Central California Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous By The Way September, 2009 9960 Business Park Dr. Ste. 110, Sacramento, CA 95827 www.aasacramento.org In this Issue! Master Calendar . 2-3 Speaker Meetings . 4 Group News . 5-6 Birthdays . 6-7 Book of the Month . 8 Special Events.. 9 Delegates’ Report . 11-17 Treasurer’s Report . 18-19 Listening Ear . NEW! . 20 AA Word Search . NEW!. 21 Group Contributions . 24-25 LEADERS IN AA Due to staffing changes, The Second Tradition states: “For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a loving God as He Central Office will be closed may express Himself in our group conscience. Our lead- on Saturdays ers are but trusted servants; they do not govern.” From this I deduce that there ought to be leaders in AA; AA LIGHT —- LESS FILLING! TASTES GREAT? that these leaders ought to consult the group conscience The speaker at our meeting last week told us that after leaving rehab, regularly; that these leaders ought to be trustworthy; and she got into the “program.” She said she has lots of “program” people that these leaders ought not to be governors, dictators, in her life who help her out by talking “program” to her. or prescribers. This brings to mind the word “good” in As the years have gone by, I have been exposed to more and more of the Ninth Concept for World Service: “Good service lead- this language about the “program”. After wondering whether I was just ers, together with sound and appropriate methods of being intolerant and repeatedly taking the Tenth Step on this question. I choosing them, are at all levels indispensable for our fu- consulted old-timers, the “Big Book” and the “Twelve and Twelve” and ture functioning and safety.” gave the whole thing some serious thought. I have begun to see a pat- tern. What we have here seems to be a separate agenda. A whole other If I want to stand for election as a leader, I ought to take approach to recovery, one which is slowly replacing the plain, simple, an inventory of my motives. Do I truly want to be the ex- time-tested AA approach (which I express as: trust God, clean house and ecutive arm of the group conscience? Do I want to help others). serve—or do I want power? Am I searching for status? For example, the “program” tells us to put our own names first on our Do I think that a service leader in AA is a higher class of Eighth-Step list and declares, as if declaring and obvious truth, that we member than the ordinary members? If my answers cannot love or forgive anyone until we love and forgive ourselves. I aren’t clear, it may be better for me an d for AA that I can’t find this notion anywhere in the Big Book; it is clearly derived from don’t stand for election. (Continued on page 7) therapy. These notions may be useful. They may be comforting. But they are not A.A. The premises of the “program” concentrate not so much on recovering from alcoholism as on “feeling good about myself” and the acquisition CCFAA Central Office will be of individual happiness, not as a byproduct but the sole purpose of re- CLOSED LABOR DAY, covery. The “program” emphasizes ridding ourselves of anything that September 7th makes us feel bad (shame, guilt, etc.) by activating “self-love” in our lives. (Continued on page 23 ) CCFAA Page 1 By The Way September 2009 2009 Deadline Dates for Submissions Be of Volunteers* answer the hotline from All submissions need to be in by 5:00PM. Service 9AM to 1PM and 1PM to 5PM Monday at Your through Friday at the local office. Month Flyers By The Way Local We are looking for volunteers who September Thursday 10th Friday 18th can substitute in the absence of the Central regular volunteers. This is a great way October Monday 12th Friday 16th Office! to be of service and to help the November Tuesday 10th Friday 20th alcoholic who still suffers. *Volunteers need a minimum of six months of December Thursday 10th Friday 18th sobriety to answer the hotline. Teledesk Volunteer Sign Up OPEN SHIFTS/POSITIONS Name: Teleservice Co-chairperson _____________________________ Address: PLEASE announce at meetings. _____________________________ Sobriety requirement is 6 months. City/Zip Code: _____________________________ Daytime Phone: _____________________________ Teleservice is looking for reliable people to do 12- Sobriety Date: _____________________________ step work when called upon. Please contact Central Office if you want to make yourself available to do Days Available: _____________________________ 12-step work. We have a waiting list for those folks Shifts Available: _____________________________ interested in doing service work. To make yourself available for an open shift on the Teledesk, place What is Central Office? your name on the shift waiting list by calling Central A Central Office (or Intergroup) is an A.A. service of- Office at (916) 454-1771. Please contact Central Of- fice that involves partnership among groups in a com- fice at (916) 454-1771 or Carla at (916) 519-7340 for munity--just as A.A. groups themselves are partner- more information . ships of individuals. A central office is established to carry out certain functions common to all the groups- functions which are best handled by a centralized of- AA- Related Acronym: I S M = I Sabotage Myself. fice--and it is usually maintained, supervised, and supported by these groups in their general interest. It exists to aid the groups in their common purpose of Central Office Volunteer Service carrying the A.A. message to pose of carrying the A.A. message to the alcoholic who still suffers. Flyers By The Way Your Central Office Hours th th September 11 September 30 Monday-Friday: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm October 13 th October 30 th November 11 th November 30 th WHAT A WAY TO START A WEEKEND th th December 11 December 30 WOMEN’S GROUP has in its group a quilter extraordinaire, Central Office would like to have volunteers arrive Dorothy B. ! at 9:00AM on the above dates. Free coffee and donuts are available in exchange for a couple of We will be having a raffle for a “Gratitude Quilt” for AA Gratitude Month in November. hours of your time to assist in the monthly mailings. Please call (916) 454-1771 to let us know you plan to The proceeds will be going to the CCFAA office. attend. You will be hearing more for us in October!!!! CCFAA Page 2 By The Way September 2009 Service Opportunities at CCFAA! PI/CPC Needs You! We need volunteers to help with the assembly of the flyer Monthly meetings will be held every 3rd Monday mailing on Friday, September 11th at 9:00AM. from 7:00PM to 9:00PM in the Citrus Heights Police We also need volunteers to help with the assembly of the Dept. Community Meeting Room, 6315 Fountain By the Way mailing on Wednesday, Sept. 30th at Square Drive off Greenback. 9:00AM. Group Delegates Please let us know who you are so we can send your CNIA Area Committee Meeting group a FREE copy of By The Way and the flyer mailing each month. We want to be sure we have up-to-date info Saturday, September 19 at 10:00AM about your meeting location, day, time, and format. East Yolo Fellowship CCFAA is here to be of service to you and your group. 1040 Soule Street, West Sacramento Does your group have a CCFAA Delegate? Every regis- tered group is entitled to be represented. Your group’s participation helps us to do a better job of service to our AA community. Call us if you would like to know more H&I Monthly Meeting about the duties and rewards of being a CCFAA delegate. Thursday, September 17th Please feel free to visit your Central Office located at Coco’s Restaurant, 1830 Arden Way, Sacramento 9960 Business Park Dr., Suite 110 in Sacramento! Flyers Anyone? 2010 International Convention of NCCAA All registered groups are welcome to ND email us an electronic (soft) copy of your Alcoholics Anonymous 62 ANNUAL FALL CONFERENCE : flyers at The 2010 International Convention October 2,3,4, 2009 of Alcoholics Anonymous will be [email protected] Red Bluff, CA. held July 1-4, 2010 in San Antonio, so we can add them to our website. Texas with the theme, “A Vision for Fellowship, Workshops, Speakers, Drawing and You.” AA members and guests from Dance. Pre-registration is appreciated. See Delegate’s Meeting around the world will celebrate flyer posted at website, www.aasacramento.org . Saturday, September 19th AA’s 75th year at this event with big New Delegates 2:00PM meetings held Friday night, Satur- day night and Sunday morning in All Delegates 3:00PM the Alamodome. Other meetings, Teleservice Activity Report 2703 El Camino Ave., Sacramento scheduled or informal, will take July 2009 place throughout the weekend in Office Operations Committee the San Antonio Convention Center Teleservice July YTD and local hotels. Tuesday, September 15th at 6:00PM at 12 Step 56 446 Central Office, 9960 Business Park Dr. Convention registration and hous- ing reservations will open in Fall, Meetings/Info 616 4098 Suite 110, Sacramento, CA 95827 2009. All necessary information will Total Calls be included in the registration 672 4544 By The Way is published monthly by the Central packet available in September, California Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous, 2009. This packet will list numbers 9960 Business Park Dr., Suite 110, Sacramento, CA to call for answers to specific ques- Teledesk Activity Report 95827.