years you are celebrating.

  • Zoom Meeting ID:  652 224 0517
  • Password:  Sobriety

Monterey Bay Area Roundup (MBAR)

The Monterey Bay Area Roundup (MBAR) committee has made the decision to put all of it’s efforts into a face-to-face conference to be held on Labor Day 2022.  If you would like to participate in putting this fun event together, the planning meetings are on the second Saturday of each month at 11:00 am.

  • Zoom Meeting ID:  831 4306 2293
  • Password: 2022

MBAR’s next meeting will be held Saturday August 13th @ 11 AM.

Online Meeting Listings

Note that our website has a new format for listing our Online and In-person meetings on Meeting Guide Online. All Online meetings have been moved to this new format.

On your mobile device you can also access meetings using the Meeting Guide Mobile App.

Digital Contributions At Online Meetings 1

Online meeting spaces make it difficult to “pass the basket”.  Some groups have set up digital contribution accounts with services like Venmo, PayPal, Google Pay, etc. to deal with this problem. Now might be a good time to review an essential piece of AA literature, “Self-Support: Where Money and Spirituality Mix”.

Each group is autonomous and might consider taking a group conscience on whether digital contributions are an option, and which platform (or mix of platforms) best suits their groups’ needs.

Why collect 7th Tradition for an online meeting?

Our regular meeting locations still have operating expenses

  • Our meetings facilities may rely on contributions to pay their rent and utilities
  • Meeting supplies will still be needed when our meetings reopen – coffee, paper products, literature, refreshments. And after an extended closure, we may experience a large influx of people who are motivated to re-join the fellowship in person.

Central Office and the General Service Office still have operating expenses

  • Websites – which we may now rely on more than ever!
  • Phone lines, rent and insurance on office space
  • Utility and other ongoing expenses
  • Paid Special Workers who deserve our continued support. Their compensation is crucial to their ability to serve us.

Our Districts and Areas and H&I still have expenses

  • Regular expenses to support the work of committees and events that will take place when the crisis has passed are still there.
  • Web services support for groups
  • Expenses for venues for events that have been cancelled may still need to be met, since any income from the event won’t be there to support the pre-payment of reservations, cancellation fees, etc. The expense of re-arranging for venues to reschedule events is very real.

News From General Service

Monterey General Service is actively gathering informed group consciences during sharing sessions.  If your meeting has a General Service Representative (GSR) find out when your group’s sharing session is and join the conversation!  We are taking group consciences on this year’s Agenda Topics.

“In a sharing session, everyone has a chance to use their experience, strength and hope to contribute ideas and opinions about the welfare of A.A.”
The A.A. Service Manual – Pg. 40

If your group does not have a GSR, we encourage you to talk to the secretary of the meeting about filling the position. Please read the pamphlet and, if interested, let your group know YOU are ready to be of service.

“I am responsible, when anyone, anywhere reaches out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always to be there, and for that, I am responsible.”
Responsibility Statement

With gratitude and service,

Jessica A.

Current IGR Meeting Minutes & Financial Reports

A Note From Jana

I am happy to report that Central Office is fully open.  We are now open Mon – Fri 9:30 – 5:30.  We are fully stocked with World Service approved literature and have a couple of new books from the Grapevine. ‘ Mujeres en AA’ Women in AA (Spanish-language) is a collection of stories taken from the pages of Grapevine and La Viña.  We also have ‘Free on the Inside’ which features 50+ powerful stories by sober members of Alcoholics Anonymous who have experienced AA in prison.  There is also a new collection of 3 volumes of “The Best of the Grapevine.  Come by and check them out!

We are updating the website everyday.  Many meetings are opening up to face to face meetings and some have chosen to do a hybrid of Zoom and face to face.  As things begin to look more positive in terms of the pandemic, each group has the autonomy to decide their own method of re-entering the traditional ways that we meet.  I would suggest that each group has business meetings addressing these issues. Please be sure that if any changes are to be made in the way that you meet, you inform the webteam so that people can find you.  The email is webteam@aamonterey.org. Also, if you could send an email to me at info@aamonterey.org to let me know the changes as well, it would be appreciated.

A special shout out goes to our phenomenal WEBTEAM. Keeping up with all the changes in an organized and thoughtful way has been a daunting task, but they have met every challenge.  We thank these trusted servants!

Personally, I am happy to be back in the office on a regular basis.  We have a wonderful group of volunteers that facilitate the work that is done.  Just as we were able to respond to the Shutdown, we will respond to the changes carefully and TOGETHER.

Look after each other, support each other, remember that we can’t stay sober alone.  Share with others what was so freely given to you.  Thanks again everybody and HAPPY SUMMER!

“Nothing is so bad that a drink won’t make it worse.”
The Best of the Grapevine volume 3

1 This information is from the AA Intergroup of SF & Marin Online Contributions page.