Popular Readings.

PREAMBLE

typed text of the reading as found on AA.ORG

Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.

The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership; we are self supporting through our own contributions. A.A. is not allied with

any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

HOW IT WORKS

typed text of the reading as found in Alcoholics Anonymous in Chapter 5 Pages 58-60

​Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves. There are such unfortunates. They are not at fault; they seem to have been born that way. They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty. Their chances are less than average. There are those, too, who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest. 

​Our stories disclose in a general way what we used to be like, what happened, and what we are like now. If you have decided you want what we have and are willing to go to any length to get it - then you are ready to take certain steps. 

​At some of these we balked. We thought we could find an easier, softer way. But we could not. With all the earnestness at our command, we beg of you to be fearless and thorough from the very start. Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely. 

​Remember that we deal with alcohol - cunning, baffling, powerful! Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all power - that One is God. May you find Him now!

​Half measures availed us nothing. We stood at the turning point. We asked His protection and care with complete abandon.

​Here are the steps we took, which are suggested as a program of recovery:

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. 
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching a fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. 
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. 
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. 
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. 
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it. 
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. 
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. 

​Many of us exclaimed, "What an order! I can't go through with it." Do not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles. We are not saints. The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines. The principle we have set down are guides to progress. We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection.

​ ​Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventures before and after make clear three pertinent ideas:

1. 1. That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives. 
   2. That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism.
   3. That God could and would if he were sought.

TWELVE TRADITIONS

typed text of the reading as found in Alcoholics Anonymous in Appendices Page 562

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 or 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 nonprofessional, 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.

SELF-SUPPORT "GREEN CARD"

typed text of the reading as found on AA.ORG

​The Seventh Tradition states that Alcoholics Anonymous is self-supporting through our own contributions. The contributions help to cover the group's expenses. But the Seventh Tradition is more than simply paying for rent and other group expenses. It is both a privilege and a responsibility of individual groups and members to ensure that our organization, at every level, remains forever self-supporting and free of outside influence that might divert us from our primary purpose. 

​The monetary amount of each contribution is secondary to the spiritual connection that joins us in unity with A.A. groups around the world.

SELF-SUPPORT FACTS

Does GSO handle all the contributions that come from the Fellowship?

​While members and groups often use the phrase "contributing to GSO," contributions are actually made to the General Service Board, which is responsible for all Seventh Tradition contributions. The GSB accepts contributions and uses them to help pay for services to the Fellowship that are carried out by employees of the two affiliate corporations working at the General Service Office. 

​Seventh Tradition contributions do not cover all costs of services; the shortfall is made up with literature sales.

​Contributions may be made by check or credit card, using the contribution envelope. Make cheques payable to the General Service Board and send to: 

For US Dollars:
​General Service Office
​Post Office Box 2407
​James A Farley Station
New York, NY 10116-2407

For Canadian Dollars:
​General Service Office
​PO Box 459
​Grand Central Station
​New York, NY 10163

(Please write your group number on the check.)

Online contributions may be made by credit card. Additionally, members or groups can set up recurring contributions that will automatically charge their credit card either monthly, quarterly or annually. Click on the A.A. Member Contributions Online icon on www.aa.org.

SAFETY CARD FOR AA GROUPS  "YELLOW CARD"

typed text of the reading as found on AA.ORG

​The General Service Office has made this optional card available as an A.A. service piece for in-person/online groups that wish to use it. Please feel free to utilize, choose a section(s) or adapt the text to your group's needs.

​Tradition Five states: Each group has but one primary purpose - to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.

​Any person seeking help with a drinking problem is welcome at this group. No A.A. entity determines an individual's membership in Alcoholics Anonymous. It is this group's conscience that if any person endangers another individual or disrupts the group's efforts to carry A.A.'s message, the group may ask that person to leave the meeting. 

​This group strives to safeguard the anonymity of A.A. members and attendees however keep in mind that anonymity in A.A. is not a cloak for unsafe and illegal behavior. Addressing such behavior and/or contacting the proper authorities when appropriate, does not go against any A.A. Traditions and is meant to ensure the safety of all in attendance. 

​The short form of Tradition One states: "Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity." Recognizing the importance of group unity, our group strives to create a safe meeting environment in which alcoholics can focus on achieving sobriety. 

Additional Sharing:

• Safety is a topic within A.A. that groups and members can address. Developing workable solutions to help keep meeting safe can be based on the principles of A.A. In discussions about safety, keep the focus on our primary purpose, our common welfare, and placing principles before personalities. 
• Predatory behaviors an unwanted sexual advances are in conflict with carrying the A.A. message of recovery and with A.A. principles. 
• A.A. does not provide medical advice or detox services; it has no opinion on outside issues, including medication. Medical advice should come from a qualified physician. 
• The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking. Groups and members strive to create a safe environment for the alcoholic who still suffers. 
• If safety concerns arise, individuals can speak with a sponsor, members of the group, a trusted friend and/or a professional to address the concern. 
• Service entities, such as areas, districts and intergroup/central offices, are available to help provide A.A. services and shared experience. All groups and entities in A.A. are autonomous. There is no government within A.A. and no central authority to control or direct its members, but we do share our experiences, strength and hope. 

For more information on this topic, see the service piece "Safety and A.A.: Our Common Welfare" (SMF-209) at aa.org.