​The meeting was convened at 8:00 a.m.

READINGS & INTRODUCTIONS (10 Minutes) 

• Prayer for a Trusted Servant 

• Traditions 

• Introductions (name, group affiliation and position) 

• Greater Chicago/Milwaukee SLAA IG Statement of Purpose 

• Review Agenda 

• Concept Lead

  • Concept 8 7/18/26 “The trustees are the principal planners and administrators of
    overall policy and finance. They have custodial oversight of the separately
    incorporated and constantly active services, including their ability to hire staff.”
    Dave Sch: This concept likens our trustees to “custodians,” literally, they have
    “custodial oversight of . . . services.” Dave said he worked as a schoolteacher
    and there he discovered first-hand that school custodians (a.k.a. “janitors”) are
    hailed with great frequency over the school PA system--far more often than the
    principal or any teacher. Janitors perform a great variety of school tasks and
    perform them at the beck-and-call of every staff member in the school. If we think
    of these staff members as Groups, given our Fourth Tradition which says that
    each group should be autonomous, this means that the Trustees are
    administrators over a lot of “constantly active services” that have been initiated at
    the very lowest order of the fellowship, at the level of the group, but which in fact
    are the very highest in terms of their contribution to the collective conscience of the fellowship, as Concept 1 states.

  • Concept 9 9/19/26 - Zane volunteered

  • Concept 10 10/17/26 - Chris S. volunteered

Facilitation (10 Minutes.) 

• General Report: Abby H, Facilitation Chair (pro temp)
  ○ Approve Minutes: July 18, 2026 minutes tabled. Zane approved the correction
  that was submitted by Caitlyn K and Dave Sch will replace this material in the
  minutes. Tabled until the September 19th meeting.
  ○ Permanent website page for summer retreat - Caitlyn K, Abby H and Tim L: Tim L
  is having a discussion on the final look this web page will have. Tim answered a
  question from Anthony P: the registration page for the 2026 Fall Gathering is live
  on the intergroup website, www.slaachicago.org, with a QR code and registration
  button. (See discussion below).
  ○ S.L.A.A. Member Survey 2025 Results https://slaafws.org/s2025r/: Caitlyn is
  encouraging GCMSI officers and IG reps to read it. IG reps, too, should invite
  group members to read it. No discussion at this time.
  ○ Project to explore direct/automatic contributions on website -
  Facilitation/Fiduciary: Abby described this function as allowing recurring 7th
  tradition donations to the website. Dave raised a question whether recurring
  monies overrides the 7th tradition that calls for groups to be “fully
  self-supporting,” which could imply that groups ought to support themselves on a
  day-to-day, meeting-to-meeting basis. Chris answered that recurring donations
  will only come from members and they should be able to use whatever form of
  payment is comfortable and sensible to them. Ian W said that our SLAA/FWS is
  already running a system of recurring donations on their website to those who
  want it. Tim said he is exploring different platforms, all of which can provide
  direct/automatic contributions.
  o Website - Tim L
  Drop down menu project: Tim stated that more work is needed to create a report
  to the membership that GCMSI has installed a drop-down feature for meetings,
  allowing searches by location (including an interactive map), day, time of day,
  and meeting type (in person, remote or hybrid). Tim has remarked in the past that
  issues of effectiveness and privacy hazard us in using Mailchimp for this and
  other purposes.

​

Fiduciary (10 Minutes)

• ● General Treasurer Report: Chase M & Zane W
  ● Discussion on intergroup phone number for Venmo Venmo will only permit use of its app
  to a single phone number. Another phone (and phone number) will open another Venmo
  account to GCMSI officers. Zane and Chase have been pricing used mobile phones with
  the capability to run the Venmo app on Ebay and other shopping sites. Also they have
  been shopping contracts with wireless carriers and exploring pre-pay carriers such as
  Tello Mobile. They said that a budget of $200.00 for 2026-27 should cover costs and
  give sufficient time to see how another phone running Venmo is working out. A motion to
  approve a $200.00 allocation for the purchase of a mobile phone and to cover provider
  fees for a year passed, 11 ayes, 0 nays, 0 abstentions.
  ● August Fiduciary report Chase said that the current bank balance as of August 17th is
  $10,527.83, giving us a high amount in the prudent reserve. However, the next bank
  statement will decrease the prudent reserve to finish payments to the DeKoven Center

• for this year’s summer retreat and to make a downpayment to the center for the 2027
  summer retreat.
  ● Retreat financial update The final report on income from this year’s retreat will be
  reported in the September fiduciary report, Chase said, once he and Zane have had a
  chance to meet with this year’s co-chairs, Chris V and Nathan H.
  ● Report Financials: General Chase thanked our two groups, Tuesday KCB and Loop
  Co-op, for their 7th tradition contributions this month. Chase added that he has received
  the debit card he has been waiting to receive from the bank.
  A motion to approve the July 2026 financials passed, 10 ayes, 0 nays, 1 abstention.

​

OutReach (10 Minutes)​

• ● General Report: Hannah K & Trevor V
  ● Outreach to addiction recovery centers and religious institutions Trevor said that
  Outreach has scaled back on the number of institutions that look like they have missions
  that align with our fellowship. He said the focus now is on places in close physical
  proximity in order to give more benefit to members and potential members residing in our
  service area. Trevor said that he and Hannah have talked with outgoing Outreach chair
  Ian W to compose an email that sufficiently describes SLAA and how our fellowship can
  help the institution. Trevor said the points of contact referenced on the institutions’
  websites have received this email and the next step is to get a decision-maker’s
  name/verify the name and make an appointment with that person.
  Outreach to meetings for Intergroup Reps - partner with Inreach Dave reported that Ted
  L has given his contact information as Group Contact for the Suburban West Meetings
  on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Dave said after talking with Ted
  that he emailed the mailroom (mailroom@slaachicago.org) to make a slight change in
  the description for the above meetings from “Zoom Only” to “Audio Only. Call In Using
  the Zoom Invite.” Tim L said that he would look into it but he added that he has to
  familiarize himself with the meeting list function on the website. Dave asserted that of
  course GCMSI outreach to meetings has first in mind to gain the service of an Intergroup
  Rep (IG rep) from each meeting. But he said that it is important as well to have a Group
  Contact (which can be the IG rep). For example, the Group Contact can choose to take
  referrals of potential members from Outreach (the “hotline”) or to address issues
  attending in-person or connecting remotely to a meeting. Dave related a time recently
  when a member joined the meeting of his home group because they could not join
  another GCMSI online meeting at the same time. Since that other meeting had a contact
  (IG rep) Dave said that he was able to find out what happened (happily explained to his
  satisfaction). Dave invites GCMSI officers and IG reps to go to meetings other than their
  home group and share about the value of our Intergroup. He made a spreadsheet of the
  groups in GCMSI, known IG reps or Group Contacts, and the GCMSI officer or IG rep
  visiting or having visited the group. Some groups, Dave said, don’t have a visitor yet. He
  has placed this spreadsheet on the GCMSI Google Drive in the INREACH folder. Dave
  said that he has privileges on the Google Drive to upload documents to the Inreach
  folder only, although the spreadsheet might better be located in the Facilitation folder (for
  the Website officer or officers) or the Outreach folder. He encourages officers and IG
  reps to look for a meeting they can give their time to with a few visits. Abby asked Dave
  to send a confirming email with this link to the spreadsheet to Caitlyn (Facilitation),
  Outreach, Inreach and Tim L (Website Facilitation).

​

Inreach General Report (15Minutes)

• o Newsletter Report (Production Editor Ian)
  ▪ August Theme Step 9: “Recount a direct amends that you have made
  which gave you an experience of a higher power.”
  ▪ Brainstorming ideas for different ways to do the newsletter to increase
  engagement

• o Event Coordinator: 2 trusted servants needed Unrelated to finding event
  coordinators: Becca reminded us that on Sunday, August 30th, the 5:30 p.m.
  “State of Grace” SLAA Group at Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 1650 W. Foster
  Ave., Chicago, will have a Sponsorship Forum.
  o Fall Gathering: Chris S & Anthony P
  ▪ Date: October 24, 2026 Theme: “Emotional Sobriety: The Next Frontier.”
  ▪ Registration update: Chris said on the GCMSI website that both a QR
  code and a registration button will take visitors to the Fall Gathering
  registration page. Chris said he will try to make printed cards with the
  date, place and time, theme and QR code for dispersal at meetings. He
  said in keeping with the 7th tradition that only the cost of renting Grace
  Episcopal Church in Oak Park and the food and beverages will be passed
  along to non-members who attend. Note: the Fall Gathering is an open
  meeting, aside from the breakout sessions, so friends and family, as well
  as interested clergy and helping professionals can attend. Registration for
  members, $30.00; registration for non-members, $25.00, Chris said. Chris
  said he will talk with Anthony whether registration fees would increase at
  the door. Chris said that he has not been able to reach his contact, Jack,
  at the church, so he said that he will call every day next week to reach
  him and nail down the final details.
  ▪ Update on professional speaker Anthony said that GCMSI officers and IG
  reps should be excited to announce the Fall Gathering at meetings, as we
  have been able to bring in a board-certified psychiatrist with a
  specialization in the treatment of addiction and a full appreciation of the
  value of 12-step recovery.
  o Summer retreat (Nathan H, Chris V):
  ▪ August 13-16, 2026, “Set free to live and love”
  ▪ Recap of registration numbers, overall feedback Tabled for
  September 19th meeting

• ▪ 2027 date
  ▪ Save the date: August 19-22, 2027

​

Annual Business Meeting Delegates (10 min)

​​

• ● ABM Delegates: Anthony P, Caitlyn K, Abby H, Zane W, Ian W
  o ABM 2026 Recap Anthony made some “birds’ eyeview” comments on the ABM
  from his role on the Literature team: it was well organized; our IFD on the

• sobriety requirements for the Literature officers did receive discussion but no
  motion was introduced this year; the conference-approved book, “A State of
  Grace,” has received some criticism so it appears that some substantial
  re-editing for that book will take place. He added that some changes and
  additions to the Board of Trustees seem promising, such as a new Hispanic
  trustee and new full three-year term for the chair, Ari F., who is coming over to the
  position from being its secretary. He said that the ABM has put an end to its
  deficit--money has been raised by the membership to restore its prudent reserve.
  Finally, Anthony said he will be getting all our GCMSI delegates together to make
  a succinct informative report--including vote totals on the various measures--to
  our fellowship.

• ● 2027 ABM - begin reviewing & prepping for next items on the agenda
  ● 2026 International Recovery Convention https://irc.slaafws.org/
  o 2027 summer retreat scholarship donated Zane said that the cost of this free
  registration has been set up. He added that “Rich,” founder of SLAA, will speak at
  11:00 a.m. Sunday at the IRC.

​

New Business:

• No new business

​

SUGGESTED ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR MEETING REPS: 

• Submissions to newsletter - September 15, deadline. Theme as above.

• 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.)

• SLAA Summer Retreat Save the Date August 13-16, 2026

• SLAA Fall Gathering – Save-the-Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026

​​

The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 a.m.

Proposed Next Meeting: September 19, 2026
8:00am – 9:15 am
Hybrid both In-Person (preferred) and OnLine (Zoom ID Above)
3326 N Ashland Ave.

Visit us at www.slaachicago.org

Higher Power, We ask your guidance in carrying out this work in service to the Fellowship. Relieve us of the burdens of our egos and perfectionism. Grant us the grace of humility. Remind us to place principles before personalities. Help us to focus only on the greater good of the group. Let us know that we are responsible only for doing the leg work, not the outcome. Give us the faith to trust in You and the Group Conscience. And grant us the serenity to accept the things we can not change the courage to change the things we can and the wisdom to know the difference.