Service
42 Ways to be of Service
By Lauren C.
What’s great about service is that it requires at least yourself and someone. So any type of service, whether big or small, helps dismantle isolation, our disease’s best friend. It also helps transfer our selfishness (our problem) into selflessness (our solution). If you’re service stumped, below are some of my personal suggestions of how you can be of service!
1. Getting a service commitment. This could be for a meeting, event, retreat, or intergroup. It takes so much work from so many people to keep SLAA afloat!
2. Showing up for your service commitment.
3. Attending a meeting.
4. Saying hello to someone/multiple people at a meeting.
5. Asking someone how their day was and actively listening to their response.
6. Staying present when someone is sharing with you.
7. Calling your sponsor.
8. Sponsoring!
9. Picking up the phone when a fellow calls..
10. Going up and talking to someone who says they are new.
11. Not going up to talk to someone who says they are new because there’s already 3 people surrounding them and you don’t want to
overwhelm them.
12. Talking to someone who is sitting by themselves.
13. Introducing yourself to someone at a meeting you hadn’t met before.
14. Going to SLAA events.
15. Calling a fellow.
16. Doing step work (best service to yourself!)
17. Helping set up a meeting.
18. Helping take down the meeting.
19. Going to a business meeting.
20. Giving a fellow member a ride home.
21. Asking a fellow member for a ride home (you’re being of service by allowing someone else to be of service!)
22. Commenting at a meeting.
23. Going to fellowship.
24. Thanking people in the meeting who are doing service.
25. If someone gave a lead, thanking that person.
26. Congratulating someone who is celebrating an anniversary or birthday.
27. Joining intergroup!
28. Helping a fellow move (serious service right there).
29. Saying yes when you’re asked to be of service.
30. Saying no when it would be unrealistic to commit to the task you’re being asked to do.
31. Giving a lead.
32. Listening to a lead.
33. Contributing to 7th tradition.
34. Meeting with a fellow for coffee/lunch.
35. Planning a group activity.
36. Cleaning up after yourself at a meeting/event.
37. Following up with a fellow who is having a hard time.
38. Giving your phone number to someone who is new/ getting a new person’s phone number.
39. Talking with your sponsor/fellow if you’re unsure about something.
40. Asking a fellow for help.
41. Helping a fellow who is asking for help.
42. Doing #1-#41 when you really, really don’t want to.
White Knuckle Chuckle
By Gene B.
Announcements
New SLAA Meeting
The Chicago-Milwaukee Intergroup would like to announce a new meeting:
The Priceless Gift of Recovery Meeting
Tues 6:30 - 7:30pm. In person.
St James Commons, 65 E Huron St.
Meeting Rm 1
Save the date!
SLAA Summer Retreat
September 8-11
DeKoven Center, WI
Register at http://www.slaachicago.org
Thank You from Intergroup
The Chicago-Milwaukee Intergroup would like to express gratitude to the following groups
for their contributions, as reported at the April meeting:
Tuesday Keep Coming Back SLAA Group: $10.00
Thursday Keep Coming Back SLAA Group $12.00
Hedwig's SLAA Group - Online (12x12 Living in the Solution) Quarterly $33.59
These contributions help with Intergroup operations so we can continue to carry the message. Thank you!
Intergroup Positions Available
If you would like to participate in the Greater Chicago/Milwaukee SLAA Intergroup, we encourage you to join us on July 16th at 8 a.m. This month's meeting will be hybrid, we are meeting at NTAC (909 W Belmont) as well as on Zoom, please contact 312-725-9918 for details.
Opportunities for Newsletter Submission
As members of SLAA, you have the opportunity to contribute to our local Intergroup newsletters, as well as the fellowship-wide newsletter. Read on for more information.
Contribute to GREAT FACT
GREAT FACT—what you are reading at this very minute—is the newsletter for the Greater Chicago–Milwaukee Intergroup.
We're prepping for publication for the next few months and looking for the following submissions for future issues as it pertains to your experience, strength and hope:
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Essays
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Fiction
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Poetry
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Artwork
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Photography
Upcoming deadlines:
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July - New Theme - The Steps - Describe your experience with the most recent step you worked with your sponsor. Deadline: July 15th
To submit, please send an email to mailroom@slaachicago.org with the subject line "Newsletter Submission." Please feel free to send us something outside of the themes above, and we’ll slot it in when appropriate. Thanks!
Greater Chicago/Milwaukee SLAA Intergroup
Meeting Minutes- Saturday May 21, 2022
Attendees:
Chris S. RFG, Inreach Chair, Summer Retreat Co-Chair
Anthony P. RFG, Facilitation Chair
Trevor V. RFG, Fall Gathering Co-Chair
Tim B. T/R NTAC Intergroup Rep
Papa A., RFG, Fiduciary Chair
Dave S. RFG, Intergroup Rep
Dave Sc. Intergroup Rep
Caitlyn K. RFG, Retreat Co-Chair
Lee, Intergroup Rep
Kristin. Milwaukee Sat. Morning, Co Website Facilitator
Zane. RFG, Co Website Facilitator
Dave SC – serenity on friday and sunday meeting. did not get the “save the date”. Needs form for the 12/12 review.
Lee. – see if he is on google group and get him into the intergroup.
Tim B – did not get the “save the date”
READINGS & INTRODUCTIONS (12 Minutes)
● Prayer for a Trusted Servant
● Traditions
● Introductions (name, group affiliation and position)
● Greater Chicago/Milwaukee SLAA IG Statement of Purpose
● Review Agenda
● 12 Concepts of Service
● Concept 8 Chris (June Concept 9 – Dave SC)
OFFICER REPORTS
Facilitation (5 Minutes.)
● General Report: Anthony
● Approve Minutes: April . Minutes approved online
● Website Facilitation: Kristin, Zane Review any Suggestions
● Web Facilitation - Refocus Website to Emphasize Newcomers and Post Covid
Meetings – Listings. remove covid information from the meeting site, as most meetings are not openly requiring COVID precautions.
● Post By-Laws on Website – Request to put the by-laws on the website.
● Retreat Guide for Trusted Servants - Vince has completed. Retreat leaders looking forward to it!
Fiduciary (5 Minutes)
● General Treasurer Report: Papa Chair/Treasurer
● Report Financials: General
● groups that gave last month: RFG solution in the suburb. 12/12
online, Beverly Serenity all contributed. Thank you!
● Update on Retreat Self Supporting Goal for Retreat 2022- budgeting for 30 people for retreat. expected profit will be $200. total retreat cost is $330 per person. The hope is that the summer retreat is fully self supporting, which means $250 in profit is achieved (so that we have enough to cover next year’s deposit without borrowing from Intergroup funds)
● Approve Treasury Report - will be approved online.
Inreach General Report (15 Minutes)
● General Report: Chris
●Newsletter Report (Dave and Chris)
● Production Editor: Dave. Contributions Editor: Christy.
Theme is “service”. “Why I give service” is a good prompt. Deadline for new submissions is June 15.
● Literature Review Subcommittee Basic Text (Anthony)tabled.
Developing literature review form for fellowship wide service work.
● New Proposed S.L.A.A. Basic Text Revision - Request for Feedback Conference - first 3 chapters - tabled.
● 12/12/12 Proposal Tabled in favor of Basic Text at this time
● Reachout to Meetings for IG Reps - ongoing, 4 reached out to in May with no responses from zoom only meetings.
Retreat 2022 Caitlyn, Chris
● the theme is “The spiritual life is not a theory, we have to work it!”
● registration has started as of 6/3/2022. Retreat co-chairs will begin asking meetings for donations.
Fall Gathering Trevor, Abby
● Budget – 50 in person, 20 at the door. 25 dollars by venmo or 30 at door.
● Theme, etc. – speaker is verbally committed and date tentatively secured. may be last saturday in October. Dr. Anna Lemky, professor of psychology, focusing on addiction.
● Forecast Attendance, outreach, etc. - Expecting 50-60 people, and expected profit is $1850.
● Concern about outside issues. a statement will be written to preface the Doctor’s notes, making affiliation clear.
● Event Coordinator Trevor - TBD
● Sponsorship workshop (tabled)
· ABM Delegates: Anthony and OPEN, I Person ABM Delegate Sought · FWS Report/Service - we would like groups to look at the agenda an provide group feedback on any agenda items listed. All feedback on the ABM motions and or literature IFDs necessary by August 1st. -intergroup looked at the IFD on the 50th anniversary. Concerns raised over the meaning of “light editing”.
SUGGESTED ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR MEETING REPS:
● Submissions to newsletter - “I give service because”... Deadline June 15...
● Looking for New N. Michigan Ave. Group Speakers and Founder Attendees - please commit for 6 months and give it a try
● Encourage donations to IG via Venmo (@Augustine-Fellowship)
● Please submit Meeting Updates via the Meeting Update Function on the Website (reopening, etc.)
●The SLAA Summer Retreat is September 8-11 in Racine, WI. Registration is open.
http://www.slaachicago.org/events for registration links.
Proposed Next Meeting:
Saturday, July 16, 2022
8:00am – 9:15am
Hybrid both In-Person (preferred) and OnLine (Zoom ID Above)
Greater Chicago/Milwaukee SLAA Intergroup
Treasury Report
05/21/22 - 06/17/22
Starting Balance May 21, 2022 $9,642.97
Total Intergroup Group/Individual Donations $91.59
Total Expenses $793.94
Acct. Current Balance (06/17/22) Act. $8,941.22
*The full treasury report is available through your Group Intergroup Representative or
by request to: mailroom@slaachicago.org.
SLAA Online Text-Only Chat
Those who need an additional resource in their SLAA recovery are invited to SLAA Online text-only chat recovery fellowship. Find more information by visiting the SLAA website, slaaonline.org, or by emailing slaaonline@yahoo.com.
Contribute to West Chicago Intergroup Newsletter
Our friends in the West Chicago Intergroup invite members to contribute to their newsletter to share their experience, strength, and hope. According to Mark K., "Writing an article for our newsletter is one way you can serve yourself and others." For more information, email pcomind@gmail.com or visit the West Chicago Intergroup website.
Contribute to the Fellowship-Wide Newsletter: Journal
The Journal is SLAA’s fellowship-wide newsletter, which goes out to fellows around the world.
The Journal seeks submissions for the “Question of the Day” for upcoming issues (deadline):
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August/September: Defects Higher Power Lets Me Keep (Due July 15, 2022) Have you ever prayed for a character defect to be removed for a long time and found that it stuck around for you to learn a lesson or because it helped you or others in some way? Please share your experience, strength, and hope.
Submit responses or other contributions to www.slaafws.org/journalsubmit.
To subscribe to the Journal or read the current issue, please click here.
Thank you for reading!
Coming in July: "The Steps
We invite you to share your experience, strength, and hope.
To submit, please send an email to mailroom@slaachicago.org
with the subject line "Newsletter Submission"