hey Sheila!! Glad your here... I am no help to you I am sorry. I have only been to 3 meetings so far (and 2 of which were last night) so I have not experienced that yet. I am sure that people here will give you a response. :) Let us know how it goes!
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"Advice is what you ask for when you already know the answer but wish you didn't"
Many groups periodically hold a “group inventory meeting” to evaluate how well they are fulfilling their primary purpose: to help alcoholics recover through A.A.’s suggested Twelve Steps of recovery. Some groups take inventory by examining our Twelve Traditions, one at a time, to determine how well they are living up to these principles.
The following questions, compiled from A.A. shared experience, may be useful in arriving at an informed group conscience. Groups will probably wish to add questions of their own:
1. What is the basic purpose of our group?
2. What more can our group do to carry the message?
3. Is our group attracting alcoholics from different backgrounds? Are we seeing a good cross-section of our community, including those with special needs?
4. Do new members stick with us, or does the turnover seem excessive? If so, why? What can we as a group do to retain members?
5. Do we emphasize the importance of sponsorship? How effectively? How can we do it better?
6. Are we careful to preserve the anonymity of our group members and other A.A.s outside the meeting rooms? Do we also leave what they share at meetings behind?
7. Does our group emphasize to all members the value of keeping up with the kitchen, set-up, clean up and other housekeeping chores that are essential for our Twelfth Step efforts?
8. Are all members given the opportunity to speak at meetings and to participate in other group activities?
9. Mindful that holding office is a great responsibility not to be viewed as the outcome of a popularity contest, are we choosing our officers with care?
10. Are we doing all we can to provide an attractive and accessible meeting place?
11. Does our group do its fair share toward participating in the purpose of A.A.-as it relates to our Three Legacies of Recovery, Unity, and Service?
12. What has our group done lately to bring the A.A. message to the attention of professionals in the community-the physicians, clergy, court officials, educators, and others who are often the first to see alcoholics in need of help?
Take care,
Carol
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. ~Dr. Seuss
You got some good info in the previous replies,, although I couldn't find the part about group inventories on that link.
It is important to remember that a group 'inventory' and a group 'conscience' (not conscious) are different. A group inventory is like a Step 4 for the group,,, and a group conscience is like a Step 11 for the group. A group inventory evaluates how the group is functioning,, and a group conscience is a way for the group to arrive at a consensus about how to deal with some issue that comes up. These are both done in ways that allow all the people in the group to share their perspectives instead of having just a couple of dominant people to push through their own personal agendas.
love in recovery,
amanda
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do your best and God does the rest, a step at a time
Well done on making it to your first meetings, Jamie. I hope you found lots of use for them. Good luck in future meetings too. You seem to be doing really well. Congrats on your 40+days of sobriety! (I hope I've got the right member & it's not that your images are the same, I haven't gone back to check! Fingers Xd!) Thanks anyway Jamie nice to see you on MIP. Danielle xx
Yes tis you !
-- Edited by Sobrietyspell at 18:38, 2007-03-23
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Progress not perfection.. & Practice makes Progress!
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