HE A.A. S ERVICE ANUAL - Alcoholics Anonymous :

220 Pages·2015·1.35 MB·English

T
H
E
A
.A
. S
E
R
V
IC
E
M
A
N
U
A
L

co THE A.A. SERVICE MANUAL
m
b
in
e
d
w
ith combined with

T
W
E
L
V
E TWELVE CONCEPTS
C
O
N
C
E FOR WORLD SERVICE
P
T
S
F
O
R
W by Bill W.
O
R
L
D
S
E
R
V
IC
E

A
.A
. W
o
rld
S
e
rv 2021-2023 Edition
BM-31 The A.A. Service Manual combined with Twelve Concepts for World Service, 2021-2023 ice
s
This is A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature. , In REVISED AND UPDATED
c
.
AAAA__sseerrvviiccee__mmaannuuaall__CCOOVVEERR__EENN__SSPP__FFRR..iinndddd 11 1111//11//2211 99::2288 AAMM
THE A.A. SERVICE MANUAL
combined with
TWELVE CONCEPTS
FOR WORLD SERVICE
by Bill W.
I
The A.A. Preamble
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS® is a fellowship of people who share their experience, strength
and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to
recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.
There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership; we are self-supporting through our own
contributions. A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization, or
institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any
causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.
Copyright © by AA Grapevine Inc.; reprinted with permission.
A Declaration of Unity
This we owe to A.A.’s future; to place our common welfare first; to keep our Fellowship
united. For on A.A. unity depend our lives, and the lives of those to come.
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.
Revised: May 2021
Copyright ©2021, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Mail address: Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York, N.Y. 10163
www.aa.org
ISBN 978-1-64427-835-2
A.A. and Alcoholics Anonymous are registered trademarks® of
Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
50M – 11/21 (WR) / Printed in U.S.A
II THE A.A. SERVICE MANUAL
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOREWORD ................................................................................................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION Welcome to General Service! ......................................................................... 2
The Meaning of General Service ....................................................................... 2
How General Service Is Organized ................................................................... 3
How General Service Functions ........................................................................ 4
FAQs ......................................................................................................................... 6
CHAPTER 1 The Group and Its General Service Representative ............................. 7
What It Means to Be a GSR ..................................................................................7
Qualifications for GSR ...........................................................................................7
Term of Office .........................................................................................................8
Duties & Responsibilities ......................................................................................8
To the Newly Elected GSR ...................................................................................9
The Service Sponsor .............................................................................................9
Making Reports ....................................................................................................10
Travel Expenses ...................................................................................................11
The Alternate GSR ...............................................................................................11
FAQs ........................................................................................................................12
CHAPTER 2 The District and Its District Committee Member ..................................13
Two Types of Districts .........................................................................................13
What It Means to Be a DCM ...............................................................................13
Members of a District Committee ....................................................................14
Qualifications for DCM ........................................................................................14
Term of Office .......................................................................................................15
Duties & Responsibilities ....................................................................................15
To the Newly Elected DCM ................................................................................16
The Service Sponsor ...........................................................................................16
Travel Expenses ...................................................................................................16
The Alternate DCM ..............................................................................................16
FAQs ........................................................................................................................17
III
CHAPTER 3 The Area Assembly and Its Activities ...........................................................18
Purpose ..................................................................................................................19
Composition ..........................................................................................................19
Election Assemblies ............................................................................................19
Regular (Non-Election) Assemblies ..................................................................19
Eligibility to Vote .................................................................................................20
Practices and Procedures ...................................................................................20
Timing and Location of Assemblies .................................................................20
Sending Minutes to G.S.O. ..................................................................................20
Area Activities ......................................................................................................21
Working with Local Intergroup/Central Offices .............................................24
FAQs ........................................................................................................................25
CHAPTER 4 The Area Committee .........................................................................................26
Composition ..........................................................................................................26
Area Officers: Qualifications & Duties ..............................................................26
Other Area Officers ..............................................................................................28
Alternate Committee Officers ............................................................................29
Roles in the Area for Past Delegates ................................................................29
Financial Support for the Area .........................................................................30
FAQs ........................................................................................................................31
CHAPTER 5 The Delegate ........................................................................................................32
How the Fellowship Supports Its Delegates ..................................................32
Duties & Responsibilities ....................................................................................32
Qualifications ........................................................................................................33
Term of Office .......................................................................................................34
The Alternate Delegate .......................................................................................34
Preparing for the Annual Conference ..............................................................34
Expenses ...............................................................................................................35
Logistics .................................................................................................................35
Reporting Back .....................................................................................................36
FAQs ........................................................................................................................38
IV THE A.A. SERVICE MANUAL
CHAPTER 6 The Annual General Service Conference .....................................................39
What Goes On at the Conference .....................................................................39
Conference Membership ....................................................................................40
How the Conference Operates ..........................................................................41
Processes & Procedures ......................................................................................41
Sources of Agenda Items ....................................................................................42
Reporting to the Membership ...........................................................................42
FAQs ........................................................................................................................43
CHAPTER 7 Conference Committees ....................................................................................44
Committee Activity .............................................................................................44
Selection of Committee Members ....................................................................44
Electing Committee Chairs ................................................................................44
Conference Committees .....................................................................................45
Secondary Committees .......................................................................................47
FAQs ........................................................................................................................48
CHAPTER 8 The General Service Board .............................................................................49
Mission, Vision, Action Statement ...................................................................49
Time Considerations ...........................................................................................50
Composition ..........................................................................................................50
Nonalcoholic (Class A) Trustees ........................................................................51
Alcoholic (Class B) Trustees ...............................................................................52
Chair, General Service Board ............................................................................57
Trustees Emeriti ...................................................................................................57
General Service Board Committees .................................................................57
General Sharing Session ....................................................................................60
Trustee Participation at Special Service Events ............................................61
FAQs ........................................................................................................................62
V
CHAPTER 9 The Board’s Operating Corporations ...........................................................63
Board Oversight ...................................................................................................63
Trustees’ Finance and Budgetary Committee ................................................63
The General Service Board Reserve Fund ......................................................64
Trademarks, Logos and Copyrights .................................................................64
A.A.W.S. Corporate Board ...................................................................................65
AA Grapevine, Inc. ..............................................................................................66
Nontrustee Directors for A.A.W.S. & Grapevine .............................................67
FAQs ........................................................................................................................68
CHAPTER 10 The General Service Office ..............................................................................69
Structure ................................................................................................................69
Purpose ..................................................................................................................69
Staffing ...................................................................................................................69
Financial Support for G.S.O. ..............................................................................69
FAQs ........................................................................................................................71
CHAPTER 11 A.A. World Services, Inc. .................................................................................72
Services ..................................................................................................................72
Publishing ..............................................................................................................75
Finance ..................................................................................................................77
Archives .................................................................................................................77
FAQs ........................................................................................................................78
CHAPTER 12 AA Grapevine, Inc. .............................................................................................79
Structure and Staff ...............................................................................................79
Editorial Focus .....................................................................................................81
Role of the Conference ........................................................................................81
Editorial Advisory Boards ..................................................................................81
Content-Related Items .........................................................................................82
Grapevine Website/La Viña Website ................................................................82
Grapevine Story Archive ....................................................................................83
The Grapevine Representative (GVR)
and La Viña Representative (RLV) ................................................................83
Logo and Artwork ................................................................................................83
FAQs ........................................................................................................................84
VI THE A.A. SERVICE MANUAL
GLOSSARY
OF TERMS ..................................................................................................................................85
MAPS ..................................................................................................................................88
A. U.S./Canada General Service Conference — by Area
B. U.S./Canada General Service Conference — by Region
APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................................91
A. “A.A.’s Legacy of Service,” Bill W. (1951) .....................................................91
B. The Twelve Traditions — Short and Long Forms ...................................101
C. Charts: Structure of U.S. / Canada
General Service Conference .......................................................................103
D. Sample Area Meeting Formats ..................................................................105
E. The Principle of Rotation ............................................................................107
F. Changing Boundaries ...................................................................................108
G. Third Legacy Procedure ..............................................................................110
H. New Group Form (Sample) .........................................................................112
I. Group Information Change Form (Sample) .............................................113
J. DCM and DCMC Change Form (Sample) .................................................114
K. Conference Charter ......................................................................................115
Original ............................................................................................................115
Current .............................................................................................................119
L. Resolution Authorizing the General Service Conference .....................123
M. Conference Panels ........................................................................................125
N. Trademarks, Logos and Copyrights ..........................................................128
O. Bylaws of the General Service Board
of Alcoholics Anonymous, Inc. ..................................................................129
P. Bylaws of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. .......................139
Q. Bylaws of AA Grapevine, Inc. ....................................................................147
R. Select List of Literature Published by A.A.W.S. and Grapevine ...........155
S. General Service and Intergroup/Central Offices ....................................160
T. Brief History of the Grapevine ...................................................................163
U. The Path for an Idea to Become an Agenda Item ...................................164
V. Stimulating Interest in General Service ....................................................165
W. How the Conference Operates ....................................................................166
INDEX ................................................................................................................................169
VII
A.A. International Convention,
St. Louis, Missouri, 1955
VIII THE A.A. SERVICE MANUAL
FOREWORD
A.A.’S LEGACY OF SERVICE
by BILL W.
Our Twelfth Step — carrying the message — is the basic service that the A.A.
Fellowship gives; this is our principal aim and the main reason for our existence.
Therefore, A.A. is more than a set of principles; it is a society of alcoholics in
action. We must carry the message, else we ourselves can wither and those who
haven’t been given the truth may die.
Hence, an A.A. service is anything whatever that At this time, we realized that A.A. had grown up,
helps us to reach a fellow sufferer — ranging all the that our Fellowship was ready and able to take these
way from the Twelfth Step itself to a ten-cent phone responsibilities from us. There was also another
call and a cup of coffee, and to A.A.’s General urgent reason for change. Since we oldtimers couldn’t
Service Office for national and international action. live on forever, newer trustees would be virtually
The sum total of all these services is our Third Legacy unknown to the A.A. groups, now spread over the
of Service. whole earth. Without direct linkage to A.A., future
trustees couldn’t possibly function alone.
Services include meeting places, hospital cooperation,
and intergroup offices; they mean pamphlets, books, This meant that we had to form a conference
and good publicity of almost every description. representing our membership which could meet
They call for committees, delegates, trustees, and yearly with our board of trustees in New York, and
conferences. And, not to be forgotten, they need thus assume direct responsibility for the guardianship
voluntary money contributions from within the of A.A. tradition and the direction of our principal
Fellowship. service affairs. Otherwise, a virtually unknown board
of trustees and our too little understood service
These services, whether performed by individuals,
headquarters operations would someday be bound to
groups, areas, or A.A. as a whole, are utterly vital
face collapse.
to our existence and growth. Nor can we make A.A.
more simple by abolishing such services. We would Suppose that future trustees, acting quite on their
only be asking for complication and confusion. own, were to make a serious blunder. Suppose that
with no linkage to A.A., they tried to act for us in time
Concerning any given service, we therefore pose but
of great trouble or crisis. With no direct guidance from
one question: “Is this service really needed?” If it is,
A.A. as a whole, how could they do this? Collapse
then maintain it we must, or fail in our mission to
of our top services would then be inevitable. And if,
those who need and seek A.A.
under such conditions, our world services did fall
The most vital, yet least understood, group of services apart, how could they ever be reconstructed?
that A.A. has are those that enable us to function as a
These, briefly, were the conclusions that led to the
whole, namely: the General Service Office, A.A. World
formation of the General Service Conference of
Services, Inc., AA Grapevine, Inc., and our board of
Alcoholics Anonymous. Later, I will outline in more
trustees, known legally as the General Service Board
detail the events that have now become A.A. history.
of Alcoholics Anonymous. Our worldwide unity and
(See Appendix A for the full text of this article.)
much of our growth since early times are directly
traceable to this cluster of life-giving activities.
Until 1950, these overall services were the sole
function of a few oldtime A.A.’s, several nonalcoholic
friends, Doctor Bob, and me. For all the years of A.A.’s
infancy, we oldtimers had been the self-appointed
trustees for Alcoholics Anonymous.
1