The twelve traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous
1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity.
2. For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority – a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
3. The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking.
4. Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole.
5. Each group has but one primary purpose – to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.
6. An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
7. Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
8. Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
9. A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
10. Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.
12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.
Reprinted with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.
Our 75 year old group has a Business Committee to:
• Pay the rent and other expenses;
• Clean and maintain the meeting room and equipment;
• Account for and deposit the meeting contributions;
• Communicate with our area Central Office;
• and other non Recovery Meeting tasks.
The committee has not been given authority over the Recovery Meetings. The committee members are trusted servants and they are not suppose to govern; however, over time the committee has given itself authority over some things in the Recovery Meetings:
• No birthday chips given at regular meetings;
• All meetings secretaries elected by meeting group conscience must report to the committee for approval;
• The committee has admonished individuals and in one instance expelled a member;
• and other authoritarian, governing actions.
A few 25 to 35 year, old timers want to write a draft Business Committee Charter to be presented before and after the Recovery Meetings for possible group conscience approval addressing what the old timers feel are Tradition violations.
Does anyone have experience in this area?
Has anyone seen such a charter?
Please, we do not want to disband the committee nor start a new group.
Respectfully,
Alcoholics in Recovery