Third Quarter 2007 Volume 17, Number 3    IN THIS ISSUE 2007 World Service Business Conference a Success Ring in Recovery at Convention Delegates Elect New Board Delegate Support Fund Needs Your Service Requirements to Use OA Logo Changed Pass the Basket, Carry the Message Many Languages Available What's New From WSO What Does the WSO Do for You? Didja Know? Does Your Service Body Practice Financial Responsibility? Hearing Is Believing Excerpt Suggested Step-Study Meeting Format Introducing the Professional Presentation Folder! Lifeline Monthly Topics 2008 Dateminder Attention Group Secretaries: Please download the PDF file of this issue and make copies to share with your group members. Note: You need Adobe Acrobat on your computer to download PDF files. If you don't have it, go to the Help page for instructions on how to download this free tool. 2007 World Service Business Conference a Success New Public Awareness Campaign Initiative Approved Nearly 200 delegates from around the world gathered in Albuquerque, New Mexico USA, May 1 to 6, for OA’s 46th annual World Service Business Conference. Workshops and discussions this year centered on the theme “Living the Twelfth Step” and included such workshop topics as “Embodying the Joy of Recovery,” “The Twelve Steps: Are They the REAL Tools?” “We Are the Message: What Are YOU Carrying?” and “Living the Twelfth Step: What Does That Mean to You?” Delegates engaged in productive roundtable discussions at a forum titled “Embracing Diversity in OA,” and gave feedback and ideas during a special Conference session devoted to the new strategic plan developed by the Board of Trustees. They also granted the Conference Seal of Approval to a new pamphlet titled Black OA Members Share Their Experience, Strength and Hope and approved revisions to an existing pamphlet, A Guide for Sponsors. The revisions include a new section called “[30] Questions to Ask Newcomers,” designed to help sponsors work with newcomers on OA’s first three Steps. Both pamphlets will be available for purchase from the World Service Office (WSO) in early September. Delegates adopted New Business Motion A that allows the Board of Trustees to initiate a national public-awareness campaign using an outside agency. The board will create a special fund for member contributions to this endeavor, and $20,000 of OA’s current reserves may be used as upfront “seed” money to begin the campaign. See the article Pass the Basket, Carry the Message below for more information. Members and service bodies may contribute to this special fund by earmarking funds sent to the WSO or by donating online. Two bylaw amendments passed reflecting the move of the corporation from California to New Mexico. Delegates referred all bylaw amendments related to virtual (online and telephone) meetings and their incorporation into OA’s service structure to a subcommittee appointed by the BOT chairman. The proposed bylaw amendment to change gender references in Steps Three, Seven and Eleven was defeated. New region trustees elected this year are Craig R. (Region Five) and Di C. (Region Ten). Reelected trustees are Angela J. (Region Two) and Charles A. (Region Eight). New general service trustees are Vicki W. for a three-year term and Cheryle T. for a two-year term, and reelected to serve another three-year term is Dodie H. For more information on Conference voting results, read the 2007 Wrapup Report. In September, the WSO will send the Final Conference Report to all delegates and to those intergroups not represented at Conference. Members and groups may purchase additional copies by contacting the WSO or by ordering online after September (item #800). Top Ring in Recovery at Convention Declare Your Freedom From Compulsive Eating Don’t miss the opportunity to join OA members from around the world at the OA World Service Convention, August 30 through September 2, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA. A World Service Convention is a most happy and joyous occasion to celebrate the freedom from our disease and to connect with other compulsive eaters. Conventions allow us to strengthen our program and share our experience, strength and hope. We learn, on a global level, that we are not alone. Although program approaches may differ, everyone shares the solution, one day at a time, one step at a time. Everything you need to know about Convention is available on the World Service Convention page, including room rates, schedules and online registration. Be sure to scroll down the page to open the block schedule that provides details on the weekend’s events. Here are what some members love about Convention: I love the spiritual strength and synergy of hundreds of recovering people in the same place at the same time . . . there partly because we share the same problem, but mostly because we share the same solution. I love the energy level. People are there to experience the joy of recovery. OA Conventions help me expand my OA world! An OA Convention is like one big, happy family reunion. Convention is an ideal place for OA folks to meet and greet each other. I love hooking up with the many other black OA members from around the globe! I love embracing my OA family from around the world while getting a shot of recovery energy. I love meeting “old” friends and making new OA friends from around the world. Being with so many people who really are my peers is an incredible experience. I love OA World Service Conventions and have only missed two since 1980. They help me feel connected to recovery worldwide and give me hope that I can recover in all circumstances. We hope you will join us in this Fellowship of the Spirit. Top Delegates Elect New Board At the 2007 annual meeting of the World Service Business Conference, delegates elected four regional and three general service trustees to the 2007–2008 Board of Trustees (BOT). Following Conference, the new board met to elect officers and assign committee chairs. Officers: Chair: Dodie H. First Vice Chair: Michael B. Second Vice Chair: Kayla W. Treasurer: Bob F. General Service Trustees: Michael B. Dodie H. Bob F. Kayla W. Cheryle T. Vicki W. Regional Trustees: Region One: Louise B. Region Two: Angela J. Region Three: Debbie W. Region Four: Connie H. Region Five: Craig R. Region Six: Margaret Ann B. Region Seven: Donna A. Region Eight: Charles A. Region Nine: Dominique B. Region Ten: Di C. Conference Committee Trustee Cochairs: Bylaws: Craig R. Conference-Approved Literature: Kayla W. Finance: Bob F. Professional Outreach (formerly HIPM): Angela J. Public Information: Cheryle T. Twelfth-Step-Within: Debbie W. Unity With Diversity: Michael B. Board Committee Chairs: Board-Approved Literature: Di C. BRM Review: Kayla W. Conference Planning: Margaret Ann B. Convention 2007: Donna A. Convention 2010: Angela J. History and Archives: Connie H. Internal Information: Louise B. International Publications: Dominique B. Matching Grants: Bob F. Professional Exhibits: Angela J. Region Chairs: Connie H. Strategic Planning: Bob F. Technology/Online Meetings: Vicki W. Virtual Meetings: Margaret Ann B. Youth in OA: Charles A. Top Delegate Support Fund Needs Your Service Each year at the World Service Business Conference (WSBC), delegates make decisions that affect OA as a whole. For this reason, it is critical that the WSBC represents the voice of the entire OA community. The Board of Trustees (BOT) established the Delegate Support Fund to assist service bodies unable to send a delegate to this important annual Conference. The Delegate Support Fund needs your financial support! Help send representatives to the WSBC by donating to the fund. The BOT distributes the contributions to service bodies that cannot afford to send delegates to represent them at Conference and gives priority to service bodies that were unable to send delegates to previous WSBCs. Since the BOT established the Delegate Support Program in 1993, the fund has made it possible for delegates from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and the United States to attend Conference. The BOT will allocate donations received by November 1, 2007, to service bodies that have applied for funding to attend WSBC 2008 and that qualify as fund beneficiaries. These service bodies need your support. You can help a delegate participate in OA’s most important gathering and ensure that the WSBC represents all of OA. Send your donation to the WSO, c/o Sarah Armstrong, or fill out the online contributions form and check the Delegate Support Fund box. Please help!   Top Requirements to Use OA Logo Changed At its meeting on May 1, the Board of Trustees voted to change the requirements for two-year blanket permission to use the OA logo. Previously, an OA service body could seek blanket permission to use the OA logo “on any of its flyers, newsletters, meeting lists, Web sites, etc. for a two-year period.” The new wording limits blanket permission for use of the OA logo to “flyers, newsletters, meeting lists, and Web sites.” The service body must submit a separate permission form for other uses. The board’s intent is to avoid confusion and to be more specific about permitted uses under blanket permission. The revised form is available on the OA Web site. Top Pass the Basket, Carry the Message Delegates to the 2007 World Service Business Conference in May overwhelmingly passed a motion to support a national public awareness campaign. The motion reads as follows: Move that Overeaters Anonymous, Inc., conduct a Public Awareness Campaign using the services of an outside agency. Expenses connected to this campaign will be supported by member contributions to a special public awareness campaign fund established by the Board of Trustees (BOT). The BOT may use up to $20,000 of current reserves for ‘seed’ money to initiate the campaign. Such funds are to be reimbursed from the special fund established for this purpose. The campaign’s purpose is to inform and educate the public that Overeaters Anonymous offers a solution to the problem of compulsive eating. It will also provide a way for interested people to contact us. The campaign will make no promises regarding weight loss, time frames or other guarantees. The World Service Office and Board of Trustees hope to have the program in place by the fall of 2007, ensuring that OA will have a presence during the holiday season. Three public relations agencies in the Albuquerque area submitted proposals. OA’s managing director, Naomi Lippel, explained to them the unique nature of our organization pertaining to anonymity and to attraction rather than promotion. An agency has been selected, based on the proposals they submitted and an appraisal of their understanding of OA. The agency will create a definitive plan and present it to the full board at the August meeting of the Board of Trustees. Local service bodies will be informed when the initial plan is in place, so they can coordinate their PI efforts with the national campaign. The board suggests that each service body determine the method to promote this special fund campaign in the manner that best suits its particular membership. Some service bodies may decide to send in a contribution from their reserve funds. Another may decide to pass the basket a second time at its meetings once a month. Others may decide to pass the basket a second time at every meeting for a month. Whatever the method, it is important that all members have the opportunity to contribute to this important campaign. When submitting contributions, the check should be marked “Public Awareness Campaign.” By creating and executing a plan, service bodies will fulfill the motion's intent that member contributions support the initial phase of the public awareness campaign. The OA Web site, Lifeline magazine, A Step Ahead and flyers sent with literature orders and intergroup mailings will keep service bodies updated about the progress of the campaign. Any service body or member who has a question about this new initiative may contact Sarah Armstrong at the World Service Office. Together we can. — Dodie H., Chairman, Board of Trustees   Top Many Languages Available Many service bodies have translated OA materials into other languages — Afrikaans, Arabic, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Icelandic, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish. Contact the World Service Office for information on obtaining copies of translations. Top   Continued on page 2