Alcoholics Anonymous - Chicagoland District 13

District 13 Meeting Minutes – 09/21/2021

Next District Meeting 10/19/2021

Meeting was hybrid

Attendance & Introductions:

Jim W, Steve B, Tom, Daniel C, Scott, Mark C, Bob K, Phil, Bre, Marilyn, Randall, Dani, Jim, Brian, Michael

D., Adam K

Jim W opened the District Meeting and Jim chaired the Meeting. The meeting was opened with a quiet time followed by the Serenity Prayer and Responsibility Statement.

Steve - Read Traditions 1, 2, 9 and 12.

1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon AA Unity.

2. For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority – a loving God as He may express himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.

9. A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards directly responsible to those they serve.

12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.

Concepts 1 and 12 were read by Scott

1. Final responsibility and ultimate authority for AA World Service should always reside in the collective conscience of our fellowship.

12. The conference shall observe the spirit of the AA tradition taking care that it never becomes the seat of perilous wealth or power; that sufficient operating funds and reserve be its prudent financial principle; that it place none of its members in a position of unqualified authority over others; that it reach all important decisions by discussion, vote, and whenever possible substantial unanimity; that its actions never be personally punitive nor an incitement to public controversy; that it never perform acts of government; that, like the society it serves, it will always remain democratic in thought and action.

Jim W asked everyone to review minutes. Motion to approve. Minutes approved.

Jim W went over the agenda. Motion to approve. Agenda approved.

REPORTS:

Treasurer’s Report – Dan C.

● Collected $729. Paid out $48.09 (Amazon web services, cell phone). Op funds $1814.51 ● Pink Can total: $810.15 (hasn’t moved in a while). Going to leave it alone for now.

VCC Committee- Tom D

● Tu, Th, Sat meeting still going strong

● Still need to keep asking for Venmo donations

Finance Committee – Steve B.

●

Correctional Facilities Committee – Phil M.

● Nothing new with the DOC – talking about opening up but nothing for sure yet.

● Phil also now NIA Area 19 Correctional chair

● Suggestion to use some of the pink can money to help out a local jail that needs some help. Discussion.

● Discussion about conflict of interest with Phil as NIA CC chair—pretty sure it will be okay, maybe we can bring to the groups that Corrections Committee is looking for members (maybe we can build a committee around Phil or take another guy under his wing) Directory and Literature Committee – Vacant Workshop Committee – Brian K.

● Holding off because of the Delta.

Public Information Committee/Cooperation with Professional Community Committee – Vacant

AA Grapevine Committee – John S. (absent)

REMINDER OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING PREVIOUSLY:

● This month’s Grapevine featured section is: “Seniors in AA” AA members share powerful stories about the joys and challenges of getting older in sobriety. Issue includes resources for seniors. Also included are stories of hope by members during the current COVID-19 crisis

● Submit your stories for upcoming issues: Emotional Sobriety — Over time, how have you learned to use the tools of AA to gain serenity and peace? Share some wonderful examples of emotional sobriety in your life today (stories due Sept 15)

● Important: We’re looking for stories of experience with each Step and each Tradition!

(Pick a Step or pick a Tradition and write about your experience!)

● This month’s LaViña Special Section is “La Viña’s 25th Anniversary”

● Submit your Spanish-language stories for: Newcomer issue (due Sep 30); The Three

Legacies (due Oct 17)

Important: LaViña is always looking for stories on individual steps and traditions

● Grapevine and LaViña are live on Instagram!! Follow us at @alcoholicsanonymous_gv @alcoholicosanonimos_lv See daily quotes, know when our new magazine issues release, learn about new books and stay inspired by and connected to Grapevine and LaViña, and to AA as a whole

● Happy Birthday LaViña! This year LaViña celebrates 25 years of sharing the lived

experiences of the Spanish-speaking alcoholic community! To help celebrate members

can share a few paragraphs (English or Spanish) on what LaViña has meant to them. Visit www.aalavina.org/25aniversario for more information

● Two New Books now available! Free on the Inside: Stories of AA Recovery in Prison;

Mujeres en AA (Womenin AA, Spanish-language)

● Want to Help Another Alcoholic? Carry The Message Project 2021 gives three easy ways to share Grapevine & LaViña’s great twelve step tools! Learn more at www.aagrapevine.org/carry-the-message or visit the Grapevine YouTube channel

Hospitals and Treatment Facilities Committee. – Mike R

● The Area 19 Hospital and Treatment Facilities Committe has finalized the Application forPatients/Clients at Hospitals and Treatment Facilities to apply for a Temporary

Sponsor/Contact upon leaving the facility! We are presently finalizing posters to be used by the facilities and their Councellors!

● I am waiting for packets for delivery to Amita/Saint Alexius Behavioral Center, Share or any other relevant facility in District 13!

● Below you will find an application for potential Bridging the Gap volunteers The Share Covid Guidelines and Meetings Schedule at Share!

● Please be advised of an additional requirement at Share: All volunteers, new or already on board, must have their Proof of Vaccination Card seen seen “Louise” at Share to start or continue to volunteer at Share! A reminder that they still require masks to be worn at all times while at Share!

Special Accessibilities Committee – Randall

● Focusing on closed captioning with zoom meetings

● Committee of Area 19 recommends using CC on all Zoom meetings.

Committee on Conferences – Vacant

Technology Committee- Vacant

Website Administrator – Nazar Z & John (absent)

● Jim checked website, need minutes updated Secretary’s Report – Bre M

● Will get new attendees updated to the system

Alternate District Chair Report – Debbie F.

● No report

District Chair Report – Jim W

New Business

● No new business

Old Business

● Regarding 'old business', only one (Group# 3757, Tuesday Night Disc/Step) has put a 'check' in any boxof the yellow column confirming the D13 GSR/alt GSR info in this spreadsheet:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12eF9FxlGJOVSHWk4uespbMKEd_PgkXjH/edit?usp=drivesdk& ouid=118009032277749457718&rtpof=true&sd=true

● Group Services is still not ready to print directories since they are averaging 30 meeting changes/week.● You can always submit changes online by emailing: groupservices@chicagoaa.org

● I already submitted the edited suburban and city directories that many of you edited.

● I attended CASA via Zoom on 9/18/21

● The sharing session before the assembly was regarding 'Singleness of Purpose' - really a great discussion which all members should study and consider ardently.

● Assembly takeaways:

o The deadline to submit ideas to be considered as an agenda item for the 72nd GSC had passed - maybe next year?

o 'In order for the General Service Office to be self-supporting for the cost of services; each member is needed to make a one-time annual contribution of $7.34 and electronic contribution are preferred.'

https://contribution.aa.org/sca-dev-2020-1/checkout.ssp?is=checkout&lang=en_US&#login-registe

● The budget was the big discussion. I will forward Katie's email regarding the budget separately. I'm sure most or all of you received the budget proposal prior to this past CASA. It was supportive by the assembly to take back to the groups.

● I've also included the composite flyer as an attachment to the email I'm sending for our GSR meeting tonight (9/21/21).

GSR/Alt GSR Info verification for Group Services database:

○ No one has checked '✓/no' in the yellow column (see link below).

○ [See DCM Report for further details]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12eF9FxlGJOVSHWk4uespbMKEd_PgkXjH/view?usp=drivesdk

● Area 19 Directory update

● The edited directories (see links below) were sent to Group Services July 24th. [SeeDCM report and the email sent on 7/25/21 for further details].

● Suburban Directory:

○ https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jIS0ty7JmKRNuFdCi4LqJOTob1dDXCya/view?usp=drivesdk ● Chicago Directory

○ https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jDhkvuFD7t1oGjiQB_prHKyRwa-VJSgv/view?usp=drivesdk ● - District 13 updates will close before the end of the month so that Area 19 can print them:

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Next CASA Saturday November 13, 2021 hosted by District 24,

St. Hyacinth Basilica, 3636 W. Wolfram, Chicago, IL 60618