GSA Phone Bridge Intergroup Meeting Minutes
April 9, 2017
5-6pm EST
712-432-5229; 4320188#
“This we owe to GSA’s future; to place our common welfare first, to keep our Fellowship united. For on GSA unity depend our lives, and the lives of those to come.”
Meeting called to order on April 9, 2017; 5-6pm EST on the Phone Number and Pin above.
Opened with the Unity Pledge, Serenity Prayer and reading of the 12 Traditions.
In attendance:
- 2 Attendees
- 6 GSRs
- 6 GSA Phone Bridge Trustees
Old Business:
Report of Service Manual Committee
- Progress Report
- Please ask all interested members to sign up for News and Updates
Topic
Phone Bridge Representation at the 2018 WSC.
Sharing focused on the following proposal:
The best way to represent the voice of our members is to elect delegates/ISRs (Intergroup Service Representatives) to represent “groups of meetings.” The simplest way to group our meetings is by time slot. Thus, we would be sending one delegate / ISR for each of the following time slots: 5:30 am, 7:00 am, Relapse/Recovery, 10:00 am, 12:00 pm women’s meeting, 7:00 pm, 9:00 pm, 9:00 am Saturday hybrid meeting (Ann Arbor). There would be up to 8 ISRs/Delegates. These time slots have had active GSRs since the Phone Bridge Intergroup began.
Qualifications:
- 3 years of back-to-back abstinence (as defined by GSA World Service website)
- Works the Twelve Steps, understands the Twelve Traditions, and is willing to learn about the Twelve Concepts;
- Has had experience in serving on other service levels in GSA (GSR, Intergroup officer, GSAPB Trustee, etc.), or in other 12-Step fellowships
Duties:
- Attends GSA Phone Bridge time slot meetings regularly;
- Attends Phone Bridge Intergroup meetings to learn about issues concerning their Intergroup so they may represent their Area at the World Service Conference;
- Is willing to serve now on a WS committee preparing for the conference;
- Once motions for the conference are available, will hold multiple informational meetings for the time slot(s) they represent OUTSIDE the normal business meeting times, so that groups can gain “informed group conscience” about the motions being voted on at the 2018 WSC;
- If possible, the groups would either vote on those motions at the informational meeting for their timeslot(s), or individually, as time allows, at their business meetings;
Financing our Representation:
- Estimated cost will be between $800-$1000 per delegate/ISR – so total funding cost would be between $6400 – $8000.
- We propose the IG would establish a separate treasurer and PO Box to collect funds ear-marked for the 2018 WSC (a Trustee has agreed to hold this position).
- The funds could be held in a newly established savings account connected to our current checking account;
- The funding would be reported monthly along with the current monthly reports (for transparency and to help the groups know how many ISRs/Delegates have funding)
Comments:
- All present liked the proposal.
- Most present were uncertain whether the funds would be donated for 8 ISRs.
- Most preferred the proposal rather than individual meetings trying to finance someone – or someone stepping up who could pay their own way. This idea seemed more equitable (and not limited to the well off).
- Several mentioned the idea of attending the conference via Skype or some other electronic means.
- Lastly, rather than bringing this to the business meetings this month, we decided to host an Informational Meeting, so individual members had a place to come and ask questions about this idea.
Next meeting will be July 9, 2017, 5pm.
PLEASE ANNOUNCE AT BUSINESS MEETINGS:
GSA Phone Bridge Intergroup will be hosting an informational meeting Sunday May 7, 2018 from 5-6 712-432-5229, Pin: 4320188# to discuss how the GSAPB will be represented and how we will financially afford sending ISRs to the 2018 WSC. Concerns were raised on how we as a GSAPB will be able to raise such funds to get fair representation.
The meeting closed with the Responsibility Pledge & the “We” version of the Serenity Prayer.
“I am responsible…when anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help I want the hand of GSA always to be there. And for that – I am responsible”
Respectfully submitted,
Kathleen in MI