Timing A Group Conscience Meeting
Tom B.’s comment motivated the gray matter…
He said;
“I once read somewhere that a group conscience meeting can be called at any time, especially during a regular AA meeting as to keep the “Others” at the monthly home group business meetings “In check” with the group as a whole. I’ve studied the pamphlet on The A.A. Group…Where It All Begins and may have missed or overlooked something there.”
Then he asked a few good questions. I have some thoughts on the first and invite your comments - please.
“How and when can a group conscience meeting can be conducted and how to bring about a well-informed Group Conscience?”
Simply my own opinion (?) but calling for a “group conscience” meeting during a regular meeting for the “purpose” (”as to keep” = purpose in my mind’s eye) of keeping “others” (which I read as outsiders, i.e. non group members) “in check” with your group? That doesn’t really feel in line with the spirit of the Fifth Tradition.
Which, once again, gives pause to consider what the “message” is…
“Each group has but one primary purpose - to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.”
Hopefully, that message is more “You can recover from a hopeless state of mind and body” than it is “While you’re here in our group you’ll do it our way” which is what “keep in check” equates to - for me.
That being said, I have seen a “group conscience” (a very quick vote) taken during a meeting for the specific purpose of keeping the meeting topic in line with our primary purpose.
Anyone?
Tags: 12th-tradition, alcoholics-anonymous, fifth-tradition, group-conscienceRelated Stories
POSTED IN: The Twelve Traditions
1 opinion for Timing A Group Conscience Meeting
denise w
Aug 24, 2008 at 10:33 pm
hi,i have seen a group conscience meeting done when say its a smoking group and all but one person is smoking and they want everyone to stop so they call a group conscience to resolve the dispute at that moment. but never to change something that would effect the group as a whole we would normally post at least a week in advance and try to do it every month at the same time say the last saturday before the 8.00 oclock so as people get more involved it becomes part of their routeen.
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