conscious contact -...

Central Oregon’s

CONSCIOUS CONTACT

AA HOTLINE – (541) 548-‐0440

JUNE HAPPENINGS Area Updates . . . DISTRICT 5 GSR MEETINGS are held on the second Sunday of each month at 4:00 pm at the First United Methodist Church (Community Room on Kansas) 680 NW Bond, Bend. All are welcome. PI/CPC is recruiting new members to help distribute literature; re-contacted members involved in local media; continuing to develop contacts at public and private radio stations; connecting with Deschutes County prevention staff for local schools to receive schedules and literature; Ads in the Source weekly and Bend Bulletin with the AA Hotline phone number.

Judy W, a new arrival to Bend, has volunteered to be the new Editor of the Conscious Contact. Judy is soliciting articles for the newsletter. Choose a step to write about, or anything else related to your experience, strength and hope with alcoholism. NOTE: I am seeking an article about Step 7 for the July newsletter. Please send correspondence to [email protected].

INTERGROUP OFFICERS

CHAIRPERSON Vickie M (541) 410-3481 [email protected] VICE CHAIRPERSON Reed K (541) 771-8097 [email protected] SECRETARY Cody M (541) 420-0774 [email protected] TREASURER Dan P (541) 480-0571 [email protected] NEWSLETTER Judy W (541) 706-9327 [email protected] SCHEDULES Pete M (541) 280-2491 [email protected] HOTLINE Samantha R (541) 604-5319 [email protected] POTLUCK David W (541) 610-6624 [email protected] WEBSITE Steve G (541) 385-7827 [email protected] ENTERTAINMENT Aaron D (541) 420-0937 [email protected] AL-ANON LIAISON Patty P (541) 788-7463 [email protected] DISTRICT COMMITTEE MEMBER Vera F (541) 408-7470 ADVISORY BOARD COMMITTEE Bill O (541) 771-5152 Pattie O (541) 771-5452 Mike S (541) 815-7458 Peggy R (541) 480-4019

OUR INTERGROUP OFFICE M-F 9:00 am -1:00 pm 337 Antler St., Suite B Redmond OR 97756 (541) 923-8199 www.coigaa.org

OREGON AREA TREASURY 1900 NE 3RD Street Suite 106-172 Bend OR 97701

DISTRICT 5 P. O. Box 7241 Bend OR 97708

GENERAL SERVICE BOARD Grand Central Station P.O. Box 459 New York NY 10164-0371

Volume 17, Issue 03 June 1, 2014

AA HOTLINE

Coverage needed

To qualify you must:

• Have a working telephone • Have 6 months of sobriety • Have an AA sponsor • Be working the AA steps • Be attending AA meetings regularly • Participate in a brief training

If you are willing to give back what was so freely given to you please call:

Hotline Chairman: Samantha R. (541) 604-5319

JUNE BIRTHDAYS

Kathleen B. 6/08/12 AA 6/10/35 Judy W. 6/10/07 Pete M. 6/11/00 Kelvin L. 6/12/10 Kris B. 6/21/06 Jackie C. 6/22/12 Cheri M. 6/27/92 Jake D. 6/29/10 Linda S.T. 6/30/00

(Let us know when your birthday is, and you’ll be in the newsletter. Ed.)

MEETING CHANGES

5:30 pm Friday Primary Purpose resumes 6/6/14 at St. Helen’s Hall

As of July lst, Attitude Adjustment Group will consist of only M-F meetings. Saturday 8 am meeting will become its own new meeting. Currently a transition committee is being formed to set this up. Anyone interested in being part of this committee may contact Sandi L., or Matt C., see the secretary for their contact information.

INTERGROUP POTLUCK SPEAKER MEETING -- 4th Saturday of the month Please Note: LOCATION AND TIME HAVE CHANGED Now takes place at the Church of Christ, 544 NW Newport. Potluck at 6:45 pm; speakers at 7:30 pm

Click link for forms:


A MEMBER’S EXPERIENCE WITH STEP SIX Wow! Thank goodness Step Six is NOT Step One, or else, who knows where I would be. And, thank goodness that we live the steps everyday and it is a life-long process, and itʼs progress NOT perfection. Step Six, “were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character” asks us to be willing to let go of our defects of character and to honestly seek to grow in the likeness of our Creator. This is a tall order for anyone, let alone a self-centered alcoholic.

When I first came through the doors of AA, I must say, I was falsely proud of my life and how I had managed it, except as it related to my problem with alcohol. Everything on the outside still looked pretty good. I liked to think of myself as a successful corporate transactional lawyer. I had married my college sweetheart and had two beautiful babies. We were living in a nice suburb in Los Angeles. So, it goes, I thought I was just fine, except when I drank I took risks and did stupid things that could have ended in me losing everything. As a result, I thought I had better get some help with my drinking. A counselor suggested AA after I went on a weekend bender that could have ended really badly. She suggested I take lemons and make lemonade and go to an AA meeting to help with my incomprehensible demoralization and remorse. So, I did. This was nearly ten years ago, and I have not had to drink since November 28th, 2004.

My first walk through the steps, I sincerely could not see really anything wrong with me besides my drinking and people pleasing. God removed from me my desire to drink, and I started in Al Anon for my people pleasing issues. . . . . so, I was on my way to being perfect. Well, not exactly. As they say, pride goeth before the fall. In my case, my God did not have me fall off of a huge 500 foot cliff, instead, I have been slowly (sometimes gently and sometime not) tumbling down off my self-made pedestal to join the human race for the last decade.

Step six has been instrumental in my spiritual growth. My second time going through Step Six, I could identify a few defects of character, but still refused to be willing to let them go. I felt at the time that my pride, control, arrogance, self-centeredness, and self righteousness had gotten me some degree of success. I fancied myself as being really smart (since I did graduate top of my class at law school), and I figured since I stopped drinking I could stay one step ahead of everyone else in this game of life. This was a time when I thought I was a spiritual giant. The truth is I was living alone, and not in a relationship. I had gotten a divorce in early sobriety, and I had two small children who I cared for, and I had an amazing nanny who did everything for me when I went to work. The point is, I did not have an intimate relationship with an equal partner. In every relationship that was close to home, I was in charge.

Here comes the boom -- I got into an intimate relationship with another human being; within a couple years we got married and blended families. Oh, dear God, it got ugly. I felt like a newcomer. My life turned upside down. I ran back to AA. I got a new sponsor who I liked what she had and who seemed to be enjoying her companion of many years.

We worked the steps, and this time, my attitude towards Step six had totally changed. First, I was forced to really look at myself and my character defects in this relationship. I did not want to end up divorced for a second time and drag my kids and myself through another divorce. I really did not want to go through a lot of pain anymore. Now, at 40, I realized, I did not have all the answers, and that itʼs true, my shit actually does stink. And so it goes, humility was once again the healer of pain. I actually got down off the pedestal and took a real look at the character defects and sincerely and earnestly wanted them to be removed. First, I had to identify them, and now, through a lot of ego-puncturing, I could see. Control, blaming others, jealousy, unreasonable expectations, inciting conflict, insecurities, self


sabotage, and dishonesty were a few of them. I knew I needed to work on removing these or I would not be capable of having an intimate relationship with my husband.

I used to pride myself on running a tight ship. But on a tight ship, there is no room for others, no room for growth, and no room for God. Now, I try to remember to turn the helm over to God and let go and enjoy the ride and humbly do my part as part of a crew. Itʼs very scary and vulnerable to let go of the character defects that shielded me from the human race, but itʼs so worth it, and so rewarding to love others and allow myself to be loved. Itʼs also very grounding and calming to be one among many than isolated and alone on my self made pedestal.

Anonymous

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STAYING OUT OF THE SWAMP – Tradition 6 A member learns not to let money, property or prestige bog us down from our primary purpose.

Time and experience proved that a policy of “no endorsements” would keep AAʼs doors open to the greatest number of prospective members. There are ʻrelated facilitiesʼ that provide vital services to alcoholics – hospital wards, treatment facilities, drunk tanks and clubs – but Tradition Six recommends that they should operate without endorsement, affiliation or financial support from AA groups.

Individual AA members may privately endorse related facilities or outside enterprises, but no group of Alcoholics Anonymous ought to lend the AA name to any of these. Why? Because nothing should be allowed to divert us from our primary purpose of carrying a message of hope to the alcoholic who still suffers.

Think about it. If AA were to endorse a treatment center, political party, or football team, wouldnʼt fans of the other team get mad? Has your home group ever fought about money at its business meeting? Have you known newcomers who were nervous about attending AA meetings in church basements?

Tradition Six helps keep us from getting bogged down in these types of conflicts. It recommends no endorsements. It warns us not to let money squabbles undermine our primary purpose, and enables us to assure newcomers about the meeting places of Alcoholics Anonymous. AA groups are in no way affiliated with the creed, politics, sect, or denomination of their landlords.

It was personal experience that helped me grasp the significance of this Tradition. When I met a rich woman who couldnʼt stay away from the first drink, I understood that sobriety is more than money. (I learned more about this when I was active and happy in the Fellowship while unemployed and in debt.) When the church in which my home group met burned to the ground, but the group carried its message as usual, I learned that an AA group is more than property. As for prestige, I have learned that it has a lot to do with ego, while ours is an ego-deflating program. As long as I donʼt get too important to serve, Iʼll probably be fine.

Money, property and prestige (like defects of character) are simply part of life, but they become liabilities when they eclipse my primary purpose of staying sober and helping other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

At our 35th Anniversary International Convention, the Declaration of Unity put it this way: “This we owe to AAʼs future: to place our common welfare first; to keep our Fellowship united. For on AA Unity depend our lives, and the lives of those to come.”

Anonymous (Reprinted from Grapevine, June 1992)


taught by Jane White

Brought to you by the Living Sober Monday Night Group

Date: Saturday, June 21, 2014 Time: 10 am to 1 pm Where: RCC Redmond (Redmond Community Church, 10th & Cedar)

What to Bring: Paper, pen, and Big Book

Coffee, tea and snacks provided by Living Sober Group.

FREE to all . . . . donations welcome.

Questions? Call or text Laura S. at 541-420-2230 or Bob R. at 503-348-5314


JUNE 2014 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

2

3 Tuesday Night AA Speaker Mtg. 7 pm Church of the Nazarene

4 5 6 CO Speaker Mtg 7 pm Speakers Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas, Bend

7

8 District 5 GSR Mtg 4 pm First United Methodist Church, 680 NW Bond (enter Kansas) Bend

9 10 11 LaPine Potluck Speaker 6 pm Park & Rec. 16405½ First St., LaPine

12 Ochoco Campout See website for details

13 Ochoco Campout Info TBA. See website for details



Entertainment Meeting 4 pm Redmond Alano Club

16 17 18 19 20 CO Speaker Mtg 7pm Speakers Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas, Bend

21 Beginning of Summer Picnic Location: TBA

4th Step Workshop Redmond (see flyer in newsletter)

Culver-Madras Potluck & Speaker Meeting

22

23 24 25 26 27 Central Oregon Milestoner St. Helen’s Hall 7 pm

28 Intergroup Potluck Speaker Meeting 6:45 Potluck 7:30 Speakers Church of Christ 544 NW Newport

29 IGR Advisory Board Mtg 4:30 IGR Mtg 5:30 pm St. Helen’s Hall, 231 NW Idaho, Bend

30


JULY 2014

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 Tuesday Night AA Speaker Mtg. 7 pm Church of the Nazarene

2 3

4 CO Speaker Mtg 7 pm Speakers Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas, Bend

5

6

7 8 9 LaPine Potluck Speaker 6 pm Park & Rec. 16405½ First St., LaPine

10 11 SpiritFest See website for details

12

13 District 5 GSR Mtg 4 pm First United Methodist Church, 680 NW Bond (enter Kansas) Bend

14 15 16 17 18 CO Speaker Mtg 7pm Speakers Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas, Bend

37th Annual Summerfest

19

20 Entertainment Meeting 4 pm Redmond Alano Club

21 22 23 24 25 Central Oregon Milestoner St. Helen’s Hall 7 pm

26 Intergroup Potluck Speaker Meeting 6:45 Potluck 7:30 Speakers Church of Christ 544 NW Newport

27 IGR Advisory Board Mtg 4:30 IGR Mtg 5:30 pm St. Helen’s Hall, 231 NW Idaho, Bend

28 29 30 31

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