AA Grapevine Digital Archive

Department:

Spotlight on Service

Articles in this department, which began in August 1994, cover all aspects of service, from picking up ashtrays and putting away chairs after a meeting to volunteering at a central office or intergroup.

37 articles selected
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1.	A Profound Faith in AA My name is Gary Glynn and I'm a Class A (nonalcoholic) AA trustee. Class A trustees are chosen for service in AA in part because they often have professional or business backgrounds and experience that are useful for AA as it carries out its business, communicates with the Fellowship, and carries the message of recovery to the suffering alcoholic.	August 1994

2.	The Anvil of Experience (by Lee J.) California -- "When anyone, anywhere reaches out for help, I want the hand of AA always to be there. And for that: I am responsible." The first time I read those words they brought tears to my eyes. They have come to have real meaning to me.	October 1994

3.	The Fellowship Is My Lifeline (by Debbie L.) Florida -- "One thing's for sure, it will keep you sober." These were the first words out of my sponsor's mouth when I called to tell him that my home group wanted me to be the GSR. Then he said, "Study the Traditions, and we'll talk." It's hard to believe that this conversation took place just a little over a year ago.	February 1995

4.	Are We Supporting Our Support System? (by P. S.) Ohio -- When was the last time your group made a contribution to your local intergroup? Has it been a month, two months, six months? Or is your group one of those that has never made a contribution? Is this apathy or just lack of knowledge?	April 1995

5.	A Light at the End of the Tunnel (by Stephanie J.) Indiana -- Our group holds three meetings a week at a local treatment facility. The oldest of the meetings is more than thirty-three years old; it began with the clear-cut goal of being the hand of AA reaching out to the alcoholics in the treatment center. With a firm foundation in AA basics, the meetings grew in size and number. Thousands of men and women became sober at these meetings.	October 1995

6.	Rocketed Into the Fourth Dimension (by Roger E.) Florida -- The message of Alcoholics Anonymous that we can carry into treatment centers is that this Fellowship has changed us from drunk and miserable to happy and sober, and that it can do the same for the man or woman sitting at what is perhaps their first AA meeting.	December 1995

7.	Treasurer Island (by Dean M.) New York -- February 28, 1994 was a really enjoyable day. Bright sunshine and relatively mild temperatures were a welcome change of pace from a winter that was living up to its reputation for the first time in years. However, the true high point of that day arrived after dark, as it has for me on every Monday since I crash-landed in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous on April 23, 1989. That's when my home group--the Hampton Bays Easy Does It Group--meets. On February 28, a roomful of people joined us in celebrating our ninth group anniversary, and the relaxed and joyful atmosphere served to remind me how fortunate I am to have such a place to serve as an anchor for ...	February 1996

8.	The Spirit of Rotation (by Don P.) Colorado -- One of the most valuable resources of any organization is the experience of those who have gone before. The sharing of what they've done right, and the sharing of the mistakes they've made, become a solid foundation for continued healthy growth. Because of the wise and spiritual principle of rotation, we in Alcoholics Anonymous are blessed with a constantly vital and always growing pool of people whose primary aim is to serve the AA Fellowship. They are willing to share both success and failure in order to preserve what we have been given. How then can we continue to benefit from the experience of those who have rotated?	June 1996

9.	The Transglobal Treasurer (by Don M.) Colorado -- As I am putting together this year's final financial report for Area 10 (Colorado) of Alcoholics Anonymous, it occurs to me that I'm sitting in the middle of a miracle. The gist of the miracle is that the band of alcoholics we call Area 10 trusts me enough to permit me to act as its treasurer while I'm residing in Switzerland for a one-year assignment. "Commonsense become uncommon sense" is probably the best way to describe this situation that has money flowing from Switzerland to Colorado.	August 1996

10.	Everyone in White But the Bride (by Syd T.) Texas -- During my fifth year of sobriety, I developed a bad case of the blahs. I felt as if I were in a dead spot. I was still doing the same things I'd always done--going to many meetings, sponsoring women, working with my sponsor--but nothing felt right anymore. I brought this up in meetings and talked to a number of people about it. I learned that many people seem to go through spells like this. I was offered plenty of suggestions, but the one that outnumbered all the rest was, "Work with others!"	January 1997

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