Alcoholics Anonymous Oregon Area 58

Tabled Motion #1: (New Business Motion #2 at February Assembly)

Submitted by: District 36
Motion: Effective immediately when taking its own inventory Oregon Area simply asks the attached questions in order and allows discussion to begin immediately.

Intent/Purpose:
To provide a more effective catalyst for conversation while affording time for thoughtful dialogue during our inventory proceedings. Taking an Area inventory is critically important and in order to reap the benefits of this process we must allow for discussion of the issues presented. These questions, which were loosely adopted from “The AA Group” pamphlet, will provide adequate opportunity for a group “conversation” and therefore an opportunity for us to grow.

Current Practice:
Oregon Area currently engages a process of eliminating talking points from a large list of options thru a series of votes. This process of “deciding what to actually discuss” has at times taken the entire time slot allowed for the inventory.

Budgetary Impact: none

1) What is the basic purpose of Oregon Area 58?
2) What more can Oregon Area do to carry the message?
3) Is Oregon Area attracting alcoholics from different backgrounds? Are we seeing a good cross section of our community, including those with special needs?
4) Do new members stick with us or does the turnover seem excessive? If so why? What can we do as an area to retain members?
5) Do we emphasize the importance of counsel with those who have experience in general service?
6) Are we careful to preserve the anonymity of our trusted servants?
7) Are all members given the opportunity to speak and participate in meetings and business?
8) Mindful that holding office is a great responsibility, not to be viewed as the outcome of a popularity contest, are we choosing our officers with care?
9) Are we doing all we can to provide an attractive and accessible meeting place?
10) What has the Area done lately to bring the AA message to the attention of professionals in the community- the physicians, clergy, court officials, educators, and others who are often the first to see alcoholics in need of help?
11) How is Oregon Area fulfilling its responsibility to the seventh tradition?
12) How can we increase our effectiveness in serving the groups of Oregon Area, the still suffering alcoholics of Oregon Area, and those with whom we cooperate?
2nd by PJ District 29

Tabled Motion #2: (New Business Motion #3 at February Assembly)

Submitted by: Cha-Cha (GSR) District 24

Motion: Submit a request to the Trustees Literature Committee to delete “of the opposite sex” from page 117 in the book Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions.

This would change the sentence from: “Nearly every sound human being experiences, at some time in life, a compelling desire to find a mate of the opposite sex with whom the fullest possible union can be made...", to “Nearly every sound human being experiences, at some time in life, a compelling desire to find a mate with whom the fullest possible union can be made….”

Intent/Purpose: While it is a very important to preserve our historical documents as they are written, it also may serve us well as a fellowship to be willing to make small adjustments to some of our literature to help ensure that our effectiveness is never diminished by terms that may have outlived their usefulness. We can all agree that our Big Book should be left alone, but, as our other literature plays a crucial role in helping newcomers identify, it is important that we, as a fellowship, pay attention to opportunities where we can adjust our literature without compromising the integrity of our message. We feel that this is one of those opportunities.

Current Practice: On occasion, AA does make adjustments to its literature to maintain its effectiveness. An example of these adjustments in recent years would be our fellowship-wide examination of the pamphlet “Letter to Woman Alcoholic,” which was eventually removed from publication due to Fellowship-wide understanding that it was outdated and may have posed gender bias concerns among other reasons.

Budgetary Impact: None to Oregon Area, Cost to AA World Services is unknown.
2nd by Bob