Sobriety News
 January 2004

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.

January 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 us 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.

 

 

ACTS OF RECOVERY

There will be another Acts on January 10, 2004, in York, at the Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 311 Haines Road. As usual, this free conference will start at noon and run till 5:00PM. The first speaker will be Greg W from Harrisburg, "Full Flight From Reality", followed by Liz D from Baltimore, with "The Hole In The Soul". After a free Light Lunch will be Richard M from Ellicott City, MD, "Rocketed Into A Fourth Dimension", and wrapping up this inspiring afternoon will be  Shannon P, from Alexandria, VA, with "Principles In All Our Affairs".

There will be another Acts at the Falls Church Episcopal Church, 115 E. Fairfax Street, Falls Church, VA, the following Saturday, January 17. Speakers will be Matt C from York, PA, "Program of Action", Sharon H. from Alexandria, VA, with "New Way of Life", Kolin M from Sacramento, CA, with "Spiritual Awakening", and Bobbie S from Silver Spring, MD, with "Maintenance and Growth". The program will follow the same format as above, and include a break in the middle for a free light lunch. You can get the flyer from the links page.

Philadelphia will be host to the February 7 Acts at the Princeton Presbyterian Church in Springfield. This, like all Acts of Recovery will be a FREE mini-conference, including free light lunch, running from noon till 5:00PM. The speakers will be: Jane C from York, "Principles, in All My Affairs"; Jim B from Chatham, NJ "Institutions and Alcoholics Anonymous"; Liz N from Baltimore "God is Everything"; and Jason K from Philadelphia "Love and Service". All three of the flyers are available on the links page.

Hershey Annual Holiday Dinner

The Hershey Group again hosted their annual Holiday Celebration with an outrageously splendid dinner and speaker meeting, December 13, 2003, at the Derry Presbyterian Church. Dinner of Ham and Turkey was enjoyed from 6 till 8:00PM with plentiful side dishes and desserts provided by gracious guests. The speaker Carlos I from Philadelphia, shared a story to a full house, of three drinking tours in the military, contrasted to his most recent tour, sober. He emphasized the need to be true to ones self by avoiding those people places and things that used to lead to drink. He expressed his gratitude for the new way of life he has found from meetings wherever he travels, and for the Big Book he carries with him.

Joy Of Living Christmas

As recovering alcoholics we appreciate the efforts of all those who, in making amends for their past or just doing service for God's smaller kids, contribute, that the Christmas season may be a little brighter for families that have suffered from the blight of alcoholism.

The Joy of Living hosted its 5th Annual Christmas Party for children of recovery families on December 20, 2003, at the Fellowship House. As usual, the children were excited about the gifts and Santa. They would like to give out a special thanks to Steve (19th St.) who impersonated Santa, Linda (19th Street) and Kathy S. (Lykens Group) for their above and beyond support of this event. Once again, they thank you for your support of wrapped gifts, financial support, and assistance at the event.
 

            "All life is an experiment"
               -Ralph Waldo Emerson-
 

New Meetings and Changes

Babysitting Service at the Way Out Group has been discontinued as a result of an apparent lack of demand.

The renovations to the Pine Street Presbyterian Church are completed. The meetings returned to their regular quarters at the Pine Street Group starting December 15. The regular meeting place will be Pine Street Presbyterian, Boyd Center, 234 South Street, Harrisburg. There will no longer be a meeting at the 27 North Cameron address.

The Millersburg meeting has revived and has been returned to the meeting schedule. The Millersburg Area Group will meet Mondays at 7:30PM, at the New Life Center on Center Street in Millersburg. Welcome back.

The Sunday night 6:00PM Never Too Young For Recovery Group, which met at Fellowship House, is no longer meeting, and has been removed from the schedule.

There is a new Big Book Study Group started Tuesday September 9th at the Faith United Church of Christ, 1120 Drexel Hills Boulevard, New Cumberland. Bring your Big Book and check it out. Directions: 83 South - New Cumberland Exit 40B turn left at the light. Go straight at the light at 83 overpass, Drexel Hills Blvd is @ one block, where you turn right. Church on the right.

The Bridge Street 8:00PM open discussion meeting at the Trinity United Methodist Church is asking for your support.

The Progress Group's 7:15PM Step & Tradition Meeting at the Ridgeway Community Church at Elmerton and Progress Avenue could use your support.

 

Anecdotage (NEW ARTICLE - Please submit your favorites)

When asked, I answered, "Patience with others is Love, Patience with self is Hope, Patience with God is Faith"
-Adel Bestavros-
 

Pearl of the Month contributed by Charlotte F.  Alcoholics Anonymous 4th Edition pages 152-153

 You are going to meet these new friends in your community.  Near you, alcoholics are dying helplessly like people in a sinking ship.  If you live in a large place, there are hundreds.  High and low, rich and poor, these are future fellows of Alcoholics Anonymous.  Among them you will make lifelong friends.  You will be bound to them with new and wonderful ties, for you will escape disaster together and you will commence shoulder to shoulder your common journey.  Then you will know what it means to give of yourself that others may survive and rediscover life.   You will learn the full meaning of "Love thy neighbor as thyself."


 January Speakers 

The 19th Street speakers for the month of January are: Jan 4, Rod R; Jan 11, Megan D; Jan 18, Jared; and Jan 25, Jersey Dave. Jan 30 is Anniversary Night. The Hershey Group's Speaker for January 3rd will be Rod C from the Philhaven Group, and for February 7 will be Carl A from the Elizabethtown Group. The 8:00PM Bridge Street Speakers will be: Jan 4, Mac from the Stay Alive Group; Jan 11, Mose from the Monday Night Men's Group; Jan 18, Lindsay from the Dover Group; and Jan 25, Chet A from Carlisle, and Feb 1, Elaine S from the Bridge Street Group. The speakers at the Middletown Survivors 7:00PM meeting on Thursday January 22, and 29 will be those celebrating anniversaries, including Vicki H and Craig P.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Contributions are made to Food For Thought by recovering alcoholics who have this outlet to share feelings and opinions about living in recovery. The material included does not necessarily express the views of Harrisburg Area Intergroup, or Alcoholics Anonymous. It is simply an opportunity for recovering alcoholics to express thoughts they would like to share.

SECOND CHANCE
 contributed by Ron G from the 40th Street Group

DECISIONS ARE MADE EVERY SINGLE DAY,
THE END RESULT IS NEVER FOR SURE.
HOPE AND FAITH SEEM TO PAVE THE WAY,
WRONG DECISIONS ROCK ME TO THE CORE.

HIND SIGHT IS PERFECT, IT OFTEN MAKES ME SAD,
I SEE THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS I HAVE LOST.
AN ETERNITY OF TURMOIL OF WHAT I MIGHT HAVE,
MOST DAYS I REGRET THE PERSONAL COST.

THE ALMIGHTY RULES OVER ALL OUR DAYS,
HE GUIDES ME ALONG WHEN I ASK FOR HIS HELP.
IN SELFISHNESS I SEEM TO LOSE MY WAY,
IT'S A PAINFUL THING TO BE CONSUMED BY SELF.

WHEN THE LIGHT SHINES THROUGH AND THE HAZE DISAPPEARS,
MY SOUL BREAKS FREE AND MY SPIRIT CAN DANCE.
I'M FREED FROM MY PRISON OF BLINDNESS AND FEAR,
I HAVE GRATITUDE UNENDING FOR A SECOND CHANCE.


                                       
Service to another Alcoholic
Bob B has assumed the duties of managing the office and getting our answering service running smoothly. 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 to identify changes that could benefit users at both ends of the line? Central Office needs phone volunteers to handle the phone during the day to help reduce the burden on the cell phone volunteer.

Traditions Checklist: 

TRADITION ONE: Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon AA unity.

  1. Am I in my group a healing, mending, integrating person, or am I divisive? What about gossip and taking other members' inventories?
  2. Am I a peacemaker? Or do I, with pious preludes such as "just for the sake of discussion," plunge into argument?
  3. Am I gentle with those who rub me the wrong way, or am I abrasive?
  4. Do I make competitive AA remarks, such as comparing one group with another or contrasting AA in one place with AA in another?
  5. Do I put down some AA activities as if I were superior for not participating in this or that aspect of AA?
  6. Am I informed about AA as a whole? Do I support, in every way I can, AA as a whole, or just the parts I understand and approve of?
  7. Am I as considerate of AA members as I want them to be of me?
  8. Do I spout platitudes about love while indulging in and secretly justifying behavior that bristles with hostility?
  9. Do I go to enough AA meetings or read enough AA literature to really keep in touch?
  10. Do I share with AA all of me, the bad and the good, accepting as well as giving the help of fellowship?


*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

This-n-That

Don't forget the Harrisburg Area Intergroup meeting Thursday January 8, at 6:45pm, and the District 36 General Service Rep meeting on Monday January 12, 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.

 

WE LEARNED THAT WE HAD TO FULLY CONCEDE TO OUR INNERMOST SELVES THAT WE WERE ALCOHOLICS.  THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN RECOVERY.  THE DELUSION THAT WE ARE LIKE OTHER PEOPLE, OR PRESENTLY MAY BE, HAS TO BE SMASHED.
-Alcoholics Anonymous p.30-


December Intergroup Meeting
(no smoking please)

At the December meeting of Intergroup, the date selected for the HAI dinner and speaker event has been scheduled for February 21, 2004.  The speaker is Vicki from Ohio and entertainment is being provided by Rosey and The Naturals for a few hours.

The State Hospital was covered in December by Monday Night Men's Group, and There's More to Life will take the opportunity in January; also, the Way Out Group volunteered for February.  The Monday Night Men's will respond to cell phone calls in January.  Incidentally, the total number of cell phone calls responded to through the month of October was 1171.  The Middletown Trudgers Group will be visiting the Gaudenzia Adolescent Center for January, February, and March. Attending the December> meeting were: 19th Street, 40th Street, Al-Anon, Any Lengths, Bridge St., Concordia, Central Office, Hershey, Living Sober, Monday Night Men's, Monday Night Trinity Women, Progress Ave., Survivors, Trudgers, The Way Out, West Shore Area, and Winding It Up. Was your group represented?

Groups Continue Supporting Intergroup
 Group contributions to the Intergroup Fund during the month of December were $650.00.  We thank the following 3 groups for their contributions: Stay Alive Group, 40th Street Group and the Living Sober Group. 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 men and women's prison meetings, State Hospital visits, Internet Website, meeting schedules, speaker meetings, picnics, 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

INTERNET SOBRIETY NEWS SUBSCRIPTIONS
 Sobriety News is e-mailed monthly to free subscribers who have indicated a desire to receive it. You may indicate a wish to be added to the mailing list by clicking on Subscribe  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.

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