The Delegate Binder
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The Delegate Binder Of the 33rd Annual Business Conference ADULT CHILDREN OF ALCOHOLICS ® / DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES WORLD SERVICE ORGANIZATION, INC. Held virtually, across the globe April 23rd and 24th, 2020 2 A Letter from the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees Dear fellow ACAs, So much has changed since last year, when ACA delegates met for our Annual Business Conference in Sweden. This year, we gather electronically, in the midst of a global health emergency. According to ACA’s Solution, “The healing begins when we risk moving out of isolation.” That simple act, “moving out of isolation,” is more challenging than ever when the coronavirus has closed many in- person meetings and forced many of us to stay at home. Fortunately, our entire world fellowship has rallied quickly, continuing to share Experience, Strength, and Hope by telephone and video. We have met a crisis together. This year’s annual meeting is no different. Based on member input at the ACA World Service Organization’s monthly teleconference in March, the WSO board postponed the Florida ABC meeting until April 2021. The 2020 ABC is being held entirely online. With the help of fellowships in many nations, WSO also is hosting ACA’s first-ever virtual Annual World Convention. The coronavirus has placed new items on ACA’s collective agenda. How quickly will many of us meet again in person? Will virtual meetings need additional forms of support? How will we insure the flow of literature to newcomers? WSO is still engaging these issues, and we welcome your ideas and suggestions. One session at the ABC will invite us all to discuss how best to serve our fellowship during a time of pandemic. A page in the adultchildren.org website dedicated to coronavirus issues also will be updated as we learn more. Two things seem evident already. 1) Service, always important to ACA, is more essential than ever. As churches and recovery clubs have closed in recent months, ACA meetings survived because of members’ initiative. Even when the crisis ends, it is important that this spirit of fellowship service live on—so that ACA recovery may continue to grow. 2) Virtual connection is here to stay. On April 23 and 24 (eastern US time zones), the Annual Business Conference will meet entirely online for the first time, to discuss our shared business. Then, over 26 hours from April 25 to April 26, adult children across the planet will join in workshops and recovery meetings. After the ABC and AWC, WSO will schedule regular internet workshops, focused on service and recovery, allowing us to continue to practice recovery together. These virtual connections, while imperfect, have empowered us to experience ourselves as a global fellowship as we never have before. Even when the pandemic recedes and we return to our neighborhood meetings, adult children of all nations and languages will remain connected. A few notes about this year’s ABC, and about the past year in ACA World Service: 1) We have a busy ABC agenda. Delegates will debate seven ballot measures this year, compared to just two in 2019. To accommodate delegate discussion, WSO committee reports will be 3 shortened, and most delegate questions will be grouped into one open question and answer session. 2) To improve the debate experience, each ballot measure will start with open discussion, so that we can get a general idea of delegate opinion before a formal motion is introduced. The ABC Conference chair will guide discussions in a way that maximizes delegate input and minimizes parliamentary maneuvers. 3) To support the notion of “substantial unanimity,” measures must receive at least a 60 percent vote from delegates to be approved. In some cases, this may require small-group “offline” discussions to resolve differences, and this year’s ABC format provides a channel for exploring compromises when needed. 4) All of this will be done by Zoom. Since you can’t physically raise your hand, you will need to communicate through Zoom to be recognized to speak. Some glitches are inevitable. Please be patient, but also notify us by the chat function if you are not being recognized. Even in a virtual environment, we want every delegate to be heard. Finally, most of WSO’s achievements in 2019 and early 2020 are presented in the committee reports, but I want to share a few highlights: • WSO continues to grow and mature in its business operations. WSO hired a professional accounting firm to handle its financial management, and with the help of a human resources consulting firm, we are creating a consistent, professional HR structure. Our process for monitoring inventory also is being upgraded. All of this improves our accountability to the fellowship. • The European Committee has undergone a remarkable change. Majbrit M. of Denmark, who is rotating off the board, oversaw the creation of a much larger and inclusive European Committee. It now has officers and senior volunteers from Sweden (including Fredrik H., the new EC chair); Denmark, Switzerland, Finland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. • Member Services formed a global subcommittee, led by Sue V., which has assisted new fellowships in such diverse countries as Bangladesh, India, Israel, South Africa, and South Korea. Supporting all our international efforts is an improved system for guiding translation committees. • The Literature Committee neared completion of three projects that are scheduled for publication in 2020. “Getting Started” will focus on those in their first 12-18 months of recovery. “The Loving Parent Guidebook” will focus on reparenting. “Ready Set Go!!” is a guide for an in-person or virtual workshop, and is in design for publication. These projects, plus a new “ACA Bill of Rights” flier, will be released for extended fellowship comment and eventual ABC Conference approval. • The Service Network Committee is moving forward on a much-needed Fellowship Service Manual, and will give a special report on this initiative at the ABC. Even with the challenges we now face, ACA is a thriving organization. Meeting numbers continue to grow, and so have our Seventh Tradition contributions. I and the board are profoundly grateful for the fellowship’s trust. Seventh Tradition gifts are facing new challenges as most in-person meetings are suspended, but your continued contributions will enable WSO to provide essential organizational support of ACA recovery. 4 I want to close by thanking you for your service. One of ACA’s most positive developments in the last five years is the dramatic growth in volunteer participation. The number of delegates at recent ABC’s is triple what it was in 2015. Even more important, more delegates have stayed involved in WSO service committees once the annual meeting is completed. WSO is far more democratic, responsive, and creative as a result of your personal involvement. I and the board thank you in advance for taking part in the first-ever ACA online Annual Business Conference. But we earnestly hope your involvement won’t end there. The ABC will include a presentation on volunteer needs. Please look for opportunities where your gifts can help others know the joy of healing and recovery. All of ACA will be much richer if you stay involved. With great gratitude for your service, Charlie H., WSO Board of Trustees chair, on behalf of the WSO Board David McB., Vice Chair Bill D., Treasurer Jim B., Secretary Carole C., Region 2 Trustee Erin D., Trustee Majbrit M., Trustee Miles C., Trustee Rich R., Trustee Sharon F., Trustee ACA Group Statistics o Meetings: 2,505 registered meetings, up from about 2,200 a year ago. There are also hundreds of unregistered meetings in Europe and other countries that are not English language meetings. We encourage those meetings to also register with ACA World Service. o Intergroups: 106 active Intergroups. That is the same as 106 intergroups at the end of 2018. o Regions: one registered Region with others in the process of forming. 5 The Delegate Binder of the ACA World Service Organization Annual Business Conference Delegate Information … 10 The Service Network of ACA … 35 Annual Reports … 43 Ballot Proposals … 163 New Literature and Special Presentations … 179 Foundational Documents … 181 6 The 2020 Adult Children of Alcoholics, Alcoholic/Dysfunctional Families DAY 1 World Service Organization’s first-ever ‘Online’ Annual Business Conference AGENDA All times EDT (Eastern Daylight Time – North America), Zoom line opens at 8:45am 9:00-9:25 am: Introduction/Greetings • Call to order and welcome by WSO Board Chair. Readings and Serenity Prayer. • Welcome from ABC AWC Committee Chair, including an introduction of the ABC Conference Secretary, and call to ratify the ABC Conference Chair. • The Conference chair briefly explains the ground rules and explains the process for submitting floor motions. The IT Committee gives tech support reminders. 9:25-9:35 am: Approval of 2019 ABC Minutes 9:35-10:35 am: Treasurer and Committee Chair Reports Treasurer’s report will be up to 10 minutes and other reports will be limited to 5 minutes each, including delegate questions. Additional questions may be asked from 10:50-11:30 am. 10:35-10:50 am: Personal needs break (Ends with a 5 minute gentleness break at 10:45, led by a designated volunteer.) 10:50-11:30 am: Open Delegate Q&A Board and committee chairs. Continued opportunity to ask questions regarding committee reports. If committee-related questions end early, general board Q&A will complete this time block. 11:30-12:15 am: Meal Break 12:15-12:25 pm: Reconvene Refresher on the Ballot Proposal debate process. Reminder of the floor motion process. 12:25-4:00 pm: Ballot Proposal Discussions.