*** Monday Seeking Serenity - Al-Anon Suggested Welcome ***
We welcome you to the Monday Seeking Serenity Al-Anon Family Group and hope you will find in this fellowship the help and friendship we have been privileged to enjoy. We who live, or have lived, with the problem of alcoholism understand as perhaps few others can. We too, were lonely and frustrated, but in Al-Anon we discover that no situation is really hopeless, and that it is possible for us to find contentment and even happiness, whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not.
We urge you to try our program. It has helped many of us find solutions that lead to serenity. So much depends on our own attitudes, and as we learn to place our problem in its true perspective, we find it loses its power to dominate our thoughts and our lives. The family situation is bound to improve as we apply the Al-Anon ideas. Without such spiritual help, living with an alcoholic is too much for most of us. Our thinking becomes distorted by trying to force solutions, and we become irritable and unreasonable without knowing it.
The Al-Anon program is based on the Twelve Steps (adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous), which we try, little by little, one day at a time, to apply to our lives, along with our slogans and the Serenity Prayer. The loving interchange of help among members and daily reading of Al-Anon literature thus make us ready to receive the priceless gift of serenity.
Al-Anon is an anonymous fellowship. Everything that is said here, in the group meeting and member-to-member, must be held in confidence. Only in this way can we feel free to say what is in our minds and hearts, for this is how we help one another in Al-Anon.
Preamble
The Al-Anon Family Groups are a fellowship of relatives and friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength, and hope in order to solve their common problems. We believe alcoholism is a family illness and that changed attitudes can aid recovery.
Al-Anon is not allied with any sect, denomination, political entity, organization, or institution; does not engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any cause. There are no dues for membership. Al-Anon is self-supporting through its own voluntary contributions. Al-Anon has but one purpose: to help families of alcoholics. We do this by practicing the Twelve Steps, by welcoming and giving comfort to families of alcoholics, and by giving understanding and encouragement to the alcoholic.
Crosstalk
Our Group Conscience discourages “crosstalk”, that is to say: interrupting, commenting directly on or responding directly to the share of another, advice giving or having side conversations during the meeting.
We now read the Twelve Steps & the Tradition of the month
• Will two people please read 6 steps each, and then someone please read this month’s tradition?
• Next, we go around the room and introduce ourselves by our first name. You may pass if you wish.
• Are there any new comers here to Al-Anon here? (If Yes, “Welcome…” Read the Newcomer Welcome Page)
• May I ask for a volunteer to be our spiritual timekeeper?
• Would someone please read from today’s page from “Courage to Change”?
• May I ask for a speaker to share their experience, strength and hope for 10 minutes, someone that has not qualified here in the last 3 months. Do you want any minute warnings?
After Qualification, Shares Begin
• I will be selecting people to share since I can see everyone. If someone would like to share, you can raise your hand electronically, you can simply wave your hand on camera, or if you are on a phone you can press *9 to raise your hand. Shares are 3 minutes long with a 1 minute warning. Also please keep yourself muted if you are not speaking. (If there are less then maybe 15 people in the room, we can have 4 minute shares.)
7th Tradition Break at 2 PM
• It is now time for our treasury break. Is our treasurer here today?
• Is our literature person here today?
• Are there any Al-Anon related announcements?
Back to Shares Until 2:30 PM (we can go longer for zoom meetings)
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Al-Anon Closing
In closing I would like to say that the opinions expressed here were strictly those of the person who gave them. Take what you liked and leave the rest.The things you heard were spoken in confidence and should be treated as confidential. Keep them within the walls of this room and the confines of your mind.
A few special words to those of you who haven’t been with us long: Whatever your problems there are those among us who have had them, too. If you try to keep an open mind you will find help. You will come to realize that there is no situation too difficult to be bettered and no unhappiness too great to be lessened.
We aren’t perfect. The welcome we give you may not show the warmth we have in our hearts for you. After a while, you’ll discover that though you may not like all of us you’ll love us in a very special way, the same way we already love you.
Talk to each other, reason things out with someone else but let there be no gossip or criticism of one another. Instead, let the understanding love and peace of the program grow in you one day at a time.
Will all who care to, please un-mute yourself and join me in the closing prayer?