Sobriety News
MARCH 2003
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

    The Sobriety News is a publication of the Harrisburg Area Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous. It is written, edited, and read by AA members, and those interested in the AA program of recovery from the disease of alcoholism, linking one alcoholic to another.
    Our desperation to find relief from the bondage of alcoholism has led us to this program as a new "design for living". Many members utilize meetings, sponsorship, self examination, amends, prayer, meditation, AA literature, service to fellow alcoholics, and many other tools to maintain their recovery. This publication is intended as one more tool to live a life of recovery. Because each AA member has an individual way of working this program, divergent views to recovery, within the concept of the Program of Alcoholics Anonymous, are welcome. An effort is made to print all viewpoints in this forum. Articles are not intended to be statements of AA policy, nor does publication of any article imply endorsement by AA or the Harrisburg Area Intergroup.

March Calendar of Events*

LOOKING AHEAD*

* Look for more information about these events in Sobriety News.
** See links page for flyer

To links and current events

Your Help for the Calendar of Events

A complete Calendar of Events depends on our active members contributing information about their coming events, participation of Intergroups in surrounding Districts, and our ability to gather information. We feel it is worth trying. Let us know what you think. Often, we miss opportunities within the fellowship because the message didn't get out. We all want to carry the message to other alcoholics. This will be one more way we can accomplish that.

OUR FACE IS CHANGING

    Sobriety News is updated during the course of the month, so events can be added to the Calendar. You may, therefore, find it helpful or informative to check back to the website periodically to see what has been added.
    The HAI index page has links to flyers of coming events, or you can click on the AA blue button above. Did you know that the links page also has links to other AA websites and to back issues of Sobriety News? Also there is a link to the Meeting Schedule (or click the coin at right) so you can print out the schedule (if you can access Microsoft Word) on a single sheet of 8 1/2X11 paper. This schedule is current with the latest information available. If you see an error, or information for your meeting has been changed, the schedule will be updated if you notify Sobriety News at aa@aaharrisburg.org or if you notify an Intergroup Officer or mail the info to HAI, Fellowship House, 1251 S. 19th Street, Harrisburg, PA 17105. This current schedule can be duplicated for group purposes from this link or by clicking on the chip at the right.
    Flyers will be added as they become available and removed when an event passes. If you are looking at this on the Internet, you will see that many of the insert pictures are links you can click on to get added information or flyers. Keep checking.
    The above suggested service opportunity to bring internet information back to the group could also be broadened to include flyers, and current meeting schedules. The printed schedules and flyers will still be available but may continue to have their current disadvantages too.

 INTERNET SOBRIETY NEWS SUBSCRIPTIONS

Sobriety News is e-mailed monthly to free subscribers who have indicated a desire to recieve it. You may indicate a wish to be added to the mailinglist by clicking on E-mail and then clicking on send. There is no charge for this service. It is normally mailed the Tuesday before the first Thursday of the month by BCC (blind copy) to protect the anonymity of recipients. You need to notify us if you change e-mail addresses, and you may not receive it, if your computer or internet service provider screens out mail that does not have your name in the To: box. 

 

 

Without memory,
There is no healing.
Without forgiveness,
There is no future.

--ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU--

NO SMOKING AT APRIL INTERGROUP

    Cathy S, Chair of the Unity Committee, reported that many groups are not represented at Harrisburg Intergroup Meetings on the first Thursday of the month at 6:45PM, because people can't stand the smoking. A vote was taken, and a resolution was passed, that there will be NO SMOKING at the APRIL Intergroup Meeting. If indeed, that is the reason, an improvement in attendance in April will result in future meetings being non-smoking. Persons entering the front door can pass straight into the meeting room, without going through the half measures room.

ACTS OF RECOVERY IN RICHMOND VIRGINIA

The February 8 AOR was another free Saturday afternoon event from noon till 5:00PM in Richmond, VA. Like all the other Acts, there were four excellent speakers lined up. Sara N from Wilson, NC started off with her experience, strength and hope. Progress, not perfection was the topic addressed by Al J from Buckingham, VA, and then it was time for a satisfying free lunch. Valerie D unfolded the essentials: Honesty, Open-mindedness and Willingness; and the afternoon was concluded with Greg D from Staunton, VA discussing the history of Alcoholics Anonymous. You can look forward to another Acts in Baltimore, March 8 (see below) and Hershey in July.

The Steps In Action

    Parkton Maryland saw a couple of hundred visiting recovering alcoholics from Martha's Vineyard, Boston, Baltimore, York, Middletown, and other eastern locales having alcoholics interested in how a couple of drunks have managed to stay sober and joyous for many years. The two men, Tom F and Steve F, each shared on their experience with each of the Twelve Steps.

    Tom set the stage for a frank discussion of the Steps, as being principles of a spiritual nature, which if practiced as a way of living, can expel the compulsion to drink and allow the sufferer to become happily and usefully whole. Lack of Power, the Book says, was our dilemma. It doesn't say anything about 'hanging in there'. Tom had tried church power, will power, money power, lawyer power, wife power, and intelligence power, and he got here in a blackout; he had power failure. Believing that the circus high wire artist will push a wheel barrow across without falling, made a good analogy to the second and third steps. If we believe and make a decision to turn our will and life over to the care of God, it is just idle chatter unless we are willing to get in the wheel barrow.

    Equally powerful messages were delivered on each of the steps. Steve revealed the promising message in Step 9 that if our problems are the inadequacies or selfishness of others, we are in trouble, because we cannot fix them. But, if all our problems are of our own shortcomings, then there is something we can do about it. He told a deep and troubling personal story of the acts of an adult upon him as a child. He said that he had been told we must clean our side of the street. He had to make amends to this person to be relieved of the hatred he felt. Upon doing that, he found that he was free of the consuming hatred and he felt sympathy for that person, who with the substitution of one word suffered from exactly the same kind of a disease as he.

    The Parkton Group did an outstanding job of delivering the message, undiluted; thank you Parkton.

March is the month God created
to show people who don't drink
 what a hangover is like.

-Garrison Keillor-

Multi-District History and Archives Gathering

    You may or may not have been thinking that getting involved in the collection and presentation of your area's history through archival preservation would be the perfect service work. Then again, how would you know what it is, how it's done, why it's important, or as many alcoholics think, what does that have to do with me? Saturday, April 5, 2003, District 36 is hosting a Multi-District History and Archives Gathering at Central Penn College, Valley Road, Summerdale PA 17093. 

    Sign in and coffee/doughnuts 9:00-9:30.  The morning program has scheduled interviews/discussion with three Eastern PA old-timers (54, 56, 51 years).  After lunch there will be an Historians' Panel with Mel B. (Toledo OH, 53 years), Nancy O. (Wilkes-Barre PA) and Mitch K. (Washingtonville NY), then two panels on how History and Archives connect with each other.  Among the panelists are the Area 59 Archivist and AAs from Philadelphia, Baltimore, Harrisburg, and New York.  There will be Archives exhibitions from PA Districts and Intergroups, Maryland, and the Clarence S. ("Home Brewmeister") Archive now at Brown University. The Gathering will close at 5:00.

MORE  THAN AN HOUR OF JOY IN MT. JOY

The Mount Joy Chiques Church Group will be celebrating their 31st year of carrying the message on April 28 (Monday) starting at 8:00PM. The event will be at the Chiques United Methodist Church located one mile East of Mt Joy on Route 230. Bring a covered dish or dessert to share, join the fellowship and hear Ralph S (who has a wealth of experiences to share). This group knows how to throw an eatin' meetin' and practice the Principles in celebratory affairs. Click on the logo for the flyer.
 

Nobody can make me feel inferior,
Without my permission.

BALTIMORE ACTS OF RECOVERY

    Another FREE conference in the Acts of Recovery series will be coming to Baltimore on Saturday March 8, 2003. The Acts begin at noon and after the usual mood setting opening, Barbara B from York will discuss 'Living the Twelve Steps. Following a short break Winslow S from Pasadena, MD will humor us with 'We are not a glum lot'. A free light lunch will then be available to be followed by being 'Rocketed into the fourth dimension' by Liz N from Odenton, MD. To wrap up what promises to be an inspiring afternoon, Tom F will demonstrate 'Service thru Action', hoping he doesn't damage the microphone while doing it. This event will again be held in the Hunting Ridge Presbyterian Church, 4640 Edmondson Ave, Baltimore. From Harrisburg, take Interstate 83 South to the Baltimore Beltway (695) to Exit 15A (Rt 40 East). Go 2.2 miles to Church on your left; ample parking available in church lot. Tapes will be available from SOS Tapes, Richmond, VA

CHATHAM SPONSORSHIP ANNIVERSARY

    The Sponsorship Group of Chatham, NJ will be celebrating their 2nd year of carrying the message with a dinner speaker meeting Sunday, March 9, 2003. NO DUES - NO FEES. Dinner will be from 6:30 till 7:30PM, followed by the speakers, Tom F from the Harbor City Group, and Clancy I from the Pacific Group. Directions are contained on the flyer, which you can access from the blue AA button near the top of the page.

New Meetings and CHANGES

    The Joy of Living Group, which meets at Fellowship House at 6:00PM Wednesdays, needs your support. Due to a lack of secretaries and Tina's recent illness, the Joy of Living Group will not be holding it's weekly Wednesday night 6:00 pm meeting until further notice. Anyone who wishes to secretary the meeting can contact Tina by email at spicee308@aol.com or phone 503-5814.

    The Progress Group's Wednesday 8:30PM Mystery Topic Meeting at the Ridgeway Community Church at Elmerton and Progress Avenue is in need of support. Several of the regular members are unable to attend currently for various reasons. Why not join in practicing the First Tradition by helping them weather this storm.

Adversity introduces us to ourselves.

Pearl of the Month contributed by Jim M, c. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions..........Page, 35
  
    Maybe all this sounds mysterious and remote, something like Einstein's theory of relativity or a proposition in nuclear physics.  It isn't at all.  Let's look at how practical it actually is.  Every man and woman who has joined A. A. and intends to stick has, without realizing it, made a beginning on Step Three.  Isn't it true that in all matters touching upon alcohol, each of them has decided to turn his or her life over to the care, protection, and guidance of Alcoholics Anonymous?  Already a willingness has been achieved to cast out one's own will and one's own ideas about the alcohol problem in favor of those suggested by A. A.  Any willing newcomer feels sure A. A. is the only safe harbor for the foundering vessel he has become.  Now if this is not turning one's will and life over to a newfound Providence, then what is it?


The express elevator to sobriety doesn't work,
 Please use the Steps.


Free Speaker Tapes and other stuff from The Primary Purpose

    There is a nifty new website that has free downloads of AA speaker tapes. It also has a free 'streambox ripper' program that you can download so that you can convert the speaker audio file you download to mp3 or wave format. Mp3 is a smaller file for storage on your computer, but if you have a CD burner, you can use wave format to make CDs that are playable on any CD player. The site has flyers for events of interest in PA and NJ, and other recovery related stuff. Check it out!  http://theprimarypurpose.no-ip.org  This site is back up and bigger and better than ever, with new talks, links to other sites and flyers for events.

Surfing The Web

    Two of the most fascinating organizations that played a pivotal role in the birth and growth of Alcoholics Anonymous were The Oxford Group and, long before them, the Washington Temperance Society, better known to us as “The Washingtonians.  Now, complete histories of both these groups are available on the internet.  Not only do they make good reading, but also they provide insight into why and how we are so fortunate today to have AA as our spiritual bedrock and why we so closely guard the traditions that guide our behavior day by day. You can find thousands of websites relative to these organizations if you simply punch up “Oxford Groups” or “The Washingtonians” on your computer’s search engine.
    If you would rather not wade through all those sites, we recommend the following addresses: http://www.recovery.org/aa/misc/oxford.html; and http://www.historyofaa.com/Washingtonians/wash1.html. To newcomers, the names of these organizations may mean nothing at all. But those of us who have been around a few 24’s know that it is groups such as these and their individual members to whom Bill W. refers when he talks about how much we owe those who went before.  In addition to these web addresses, we will make available a few “hard” copies of each history in the Harrisburg Area Intergroup office.  Anyone who is serious about recovery will want to read them.  There is a truth that says something to the effect that knowing the road we’ve already traveled makes the path ahead of us just that much clearer to follow.

Contributed by Bill C from the Halifax Group


 MARCH SPEAKERS

The 19th Street speakers for Mar 7, John R; Mar 14, Robert B; Mar 21, Chris D; and Mar 28 is anniversary night. The Hershey speaker for Saturday Mar 1, 2003 is Jared L from Elizabethtown Groups at 8:00PM, the speaker for April 5, will be Chet H from Hershey. The 8:00PM Bridge Street Speakers will be: Mar 2, Mary Beth from Bridge Street; Mar 9, ________; Mar 16, Sara from Happy Destiny Group; and Mar 23, Barry H from Bridge Street. A Higher Power will determine the speakers at the Middletown Survivors 7:00PM meetings on Mar 20 and 27.

YORK MEETING LISTS

    The York District 45 Area Intergroup now has a website for those interested in getting meeting information in the York area. http://www.york-pa-aa.org York has some really active Groups that can safely satisfy your sense of adventure by taking a sojourn with AA friends and making some new friends. Our First Tradition concerns UNITY which includes the concept of carrying the message (and receiving it) near and far.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

From "A Simple Recognition"
Contributed by DonnaJean from Fellowship House

    When I was in my late teens and early twenties I used to drink to excess on a fairly regular basis.  I recall one day sitting on my porch drunk and very depressed.  Some misguided person who was visiting tried to cheer me by telling me how wonderful a human being I was.  Well that was the trouble, wasn’t it?  I wasn’t at all a wonderful human being.  In fact I felt quite empty. 

    I recall this with somewhat an interesting mix of humor and urgency, because I feel the great secret that has never been a secret is that I am indeed quite empty!  Today I view it as a wonderful revelation of the world and myself as a natural part of the world. 

    If I empty myself of my ideas of what a friend should be  I have  endless opportunities to make friends.  If I can experience my fellow human beings as human beings who each have their own life, ideas, opinions, preferences, and perceptions then I can grow by getting to know these things and allow them to be part of me.  On the other hand, if I expect them to have ideas like mine, opinions like mine, preferences like mine, and perceptions like mine I am apt to be looking for something which is not there. 

    If I have expectations due to preconceived ideas of what I want someone to be, how ever could they live up to it?  I will have done both them and myself a great injustice by not allowing myself to know who they really are.

Service to another Alcoholic
   We are fortunate to have Bob B volunteer to take over the responsibilities of Central Office Chair, and wish him every success in this difficult endeavor. Bob has already assumed the duties of managing the office and getting our answering service running smoothly, by appointing a committee to study the phone volunteer system to identify changes that could benefit users at both ends of the line. He will certainly appreciate your help in assuring that the hand of AA is there for the struggling alcoholic, or the traveler who needs meeting information. Why not give Bob a call at 838-9117 to offer a helping hand or volunteer through your Intergroup Rep. Central Office needs phone volunteers to handle the phone during the day to help reduce the burden on the cell phone volunteer. This is rewarding service work, and Central Office hours are pretty flexible. Are you looking for service work for sponsees, with a year or more of sobriety , to assure them being part of  instead of apart from recovery? Maybe this would be the perfect match.

Traditions Checklist*

TRADITION THREE: The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking.

  1. In my mind, do I prejudge some new AA members as losers?
  2. Is there some kind of alcoholic who I privately do not want in my AA group?
  3. Do I set myself up as a judge of whether a newcomer is sincere or phony?
  4. Do I let language, religion (or lack of it), race, education, age, or other such things interfere with my carrying the message?
  5. Am I over-impressed by a celebrity? By a doctor, a clergyman, an ex-convict? Or can I just treat this new member simply and naturally as one more sick human, like the rest of us?
  6. When someone turns up at AA needing information or help (even if he can't ask for it aloud), does it really matter what he does for a living? Where he lives? What his domestic arrangements are? Whether he had been to AA before? What his other problems are?

*The Traditions Checklist Questions were originally published in the AA Grapevine in conjunction with a series on the Twelve Traditions that began in November 1969, and ran through September 1971. Sobriety News prints the Checklist for the number of the month that corresponds to the number of the Tradition that it deals with, because of the prohibitive length of all twelve. It is important that we be aware of the Twelve Traditions in our lives of recovery, because they help assure that AA will continue to be here for us, and for others who want it.
Printed by permission. THE AA GRAPEVINE INC., PO BOX 1980, GRAND CENTRAL STATION, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10163-1980

FAITH = Finding Answers In The Heart

This-n-That

    Don't forget the Harrisburg Area Intergroup meeting Thursday the 6th of March at 6:45pm, and the District 36 General Service Rep meeting on Monday March 10th at 6:30; both meetings need your support. The Intergroup Bookstore is still open for business following the HAI meeting and on Saturday mornings from 10:00 till 11:15 for Groups to restock their literature cabinets with books and pamphlets.

    There's More To Life Group's 14th Anniversary meeting will be Friday April 25th. This event will be in the fellowship room of the Community United Methodist Church at 16th and Bridge Street, New Cumberland. Use the 16th Street entrance. The speaker will be Mike C (Irish Mike) from 40th St via Limerick, Ireland. Fellowship and snacks will be available from 5:30 till 6:30PM, and the speaker meeting will be from 6:30 till 7:30 PM. A copy of the flyer is available on the links page, or click on the chip at left.

We apologize for the previous erroneous listing on the meeting schedule of a Saturday night meeting in Dillsburg. The Dillsburg meetings are Monday 8:01PM, Wednesday 7:01PM, and Friday 8:01PM.

My serenity is directly proportional
to my level of Acceptance.

 

February Intergroup Meeting

    At the February meeting new Intergroup Reps. Andrew from Ain’t You Had Enough, Mike from 40th Street, Iris from the Women’s Serenity Group and Ken from Chapter 9 were introduced. There was an election of new Intergroup Officers for the coming year. Our chairperson will be Bill C from Winding It Up, Vice-chair Rich E from the Middletown Groups, Secretary Elaine S from Bridge Street, and Treasurer Tom K from Winding It Up. Give them all a hand for accepting this important service work, which enriches all of our lives. Bob B gave a report on telephones and announced a committee of Elaine S (Bridge St), Dennis H (TMTL), and Joe C (Monday Nite Men's) to work on streamlining the cell phone process. Joe C announced that the Gaudenzia meeting needs literature to help facilitate their meetings; it was voted to supply them with 15 soft-cover Big Books. Hershey brought the meetings to the Harrisburg State Hospital in February and the Dillsburg Group will serve in March. The West Shore Group had the cell phone for February and 40th Street will answer calls during March. Will your group be serving during April. The Middletown Groups will be bringing a meeting to Gaudenzia on Wednesdays at 7:00PM for the next 13 weeks. Cathy S on behalf of the Unity Committee reported that some groups have given feedback that they don't attend Intergroup meetings because of the smoking. The Reps voted to make the Intergroup meeting on April 3 a non-smoking meeting to see if that affects attendance and reconsider making that permanent if attendance improves. Bill C reported that the duplicating of small quantities of current schedules for sale at the bookstore is proceeding smoothly. Bill P on behalf of the Activities Committee announced that the annual Easter Egg Hunt will be held again at Fort Hunter Park, starting at noon on April 19; egg fillers and/or cash donations will be appreciated to make this a success for recovering families with children. (Flyer available on Links Page) The February meeting was attended by Reps from 19th Street, 40th Street, Ain't You Had Enough, Al-anon, Bridge Street, Chapter 9, Concordia, CV Intergroup, Dillsburg, Harrisburg Area Men's, Hershey, KIS Big Book - Carlisle, Millersburg Unity, Never Too Young, Survivors, There's More to Life, Trudgers, West Shore, West Shore Women, and Winding It Up. Did you and your group have a voice?

Groups Continue Supporting Intergroup
 Group contributions during the month of February to the Intergroup Fund were $35. We thank the following 2 groups for their contributions: Winding It Up, and 19th Street. This contrasts with January's contributions of $813. Of course, we also would like to thank all the groups and members who continue to donate time toward Intergroup's activities. These activities include speaker meetings, picnics, men and women's prison meetings, State Hospital visits, Internet Website, meeting schedules, literature, the AA Hotline, and the many other vital AA functions that help alcoholics recover in our community. Intergroup performs those services for our community which no single group is prepared to handle, and it coordinates activities between the 56 groups it serves. Remember that we can do together what none of us could do alone.

SOBRIETY NEWS is published monthly, and is usually available on the website the Tuesday night before the first Thursday of each month, so paper copies can be distributed to Reps at the Intergroup meeting. You can locate this newsletter, as well as lots of other stuff that would interest members of groups belonging to the Harrisburg Area Intergroup, at http://www.aaharrisburg.org

REMOVAL
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Additional Information: info@aaharrisburg.org