DISTRICT 11

A.A. Newsletter MAY 2019

http://www.whatcomaa.org/

“We admitted we were powerless over alcohol – that our lives had become unmanageable” eprinted from AA Big Book, page 59

Bellingham Group: There is a women’s meeting at the

Bellingham Group Saturday mornings at 10 AM

Birthdays for May: 30 yrs: Ken B., 19 yrs: Diane L.; 8

yrs: Rebecca; 4 yrs: Sheva M.; 3 yrs: Cassey, Ron M.; 2

yrs: Steve B., Michelle.

Blaine Group: Our monthly potluck/speaker meeting is

on May 10th (2nd Fri,) starting at 6:30

Birthdays for May: 37 yrs: Dale A.; 9 yrs: Val S.; 2 yrs:

Dora; 1 yr: Heide C., Diana, John C.

Ferndale Unity Group:

Birthdays for May: 34 yrs: David M.; 26 yrs: Barb O.; 23

yrs: Jeanne M.; 14 yrs: John G.; 8 yrs: Joanne B.; 3 yrs:

Amy V.; 2 yrs: Yvette; 1 yr: Caleb R., Val B., Cameron

R., Patti M., Chuck S., Orlin C., Craig S.

Grateful Hearts:

Birthdays for May: 28 yrs: Merdie M.; 7 yrs: Kim M.

Our Primary Purpose Group:

Birthdays for May: 1 Year- Viki G, Lynne R, Alton A,

Tam C, Kathy H 3 Years- Ron M 4 Years- Demery J 8

Years- Robin L, Rebecca Mc 10 Years- Joanne M, Meleri

L 12 Years- Diana H 13 Years- Eric L 15 Years- Monte D

27 Years- Denise F 32 Years- Amanda M 41 Years- Ray

H 44 Years- Mike S.

Rule 62 Group: Spring has sprung at Rule 62! The

flowers and trees are blooming, the cows are calving, the

birds are singing and newcomers are newcomering out of

the woodwork! Our Big Book Study on Thursday night

continues to grow (the mushrooming process) and we

enjoy some absolutely fantastic discussion. There is lots of

participation as people learn that it is absolutely ok and

encouraged to comment and ask questions as we study the

program of AA outlined our treasured “Big Book”. There

is often a lot of laughter and the deadly seriousness of our

disease at the same time. We have a break out beginners

meeting Thursday in another room if there are brand new

people. Saturday night continues to be a great hour and a

half long meeting with a full hour speaker and tag meeting

at the end if time allows.

Our Sister Fellowship Al-Anon has begun a great new

meeting “First Things First Group” at the same location

and time as our Thursday meeting (different room), giving

our loved ones an opportunity to find healing through our

beloved 12 steps as well. Please feel free to invite non-

alcoholic friends and family members to attend with you.

Please see: From the AA Guidelines Relationship between

AA & Al-Anon, to answer questions.

Third Legacy:

We want you!! Come join us for our weekly speaker/call-

up meeting, as well as our monthly HOUR-LONG

SPEAKER MEETING AND POTLUCK!! This month

our hour-long speaker is Jeri H! Potluck starts at 6:30, and

we will raffle off literature!! We have regular childcare

now! We also get together monthly for a fellowship

breakfast – come find out the details!

Here is the list of weekly speakers for May:

May 6: Steven E.

May 13: Devin C.

May 20: Ian W.

May 27 (Hour long): Jeri H. (Seattle)

We always have service opportunities available, get in the

middle of our herd!!

Committee Announcement :

The Newsletter Committee is still welcoming

members to write stories, write poems, and

incorporate new ideas into your newsletter! We

also need submissions from the AA population

at large! Ask for participation in your meetings

so everyone has a chance to carry the message.

Let’s create something everyone wants to read!

If you have something to say, write it down and

email it to:

newsletter@whatcomaa.org

DCM – Aaron D.

Hi Everyone!

It's been an exciting month in District 11! As I'm writing this, I just

attended the Area 72 April Quarterly. I appreciate the input I got

from several groups about the different discussion topics. We had a

very good discussion about how to reach out to young alcoholics.

We also heard from the committee that's working on the new

edition of our Area's history book, Our Stories Disclosed. I invited

them to attend our District meeting in April, to help inspire us to

start updating our groups' histories!

Finally, by the time youtr reading this, we will know if the groups

voted to add Skagit County (District 4) to our AA hotline. If you

know, please let Aaron from April 8th know what will happen.

I look forward to continuing our mission to help the still suffering

alcoholic!

In love & service,

Aaron D

DCM District 11

Public Information/Cooperation with the Professional

Community (PI/CPC) – Bridget S.

Things are rolling along in the world of Public Information &

Cooperation with the Professional Communities. We’re gearing up

to make contact with a number of churches in the district to

hopefully bring awareness about what AA is and is not.

Changing the delivery of meeting schedules to quarterly seems to

be transitioning smoothly with a few minor bumps that are easily

smoothed out with good communication and patience.

A carload of us are traveling to the Central Service Office in

Tacoma this next Saturday for the “Attraction Not Promotion”

Workshop. We hope to learn more ways to effectively carry the

message of Alcoholics Anonymous publicly. This workshop is also

required for those members wishing to help out at the State Fair and

other such booths in that area, and it gives attendees clearance for a

2 year stretch. We hope to duplicate that system in a manner

appropriate for our needs here in District 11.

We’re looking into the possibility also, of making contact with St.

Joe’s regarding how we can better cooperate with their staff

regarding facilitation of 12th step calls to patients in the hospital,

and more effectively meet the needs in that area.

We have a lot of locations to deliver meeting schedules to, and

would love more people to spread the load to. If your home group

has no PI/CPC Group Representative, please contact us at pi-

cpc@whatcomaa.org – YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A HOME

GROUP REP TO SERVE WITH THE PI/CPC COMMITTEE!!

WE NEED YOU!!

Phone Service – Craig C.

The Phone Service sponsors the District 11 AA Hotline 24/7 and a

12 Step Call list. We are grateful to be the hand of AA whenever

anyone in northwest Washington reaches out for help by phone.

Many times we are the first contact a newcomer has with AA. If

you want what we have and are willing to answer the phone for a

few hours each week, contact phoneservice@whatcomaa.org or call

the hotline at (360) 734-1688. Current openings are Thursday 4-8

pm and Friday 12-4 pm. Our committee meets the third Thursday of

every month at 6:15 at the Drydock. Our next workshop is June

10th at 7 pm at the Drydock (includes pizza!). All are welcome. In

love and service, Craig C.

Corrections and Treatment – Ben J.

Hello all!

Your district C&T committee is up to some very exciting things!

We're working on some new ventures to increase participation and

efficiency regarding Bridging The Gap in District 11. And, as

always, we're looking for volunteers for all of our correctional

facilities. If you want to learn more or get involved, please join us at

5:30 at Northwest Hall on the 4th Thursday of the month!

Love and Service,

Ben J.

LETTER FROM BILL WILSON ABOUT THE USE OF

THE LORD’S PRAYER - April 14, 1959

Dear Russ,

Am right sorry for my delay in answering. Lois

and I were a long time out of the country and this

was followed by an attack of the marathon type of

flu that has been around here in New York. We are

okay now, however, but I did want to explain my

delay.

Now about the business of adding the Lord’s

Prayer to each A.A. meeting.

This practice probably came from the Oxford

Groups who were influential in the early days of

A.A. You have probably noted in AA. Comes of Age

what the connection of these people in A.A. really

was. I think saying the Lord’s Prayer was a custom

of theirs following the close of each meeting.

Therefore, it quite easily got shifted into a general

custom among us.

Of course, there will always be those who seem

to be offended by the introduction of any prayer

whatever into an ordinary A.A. gathering. Also, it is

sometimes complained that the Lord’s Prayer is a

Christian document. Nevertheless, this Prayer is of

such widespread use and recognition that the

arguments of its Christian origin seems to be a little

farfetched. It is also true that most A.A.s believe in

some kind of God, and that communication and

strength is obtainable through His grace. Since this

is the general-consensus it seems only right that at

least the Serenity Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer be

used in connection with our meetings. It does not

seem necessary to defer to the feelings of our

agnostic and atheist newcomers to the extent of

completely hiding our light under a bushel.

However, around here, the leader of the

meeting usually asks those to join him in the Lord’s

Prayer who feel that they would care to do so. The

worst that happens to the objectors is that they

have to listen to it. This is doubtless a salutary

exercise in tolerance at their stage of progress.

So that’s the sum of the Lord’s Prayer business

as I recall it. Your letter made me wonder in just

what connection you raise the question.

Meanwhile, please know just how much Lois and I

treasure the friendship of you both. May

Providence let our paths presently cross one of

these days.

Devotedly yours,

Bill Wilson

Ongoing Volunteers Needed for: The AA HOTLINE – 360-734-1688

phoneservice@whatcomaa.org

Ongoing volunteers are needed to take meetings to

corrections and treatment facilities, AA Hotline and to

speak at non-AA informational meetings. Please attend the

monthly Corrections and Treatment meeting to find out the

requirements for volunteering (always the 4th Thursday

each month at 5:30 pm at Northwest Group)

Submit Your Stories, Photos, Art and More! The Grapevine, "your meeting in print" is also your

meeting on the Web. Why not share? We're always

accepting submissions of art or text, and you need no

prior publishing experience. All it takes is a little

willingness and a desire to share. Read the guidelines

for submitting, check our editorial calendar for upcoming special topics, and

then use our upload form.

AAGRAPEVINE.ORG

“My sponsor wanted me

to go back to basics, I just didn’t

know how far back he wanted me

to go.”-Kermie.,

Tucson,

Ariz. Copyright © The AA Grapevine, Inc. (May, 2019). Reprinted

with permission.

Poets Wanted Here Your Newsletter Committee invites

you to participate in a monthly AA

Poem feature. Please submit your original poems to:

newsletterwhatcomaa.org – 200 words or less.

POOR ME

I have known for awhile now

that this change was coming

I have known how it would feel

I understand the trials and tribulations

that must be endured

but still

I wonder

how many tears can I cry?

do I cry for the whole world-

or just for me.

is there really any difference?

If I fill two small oceans

can I name them

Poor You

and

Poor Me

Lisa Underdown

C) Transitions, 2006

MAY 2019

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

Visions, 7pm

2

Detox, 7pm

Accessibility Mtg @NW,

5:45pm

3

St. Joes 7pm

4

Detox, 7pm

**DCM ROUNDTABLE –

EVERETT

ARCHIVES QUARTERLY

5

PCN, 7pm

6

St. Joes, 4pm 7

Detox, 7pm

8

Visions, 7pm

*Deadline for Newsletter*

9

Detox, 7pm

10

St. Joes 7pm 11

Detox, 7pm

**PI/CPC SPRING

QUARTERLY

12 13

St. Joes, 4pm

14

Detox, 7pm

*Gratitude Banquet

Committee Mtg.

15

Visions, 7pm

GSR District Mtg. @ Dry

Dock, 6:30p

16 Detox, 7pm

Phone Service Mtg. @ Dry

Dock, 6:15pm

17

St. Joes 7pm 18

Detox, 7pm

Literature Mtg. @ FUG

10:30am B’Ham: OTOT Speaker

Potluck

19

20

St. Joes, 4pm

**North County Picnic

Planning Committee

21

Detox, 7pm

22

Visions, 7pm

23 Detox, 7pm

PI/CPC Mtg. @ Dry Dock,

6:30pm

C&T Mtg. @ NW, 5:30pm

24

St. Joes 7pm

25

Detox, 7pm

26

27

St. Joes,

4pm

28

Detox, 7pm

3rd Legacy Committee

Mtg. @ Dry Dock,

6:30pm

29

Visions, 7pm

30

Detox, 7pm

31

St. Joes 7pm

*For information please visit whatcomaa.org.

**For information about quarterly committee meetings and area events go to www.area72aa.org

A Declaration of Unity This we owe to A.A.’s future:

To place our common welfare first; To keep our fellowship united.

For on A.A. unity depend our lives, And the lives of those to come

Reprinted with permission from A.A.W.S.

Three legacies of AA are Recovery, Unity and Service.

We serve because we are grateful for AA

saving our lives.