Phone Bridge Intergroup Meeting Minutes
January 14, 2018
The meeting opened at 5:00 p.m. with the Unity Pledge, Serenity Prayer and the reading of the 12 Traditions.
In attendance:
- 15 GSRs & Officers
- 5 PBIG Trustees
- 11 Attenders
Old Business:
Service Manual Committee Report
- Five service positions descriptions are completed and will be posted on the website this month. If you haven’t done so, please sign up for News & Updates in order to be informed.
- Looking for group feedback, GSRs were asked in October to pose this question at their October, November and December business meetings:
What do members do when leaders or trusted servants openly share that they are not GreySheet abstinent or openly state that they are eating things not on the GreySheet and their sponsors state that they are Grey Sheet abstinent, and continue to give service on the bridge?
Treasurer Report
- PB Checking balance is $3,566.55.
- WS account is $663.53
REPORTS FROM GSRs:
- group wants guidelines followed as written
- newly elected and hasn’t discussed the question with her group.
- didn’t discuss with her meeting; her opinion is that the leader needs to step down.
- GSR needs to make a phone call to the meeting leader and ask that he/she not continue in that position.
- do not do service if not GS abstinent; contact the leader privately; third tradition states that all are welcome, and no one should be excluded; some never heard of it happening and think GSR should be contacted to pursue the matter; let it go.
- hasn’t discussed with her group; her opinion is that this is better dealt with in private.
- incorporate requirement in format so leader has to step down and inform GSR; if sponsor says the person is abstinent, the person is; share one on one with the person; bring up at IG level by having GSR inform IG and IG would remove the person from the position.
- person needs to be spoken with privately; why is this even a question when the GS is clearly defined? if the person says he/she is abstinent, then he/she is.
- honesty; follow what’s on the GS; Traditions one and four; medical abstinence is between the person and the doctor; contact GSR; is this why no one is stepping up for service because they aren’t abstinent? (newcomer); handle the matter privately; the way people hear about GS abstinence at meetings is vague.
- redirect to sponsor; don’t “out” anyone; God is in charge
- no discussion on business meeting
- no GS police if person is abstinent then that is fine; no food is subject come up? We serve we do not govern; is this controversy good for the newcomer? Other topics are just as important as this one; are we changing the Group Purpose? If we open the door to food changes it will be like OA or FA; GSR should speak to person privately; the Grey Sheet isn’t a do-it-yourself plan
Comments from PB Trustee Board Chairperson:
- Thank you all for serving.
- Board and GSRs will discuss what to do should this situation reoccur.
- We need written policy on what to do.
- There currently is a committee made up of members with twenty or more years of abstinence to clarify the GS.
New Business:
GSAWS board chairperson reported that the WSC committee is putting a budget together due in March. Currently, there is no site, no dollar amount and no date. Once the budget is presented they will know how to move forward.
- GSRs are to inquire, during meeting announcements: how do groups want us to finance the intergroup representative to attend WSC and how many representatives should be sent? Please give concrete examples of how to raise money for WSC.
NEXT PBI MEETING: Sunday, April 8 at 5:00-6:00 p.m. EST.
Topic: How do groups want PBI to finance sending a representative to WSC? How many representatives do we send? Concrete examples of how to raise money for WSC.
Announcement for meetings who send their contributions to the Phone Bridge Intergroup to incorporate into their format:
- The 7th Tradition states we are fully self-supporting declining outside contributions. The treasurer for this meeting is_______________ or
- This meeting has decided to send its’ contributions to the GSA Phone Bridge Intergroup. To send support for the general operating budget, call Linda L. in California-310-245-6441. To support sending delegates to the WSC Delegates, call Marilyn H. at 347-680-3226.
If GSRs have new items for agenda, send to phonebridgetrustees@greysheetmeetings.org prior to the meeting on April 8.
The meeting closed at 6:02 p.m. with the Serenity Prayer.
Respectfully submitted,
Phone Bridge Secretary
