On Sunday, July 23rd, the District II CPC (Cooperation with Professional Community) committee held its first exploratory meeting. The goal was to gauge the interest in carrying the message to the professional community for the alcoholic who still suffers and offer an opportunity to be of service to the current members. While it's always important to remember we get new members with attraction rather than promotion, it is important to make sure the community knows that AA is … [Read more...]
Pre-Conference Document Review
What Is the Pre-Conference Document Review Process and Why Is It So Important to All Members? Regularly, there's a pre-conference document review session at Area Assembly to look over the issues being decided on by the AAWS Conference. The changes can be significant, or mere wording changes to reflect the current times. Any AA member has the right and responsibility to familiarize themselves with the documentation. But it's almost impossible to review everything. That's why the documents are … [Read more...]
Bill Wilson Singleness of Purpose 1957
https://youtu.be/BBdGNGbVaEs … [Read more...]
Speakers: Best of Chuck C.
** These recordings are pulled from Youtube and may contain advertising. If advertising is present, it does not mean that AA District 2 endorses any product or outside institution as prescribed in our 6th Tradition. … [Read more...]
Recommended AA Group Contribution Guidelines
A couple of considerations should be in place for the contribution process. The first is setting your Prudent Reserve for your group. Prudent Reserver from the AA literature: "Most groups try to hold a certain amount of money in reserve. There is no predetermined amount for such a reserve, but most groups try to put aside enough money to cover at least one to three months’ operating expenses. The group itself usually determines the actual size and scope of the prudent reserve. Our … [Read more...]
Analysis and comparison of three treatment measures for alcoholism: antabuse, the alcoholics anonymous approach, and psychotherapy
British Journal of Addiction, Vol. 50, 1953: By FRANCIS T. CHAMBERS, Jr. of the Philadelphia Hospital Institute In 1935 I joined the staff of the Institute of the Pennsylvania Hospital, and with the generous support of the senior staff members endeavored to work out a treatment plan to be available for those seeking help for acute problems. This plan had the then unique characteristic of being a positive, rather than a negative approach. By and large, at this period, most … [Read more...]
Letter to Dr. Carl Jung from Bill Wilson
The below letter was written by Bill Wilson to the eminent Swiss psychologist & psychiatrist Dr. Carl Gustav Jung which was dated 1/23/61. Bill considered it a long overdue note of appreciation for Dr. Jung's contribution to A.A.'s solution for alcoholism. The Big Book refers to part of the story on pages 26 & 27. This letter is then followed by Dr. Jung’s reply. My dear Dr. Jung: This letter of great appreciation has been very long overdue. May I first introduce … [Read more...]
AA’s Forgotten Beginning – The Alcoholics Anonymous “Beginners’ Classes”
(Facts and thoughts transcribed from a talk given by Wally P. on 11/23/96 in Mesa, Arizona. Wally is the author of the book "Back To Basics: The Alcoholics Anonymous Beginners' Meetings, 'Here are the steps we took...' in Four One-Hour Sessions".) Initial growth in Alcoholics Anonymous took place in Cleveland, Ohio. Clarence S. and the guys went out actively pursuing drunks and brought them off bar stools and street corners. We don't do that today, but we were doing it back then [late 1930's … [Read more...]
The Washingtonians
The following, rather long, extract describes the Washingtonians and one of their star speakers as they were seen from the perspective of the latter part of the 19th century--years after their decline to little more than a fond memory in the minds of temperance advocates. The extract is from The Temperance Reform and its Great Reformers by Rev. W.H. Daniels, A.M., published 1878. Thanks to Rick K. who came across the book, converted this segment into digital format, and made it available for … [Read more...]
Speakers: Best of Earl H.
** These recordings are pulled from Youtube and may contain advertising. If advertising is present, it does not mean that AA District 2 endorses any product or outside institution as prescribed in our 6th Tradition. … [Read more...]
Speakers: Best Women AA Speakers
To view all recordings, click the small menu icon in the upper left of the video image below. ** These recordings are pulled from Youtube and may contain advertising. If advertising is present, it does not mean that AA District 2 endorses any product or outside institution as prescribed in our 6th Tradition. … [Read more...]
Speakers: Best of Scott R.
** These recordings are pulled from Youtube and may contain advertising. If advertising is present, it does not mean that AA District 2 endorses any product or outside institution as prescribed in our 6th Tradition. … [Read more...]
History of the AA Preamble
In 1947, because of the growing interest in AA, the Grapevine editors decided to write a brief definition of the Fellowship. Thus, the AA Preamble was first published in the June 1947 issue. They used portions of the Foreword to the first edition of the Big Book. The Grapevine had just begun to circulate among non-alcoholics, and the Preamble was intended primarily to describe for them what AA is and is not. It is still often used for public information purposes. As time passed, it began … [Read more...]
Bill Wilson and Law School
Bill writes in the Big Book (page 2): "I took a night law course...I studied economics and business as well as law...Potential alcoholic that I was, I nearly failed my law course. At one of the finals I was too drunk to think or write...By the time I had completed the law, I knew the law was not for me." Dan Demarest, a former Stepping Stones board member (Stepping Stones is where Bill & Lois lived the last half of their life) and a lawyer himself, was curious about Bill's almost-law … [Read more...]
The Original “Bill’s Story”
This is the first printed draft of the Big Book, which was mailed to various individuals for their comments and also as a fund raising tool. It is unclear at what time during the writing of the Big Book "Bill's Story" became chapter one. The language in this draft is in many ways different than the final manuscript. This illustrates the process of having many individuals add their opinions to the contents. [archivist's note: All pages are 8.5" by 14"; marked text (underlined) means more than … [Read more...]