Fourth Quarter 2004 Volume 14, Number 1     Page 2 of 2 What's New from WSO Second Conference Mailing on Its Way World Service Convention in 2007 Didjaknow? OA 2004 Budget Set New Group Registration/Change Forms Available Celebrate Unity Day Web Links Does Your Group Have a Lifeline Rep? Dateminder What’s New from WSO 2004 Catalog Distributed All groups and service bodies are receiving the 2004 OA Literature Catalog with this issue of A Step Ahead. Contact the WSO for additional catalogs and order forms. “Twelve and Twelve” for Your Pocket or Purse! The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous is now available in a convenient pocket size. Paperback, 4" x 6", 240 pages, with pagination matching the regular edition. Item #990P, single copy, $6; item #991P, case of 25, $135, plus shipping: $2.25 for orders up to $15. For shipping charges on orders over $15, contact the WSO or check the online catalog. OA Recovery Brochures: New Recording, More Material Program brochures for the OA newcomer or for any member wanting inspiration and guidance, on audiocassette or CD. Recording includes Our Invitation to You, To the Newcomer, A Commitment to Abstinence, The Tools of Recovery, A Plan of Eating, Questions and Answers, Think First and the OA Promise. Cassette, item #691, $5; CD, item #692, $10, plus shipping: $2.25 for orders up to $15. For shipping charges on orders over $15, For shipping charges on orders over $15, contact the WSO or check the online catalog. Use New Kit to Start a Newcomers Meeting! Help for groups wanting to hold meetings for newcomers. The updated Newcomers Meeting Leader’s Kit includes completely updated and revised meeting guidelines, the OA Handbook and a selection of other OA literature. Item #740, $4.50, plus shipping: $2.25 for orders up to $15. For shipping charges on orders over $15, For shipping charges on orders over $15, contact the WSO or check the online catalog. Know Anything about Teen Meetings? The Board-Approved-Literature Committee is creating a Teen OA Meeting Format. If you or your group has experience with or suggestions about teen meetings or teen-meeting formats, we’d love to hear from you! Mail your input to the WSO, attention Naomi Lippel, or email to nlippel@oa.org. Top Second Conference Mailing on Its Way WSO mailed the second packet of information for Conference 2004 on January 9. Included in the packet are the agenda questionnaire, proposed new business motions and bylaw amendments, hotel reservation card and brochure, committee preference form and tentative agenda. Also included in the packet for delegates are the Conference Policy Manual; OA Bylaws, Subparts A and B; and Conference Standing Rules. If you are a delegate, please bring these documents to Conference. The documents are also available on the World Service Business Conference page. Important Deadline Agenda Questionnaire: postmarked by February 26 The agenda questionnaire must include an original signature of the service-board chairman and/or the service-board secretary. Questionnaires received without the appropriate signature will not be counted. Top World Service Convention in 2007 OA members who attended the 2003 World Service Convention in New Orleans were disappointed to learn that another Convention was not planned until 2010, and the OA Board of Trustees heard their cries. The board revisited the decision in November and voted to hold a World Service Convention in 2007. The board has directed the WSO staff to submit requests for proposals to hotel chains and to convention and visitors bureaus in 39 cities in the US, Canada, Mexico and Great Britain. A site-selection committee of the board will review the site proposals and make recommendations at the board’s February 2004 meeting. The board will announce its choice at the 2004 World Service Business Conference. Top Didjaknow? DIDJAKNOW … about everything OA literature has for you and your group? How about … The OA Handbook for Members, Groups and Intergroups This handy booklet answers dozens of questions about starting a group and keeping it going as well as information about service positions, Conference and the World Service Office. Here are excerpts: Do Groups Have “Officers”? (p. 7) It takes people to get the group chores done. In OA groups they may be called “officers,” but our Second Tradition reminds us that “Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.” Officers are usually chosen by the group for limited terms of service and are, in fact, not officers but service volunteers. Titles in OA do not bring authority or honor; they describe services and responsibilities. These are forms of Twelfth-Step work OA members do, primarily to get on with their recovery. You often hear OA members say they first felt they belonged when they began helping with the chairs or coffee. Many of us are shy and are grateful to be asked. Some newcomers find such activity relieves their timidity and makes it easier to meet and talk to other members. For many of us, this experience is our first contribution of OA service. How Do Group Problems Get Solved? (p. 21) Sometimes a group problem becomes a group blessing as time passes because of the wisdom gained in dealing with the problem. Group problems are usually a sign the group is meeting the challenges of life. They are often evidence of a healthy diversity of opinion among the members. They give us an opportunity to learn how to “practice these principles in all our affairs.” Four principles seem to lead away from trouble and toward growth: (1) unity within the group; (2) harmony among the members of the group, other OA groups and the rest of the community; (3) a hearing for all points of view; and (4) understanding that speakers’ talks and pitches are not open to comment or debate. In other words, wholehearted practice of the Twelve Traditions. Twelfth-Step Within Handbook This handbook is full of useful information about how to address relapse in your meeting and support members in relapse. You’ll find: Ideas on how to carry OA’s message to OA members still suffering Suggested topics and formats for workshops, marathons and retreats Guidance on “carefrontation” Instructions on how to build an OA Care Package Recovery from Relapse Meeting Format Script for “A Twelfth-Step Mystery” skit, a powerful tool to initiate discussion about relapse, including a tear-out flyer to publicize the event The reading and writing tool “Been Slippin’ and Slidin’?” with 30 questions for use in daily writing and/or discussion with your sponsor or sponsoree “Recovery Insurance Policy,” a tear-out pledge to be completed by two OA members to support and be accountable to one another Top OA 2004 Budget Set The Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. budget for 2004 is $1,491,600 in revenue against $1,491,600 in expenditures — an increase of less than 1 per cent over the 2003 budget. While the total budgets for 2003 and 2004 are similar, the Fellowship will see changes in some budget categories because of changes in program expense allocations in 2004. These changes will simplify methods used for allocating payroll and overhead expenses to the various programs and services offered at the world service level. Top New Group Registration/Change Forms Available To offer more online search options for OA meetings, the World Service Office (WSO) has altered the Group Registration/Change Forms. The information about meetings currently in our database often does not include a street address, county and zip code; therefore, an online search by county or zip/postal code is not possible. The new forms request this information and also have a place to indicate special focus and/or special topic meetings. The new forms went out in the annual group mailing in January and will be on available from the Registration Forms page in the near future. Please use a new printed form to send your group’s full address to the WSO, or use a new online form when it becomes available. We will add the option to search for a meeting online by county or zip code when the information is in the database and the budget allows. Top Celebrate Unity Day Saturday, February 28, 2004 At 11:30 a.m. PST, join OA members around the world in saying the Serenity Prayer. Promote OA unity each day. OA’s unity supports every member on his or her path to recovery. Please take a moment from your day to celebrate our unity and the gifts of the OA program. Even better, plan an event to celebrate the day! Top Discover interesting and helpful OA Web-site links in Web Links. Literature Catalog — 2004 catalog has updated categories and new products World Service Business Conference — Second-mailing documents How OA Changed My Life — “Free to Live” Top Top DATEMINDER Unity Day February 28 EACH GROUP HAS BUT ONE PRIMARY PURPOSE — TO CARRY ITS MESSAGE TO THE COMPULSIVE OVEREATER WHO STILL SUFFERS. Top Previous page   Attention Intergroups: Please inform the WSO whenever you have meeting changes to your directory.   A Publication of: Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. P.O. Box 44020 Rio Rancho, NM 87174-4020 USA Phone: 1-505-891-2664 Fax: 1-505-891-4320 E-mail: info@oa.org OA Homepage © 2004 Overeaters Anonymous®, Inc. All rights reserved. Registered OA service bodies may reprint articles crediting A Step Ahead and Overeaters Anonymous.