MBAIAA Newsletter – March 2021

Published on March 23, 2021

Step 3 – “Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood him.”

“Once we have placed the key of willingness in the lock and have the door ever so slightly open, we find that we can open it some more.”

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions – Page 35

“The willingness to give up my pride and self-will to a Power greater than myself has proved to be the only ingredient absolutely necessary to solve all of my problems today.  Even the smallest amount of willingness, if sincere, is sufficient to allow God to enter and take control over any problem, pain, or obsession.  My level of comfort is in direct relation to the degree of willingness I possess at any given moment to give up my self-will, and allow God’s will to be manifested in my life.  With the key of willingness, my worries and fears are powerfully transformed into serenity.

Daily Reflections – Page 75

What’s Happening Locally

March Birthday Meeting – Saturday March 27th @ 7:00PM

The Birthday Meeting is hosted this month by The Beacon Group.  They meet on Tuesdays at 8:00 pm on Zoom and traditionally meet at the “Red Church” on Central & 12th St. in Pacific Grove.  Having started in the 1950’s, this is one if the oldest meetings on the Monterey Peninsula!  The March Birthday Meeting is Saturday March 27th at 7:00PM.  Our speaker will be Aubrey.

If you would like to receive a chip, simply Contact Central Office with your length of sobriety and your mailing address – a chip will be mailed to you.  You can also participate in the 50/50 raffle by using Venmo. Buy tickets by sending the funds via Venmo – be sure to write the word RAFFLE on the transaction.  The tickets are 3 for $5.00.  We will be drawing the winner at the end of the meeting.

Again, the meeting begins at 7:00 PM on Saturday March 27th.  The Zoom meeting ID & password are listed below.  Come a little early, stay a little late…  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 – this will be the next best thing.

  • 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 April 10th @ 11:00AM.

Remote Meetings

We have page on the website listing all of our remote meetings.  The Remote Meetings page also lists information on protecting our anonymity at virtual meetings.  Read it carefully and join us online. We need each other to continue our sobriety.

There are physical meetings happening as well – you can check the website for those too.  All meetings are following safe practices.

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, Page 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 Minutes and Financial Reports

A Note From Jana

Here we are, acknowledging the one year anniversary of the day that the shelter-in-place order became a reality in all of our lives.  I am sure that none of us ever expected it to last this long.  Congratulations go to all of us – we were able to find a way to meet and continue to support one another.  There have been many changes in the way that we do things, but we have been able to welcome many newcomers and continue this great fellowship in new and exciting ways.  You have supported MBAIAA in a way that has moved me and the Steering Committee in a profound way.

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!

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.  Also, if you could Contact Me at Central Office to let me know of the changes as well, it would be much appreciated.

Personally, I look forward to opening the office (cautiously) sometime in April as long as things continue in a positive direction in our county.  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 SPRING!

“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.