July 2023 Intergroup News
First Things First:
Describe an event, or time in your life when you put sobriety first. How did
keeping sobriety “front and center”help you deal with the problems
underneath the acting out?
I am a busy person. I create lists and schedule items on my agenda every day. A typical day for me contains (what Siri calls) an average of twenty “events.” Half of these events are recovery-related. There are reminders scheduled for prayer, meditation, reading recovery literature, having calls with my sponsor and sponsees, working on my stepwork or other recovery writing, and working on service projects. Without the spiritually grounding work that I experience by working SLAA’s 12 step recovery program, the rest of my agenda would be meaningless.
I was recently offered a 3 month position at work which would temporarily increase my responsibilities and my salary. My ego and pride scheduled a celebratory parade, and I quickly realized that I’d better call my sponsor. Thankfully, I was guided back down to earth, and reminded that I am simply a worker among workers. My sponsor suggested some specific writing exercises and inventory, as well as prayerful reflection. After completing these suggestions, I was in a much better place to contemplate the offer.
Without putting spiritual growth above material gain, I stand to lose my footing in sanity and serenity. I’ve used my disease and acting out behaviors to try to advance at work, gain attention, and feel validated by others. It is a very familiar pattern.
Sometimes, I get so busy living a full life that I forget to put First Things First. I need to be reminded that I get to live a full life because I’m prioritizing recovery. In early sobriety from Sex and Love Addiction, my sponsor asked me to list all of the things that I was not willing to change or give up for the sake of my recovery. After sharing my list, my sponsor gently pointed out that these things are the same things that I will likely lose if I don’t work my program. It did not feel good to hear that comment, but it was true. Putting spiritual growth first supports my ability to show up for the rest of my life.
First Things First reminds me that if I do not prioritize my recovery first and foremost, I will slide back into my disease. It may start with holding on to a resentment without taking inventory, but can quickly turn into “innocent” flirtations with potential acting out partners. First Things First means that as an addict in recovery, I must put my connection to my Higher Power first.
First Things First also reminds me that before heading into a potentially challenging situation, it is helpful to rummage around in my spiritual toolkit to identify the next right thing. Do I need to pray, and ask my Higher Power to join me as I enter my boss’s office? Do I need to call a fellow and do a 10th Step inventory about resentment or fear? Do I need to call my sponsor and get honest about what I’m really up to? As long as I remember to put First Things First, and implement whichever spiritual tools fit the moment, it is always a win.
- A grateful member of SLAA
First Things First
By Dave S.
On Tuesday my boss asked if I wanted to go out for drinks on Thursday evening with him and a colleague that we might possibly hire as staff. I said yes even though it would mean I would miss my Thursday night SLAA meeting. I thought it would be good for me to get some social time with him and I would win some points. I was disappointed in my decision. I don’t like hanging out in bars because I don’t drink alcohol. I really didn’t want to go and I didn’t want to miss the meeting.
After some reflection and guidance from higher power, I changed my mind. On Thursday morning I told him I couldn’t make it. I’m a people pleaser. I was worried I would disappoint him even more now because I said yes and then changed my mind. When I told him he said “I don’t really want to go either. No pressure. Maybe next time.”
As luck would have it, my job kept me at the office until 6:00 with a client and I wasn’t going to be on time for the meeting which was 45 minutes away. I thought I could still make it to the bar and meet my colleagues and I would get some attention if I showed up after all.
As I stepped out of the front door of my office building to go to my car, I saw a guy on a scooter, speeding down the street towards me with his long blonde hair flying in the wind. It was a program friend whom I knew was headed to the same meeting I was. He was blasting music through his EarPods, and I laughed as I screamed his name so he could hear me. He laughed back in surprise as I flagged him down. He said he never takes this street, but tried it today in an attempt to avoid traffic. What a coincidence!! I offered him a ride, and he accepted and parked the scooter.
The traffic was insane and it looked like we would miss a lot of the meeting. We passed the time by checking in about our day, but ultimately, we were both frustrated about the circumstances that were keeping us from our home meeting. Sitting in my car on Ashland Avenue he suggested we say the serenity prayer at 6:30 when the rest of the group had started the meeting. I then suggested we do a reading from a daily meditation book. We agreed and unofficially formed a mobile extension of the Thursday night meeting. We each shared about the reading. I proposed a mobile 7th tradition for gas money, but our group conscious was split on that, so we tabled the discussion. We said the prayer again as we pulled up to the church.
We got to the meeting 20 minutes late. As we came in I felt gratitude that I had made the decision to put my recovery first. I felt a bond between my fellow and myself that wouldn’t exist if I had joined my co-workers to do something I didn’t want to do in the first place. As I keep coming back to recover from sex and love addiction, good things happen along the way.
Announcements
SUMMER RETREAT 2023:
Registration is open!!
August 24-27, 2023
New SLAA Meeting Update
The Greater Chicago/Milwaukee SLAA Intergroup
Meeting has a new location: 3326 N. Ashland, Chicago IL 60657
Saturday, July 15, 2023 8:00am – 9:15 am (Recurring every 3rd Saturday of each month.) In Person and Zoom (Hybrid):
There is parking at the Target as long as you park in the garage and not on the surface level parking.
Opportunity for Service:
A Chicagoland area treatment center is looking for SLAA speakers to share their experience, strength and hope in SLAA recovery at their Northbrook facility. This treatment center also has opportunities for SLAA members to speak virtually. Because it’s a professional facility, speakers will be interviewed by the SLAA Outreach Chair about their sobriety and experience in SLAA.
To inquire, contact mailroom@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 July meeting:
Intergroup received no group donations this month.
These contributions help with Intergroup operations so we can continue to carry the message. Thank you!
Greater Chicago/Milwaukee SLAA Intergroup Representation
The Greater Chicago/Milwaukee SLAA Intergroup is grateful to have representatives
from the following meetings :
12x12 Living in the Solution
Friday/ Sunday Beverly
Oak Park
Priceless Gift of Sobriety Meeting
Ravenswood Fellowship Group
Tuesday Keep Coming Back Meeting
The Intergroup is still seeking representatives from the following meetings:
Solution in the Suburbs
Monday Night Naperville
Tuesday Morning Suburban West
SLAA From Anorexia to Healthy Relationships
Wednesday Morning Suburban West
Milwaukee Wednesday Evening Meeting
Reba Place Church
Thursday Night Naperville
Friday Morning Suburban West
Friday Evening Suburban West
Friday Night “Into Action”
Friday Night Live
Rise & Shine (St. Pauls)
Sunday Morning Suburban West Meeting
Sunday Night Women’s Meeting (WOMEN ONLY)
Sunday Night Oak Park (Newcomer Focus)
Evanston Sunday Night Group
Women Stepping Into Serenity
Please join us in developing an inclusive SLAA community that represents the entire Chicago / Milwaukee area.
Next Meeting: (NOTE NEW LOCATION!)
Saturday, August 19th, 2023 8:00am – 9:15 am
In Person and Zoom (Hybrid): 3326 N. Ashland, Chicago IL 60657
There is parking at the Target on the Northwest corner of School and Ashland. You must park in an upper level of the garage and not on the street-level parking in order to avoid the risk of a ticket.
The intergroup would like to remind everyone that it relies on monetary donations from groups to fund its service projects. If you are an intergroup representative, please ask your home group to consider making a monthly donation to the intergroup. When sending donations via Venmo, please write “group donation” in the comments section and specify which group the donation is coming from.
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
August Theme: “Patience and Tolerance”. Describe a time when patience and tolerance of others’ shortcomings, and respect for their opinions has been useful to your recovery. Deadline is August 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, June 17th, 2023
8:00AM - 9:15 AM
In Person and Zoom (Hybrid): NTAC 909 W. Belmont 2nd fl. West Room
Member Name, Role , Home Group
Chris S, RFG Facilitation Chair, RFG
Anthony, Inreach Vice Chair, ABM Delegate, Tuesday - Keep Coming Back Group
Caitlyn, Inreach Chair/ABM Delegate, RFG
Abby, RFG IG Rep, Fall Gathering Co-Chair, Website Co-facilitator, Tuesday KCB, RFG
Hannah K, Fiduciary Chair, RFG
Zane, Website Co-Facilitator, RFG
Dave Sc, IG Rep, Friday/Sunday Beverly
Trevor,Events Co-Chair, RFG
Larry, IG Rep, Oak Park Saturday
Dave, Newsletter Editor, RFG
Ryan, Newsletter Editor in Training, Tuesday Priceless Gift of Sobriety
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
● Concept 8: Ryan (Concept 9 July Dave Sc)
Facilitation (5 Minutes.)
● General Report: Chris
Approve Minutes: May approved
○ Website Facilitation: Zane, Abby
■ Web Facilitation
■ Fiduciary email confirm part of group
■ SMeetings Chicago Listings (Incorrect) -completed? Done - thank you Anthony, Abby, and Samantha
■ New permanent page for SLAA Summer Retreat - add link to events page to the retreat page, could establish an email address vs going through mailroom, could have a sign up page to be notified for
future retreats
■ Abby to look at adding a pop up to sign up for newsletter/IG emails ■ Setting Google Drive Permissions - Review IG members have Access Chris ongoing, may delegate would need to be signed into IG account, could delegate to someone as a special project
■ Drop Down Menu Project Zane continuing to work on
○ Special Projects:
■ Intergroup Position Responsibilities (Review All Positions and Edit/Add ABM Delegate and Event Coordinator positions) - Progress - Hannah K.
■ Trevor/Hannah - event coordinator position description? Description has been submitted and close to being ready, working on keeping it in
the same tone as other position descriptions
■ Retreat Guide for Trusted Servants progress - Anthony/Caitlyn Caitlyn to add letter and send out for final review
■ Passwords and logins update - Chris facilitation chair should have logins to all accounts
■ Fall gathering guide - Anthony
Fiduciary (5 Minutes)
● General Treasurer Report: Hannah Chair/Treasurer, Papa vice chair
● Report Financials: General
● Retreat financial update: 26 paid, 16 partial, 10 full
● Approve Treasury Report Approved
● Q and A
OutReach (5 Minutes)
● General Report: Ian W
○ SLAA Speakers for Suncloud
○ Outreach to far suburban meetings
○ Q and A
Inreach General Report (15 Minutes)
● General Report: Caitlyn K
○ Newsletter Report (Dave S, Ryan W)
○ Production Editor: Dave S
■ July edition: “First things first” due July 15th
■ Contributions Editor/s: Search for new contributing editors Chris/Caitlyn to look for new contributions editors
■ Updates to add to newsletter:
● New location for IG starting in July
● Instructions for groups donating on Venmo- please add the
meeting the donation is coming from, and what the donation
is for (general donation, retreat donation, etc)
○ Update on Group Reps including suburban/oak park groups - Caitlyn ○ Retreat 2023 Chris, Christie
■ 40 people currently registered
■ Doubling up rooms an option - volunteers sought maybe start with those asking for scholarships
■ $150 payment due - we are first come first serve after all.
■ "New Freedom, New Happiness: The Promise of the 12 Steps"
■ Aug 24-27
■ Donations Goal - $900
■ Need to have conversation with DeKoven on status of food quality and 2024 dates
■ Review financials at $299 for 35, 40, etc attendees and scholarships - Hannah and Papa
■ Continue to ask groups for direct asks
○ Spring Retreat 2024 - Exploratory Committee Zane and Jeremy potentially interested?
○ Naperville meeting link - working? Caitlyn to investigate
○ Fall Gathering Update: Abby, Jeremy
■ Looking into fellowship options (RFG, rent place near location, go out to eat)
■ Committee has been established, looking into speakers
■ Update FG Guide - Anthony
■ Q and A
○ Event Coordinator: Trevor
■ Event Coordinator Position Description - sent and reviewed?
■ Event/s Proposed No current events planned, will meet with Burke to plan something in Oak Park
■ Open Picnic results and financial closeout $191 in expenses, $367 in income, event was a great success, interest in an open meeting was suggested after the event
■ Upcoming Events (In the works)
■ Q and A
○ Sponsorship workshop (tabled)
Annual Business Meeting Delegates (25 min)
● ABM Delegates: Anthony and Caitlyn, 2023 ABM Delegates
○ Additional Delegate Search and Confirmation.
○ IFD Submissions and Reports
■ Sobriety Requirement IFD - accepted
■ Basic Text Chapters 1-3 Feedback IFD -accepted
■ The 50th edition BT edit motion was changed to a IFD and combined with the changes for chapters 5-8
○ Feedback from groups on various motions:
■ Friday/Sunday Beverly Meeting - “Sex and Love Addiction on the internet” pamphlet
■ 12x12 meeting: anorexia questions as core documents of SLAA
■ Tuesday KCBG - IFD on current and future issues regarding recovery materials posted to the internet
■ RFG - Board publishing committee’s report on the process to create
literature from the initial proposal through BOT publication
○ New Proposed S.L.A.A. Basic Text Revision - Ongoing Chapter revisions to 4-8? Edit Reviewing needed. Caitlyn/Anthony Caitlyn to schedule second meeting time
○ Chicago Hosting ABM - ongoing check in. Anthony/Caitlyn to discuss submission
● Intergroup Representatives Feedback- as needed
New Business (10 min.) As Possible
● Location/Time
SUGGESTED ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR MEETING REPS:
● Submissions to newsletter - July Theme:
○ Deadline for Submissions: First things first due July 15th
● Subscribe to the newsletter on the slaachicago website
● Encourage donations to IG via Venmo (@Augustine-Fellowship)
● Please submit Meeting Updates via the Meeting Update Function on the Website (reopening, etc.)
● Retreat Dates August 24 - 27, 2023
● Fall Gathering October 28
● Proposed Next Meeting:
Saturday, July 15, 2023
8:00am – 9:15 am
Hybrid both In-Person (preferred) and OnLine (Zoom ID Above)
NEW LOCATION FOR INTERGROUP MEETINGS STARTING IN JULY 3326 N Ashland Ave.
Parking is available in the Target garage - but not the outside parking.
Visit us at www.slaachicago.org
Greater Chicago/Milwaukee SLAA Intergroup
Treasury Report
06/17/23 - 07/14/23
Starting Balance 06/17/23 $12,830.86
Total Intergroup Group/Individual Donations $4,451.75
Total Expenses $8,593.49
Acct. Current Balance 07/14/23 Act. $8,689.12
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 the Fellowship-Wide Newsletter: Journal
The Journal is SLAA’s fellowship-wide newsletter, which goes out to fellows across the world.
Upcoming themes are TO BE ANNOUNCED
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 August: “Patience and Tolerance”- Submission deadline is August 15th.
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"