Technical Information

There is helpful information for chairing meetings at: http://phonemeetings.org/information.htm

 

FORMAT:   -  Sunday 4pm “Grief as a Process” Meeting

 

 

Welcome to the Sunday 4pm “Grief as a Process” Al-Anon Family Group meeting which uses the book Opening Our Hearts Transforming Our Losses.  My name is _____________ , a grateful Al-Anon member and your chairperson for this meeting. This meeting lasts 1 hour and 15 minutes. Closing begins 10 minutes after the hour.

 

And now, would all who would care to, press * 1 to unmute for a moment of silence remembrance of anyone we have lost as we join together in saying

The Serenity Prayer.

 

God grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change,

Courage to change the things I can,

And wisdom to know the difference.

(Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual pg. 11)

 

Will everyone please now press *1 to re-mute.

 

SUGGESTED AL-ANON WELCOME:

 

Leader reads or asks a volunteer to read the Suggested Al-Anon Welcome which can be found on page 8 in How Al-Anon Works, or pages 11-12 in the 2018-2021 Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual.

 

Secretary asks for a member to read from “Opening Our Hearts Transforming Our Losses,” Chapter 2, page 23, paragraph 3.

 

READINGS:

May we have 3 volunteers to read:

A. The 12 Steps of Al-Anon.

B. The 12 Traditions.

C. Concepts 4 and 5.

 

NOTE: ALL FOUND AFTER DECEMBER 31st IN ALL MEDITATION BOOKS.

 

THANK YOU TO OUR READERS

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS (AND ANY MEETING BUSINESS):

 

  1.  According to the 7th Tradition, Al-Anon is fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.  We invite you to send contributions to the WSO (our registered WSO ID is 30730940) or make donations at face-to-face meetings.

 

  1. Meeting schedules and additional information can be accessed at al-anon.org or by calling 757 563 1600.

 

  1. Please disable your call waiting before dialing into the meeting and do not share on a speakerphone or we will all hear an echo. And please stay muted at all times unless you are sharing.

 

  1. "DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE PHONE BRIDGE, THERE COULD BE TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES AND ONE MAY BE INADVERTENTLY DROPPED OFF THE LINE.  PLEASE DISREGARD ANY RECORDED MESSAGES AND CALL BACK IN."

 

  1. The emergency back up number in case the Unity bridge has technical issues is 425 436 6200 pin 335289 (*6 to mute and unmute).

 

f.     The meeting schedule recording of phonemeetings.org 425-436-6202 access code 335289# Reference 1#

 

  1. On the 3rd Sunday of each month there will be a business meeting following the close of the formal meeting.

 

  1. Are there any Al-Anon related announcements? We ask that other Al-Anon phone meeting telephone numbers be announced after the close of the meeting.

 

NEWCOMERS: Do we have any newcomers today—to Al-Anon or to Al-Anon phone bridge meetings?  We invite you to introduce yourselves so we may greet you. Please press the *1 key to un-mute.  Welcome___, we’re glad you’re here.

 

May we have a volunteer to answer newcomer questions for approximately 10 minutes after the end of the meeting?

 

INTRODUCTIONS:

 

We now go around the globe and introduce ourselves by first name only.  If you wish, please mention from where you are calling.  Please be sure to press *1 to un-mute so that we can hear you. After introducing yourselves, we ask that you re-mute (by pressing *1 again) so that we can hear the names of individual members who are saying hello.  I’ll start:

 

Hi, I’m ________; and I’m calling from __________...

 

Each week, we read one or two sections with our starting and stopping points determined by the chair and organized in large measure by bold faced print and/or clear breaks in the text.

 

Note: This INCLUDES the final sections of each chapter, “Questions for reflection and meditation” (ALL of the questions). Please read all questions three times slowly and repeat as necessary.

 

 

Can we now get two volunteers for today’s reading?  Thank you.  Our reading today starts on pg. ____, with section ____; and goes through the end of section ____, which ends on pg. _____.  Would the first reader begin and would the other volunteer continue the reading seamlessly?

 

After the READING is completed, Secretary thanks the readers.

 

SHARES and TIMEKEEPING:

 

Before sharing, we offer a gentle reminder that we speak from our own experience, and ours is derived from living with alcoholism. We ask those who are members of other anonymous programs not to break their anonymity and try to identify with the Al-Anon approach to the family illness. Ours is a different experience and calls for a different interpretation.

 

We have 3-minute shares. Closing begins 10 minutes after the hour. At the top of the hour, we open up sharing especially to newcomers and to regular members of the bridge who often don't get to share; however newcomers are welcome to share at any time. We use this format as a way to ensure as much participation as possible.  

 

Can we have a volunteer to be our timekeeper?  Thank you.  The timekeeper is asked to stay muted at all times, unless he or she is saying, “time.”  When the timekeeper gently says “time,” speakers are asked acknowledge that they’ve heard and begin to wrap up their shares.  And, now, would our timekeeper like to share first?

 

 

We are now at the top of the hour: and, in accordance with principles guiding our recovery and, in particular, the 4th Concept, which reminds us that participation is the key to harmony, we now invite shares from newcomers and those who do not regularly share on the bridge. (If possible, indicate # of people on bridge.)

 

CLOSING (Begins 10 minutes after the top of the hour):

a) We now begin the closing. First, I'd like to thank everyone who did service: our timekeeper, our readers, all those who shared and all who dialed in to listen.

 

b) And now, before saying the suggested closing, I want to invite people to call out names of those whose phone numbers they would like to have.  We’ll ask for those numbers right after the serenity prayer.

 

c) and now the suggested Al-Anon Closing

 

Leader reads or asks a volunteer to read Al-Anon's closing found on page 396 in How Al-Anon Works or Page 380 in the old version of How Al-Anon Works.

 

SERENITY PRAYER:

And now, would all who would care to,  press * 1 to unmute and join together in a moment of silent remembrance for anyone we have lost and join together in saying the Serenity Prayer.

 

  God grant me the serenity

To accept the things I cannot change,

Courage to change the things I can,

And wisdom to know the difference.

(Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual pg. 10)

 

THE MEETING IS NOW CLOSED

 

Post-meeting details:

 

a) And now phone numbers….

 

MEETING INFORMATION

a.   Information on all registered meetings can be found on Al-Anon’s website: al-anon.org or by calling our World Service Office (WSO) at (757) 563-1600.  For face-to-face meetings call WSO’s automated phone number: 888-4AL-ANON (888-425-2666).

b.   Meeting schedules and formats for this phone line can be found at phonemeetings.org.  If the line goes down, the backup number is (425) 436-6200 PIN: 335289#. Press*6 to mute and unmute.  For members without web access, meeting schedule information for this line can be found at (712) 432-8733 PIN: UNITY411#. The backup number for the meeting schedule information is (425) 436-6202, PIN: 335289#, Reference Number: 1#. 

 

c. Format changes and website postings can be emailed to phonemeetingsweb@yahoo.com. General questions can be sent to phonemeetingsinformation@yahoo.com. For inquiries regarding leader codes, dashboard monitors and technical issues with the phone line, email phonemonitorteam@yahoo.com. For workshop ideas, suggestions and concerns, email phonemeetingsforum@yahoo.com.

 

d.   Would anyone like to announce any other Al-Anon phone meetings?

 

Chair turns the meeting over to the newcomer greeter to answer questions about Al-Anon for up to 10 minutes after the meeting ends then continue fellowship.