I have great abstinence, a wonderful new attitude, so much in my life is so much better--so why should I care about Intergroup or doing service other than sponsoring?
Well, let’s think for a minute about how Twelve Step programs first started. It didn’t start when Bill W. got sober--it started when Bill reached out to Dr. Bob.
Our Twelfth Step and several of our Traditions are all about spreading the word of recovery from compulsive eating to other people. Our intergroups and service bodies are all about us being able to do together what we can’t do alone. We come together and have meetings because many of us together can spread the message of recovery. Service bodies (that includes intergroups) come together and together we are able to fund a phone line, host a website, put on recovery events to attract others and strengthen our own recovery. But we need those willing service workers to do the service which then strengthens their own recovery. We have a miraculous recovery to share. To keep that recovery we must give away what we have been given and that means service.
My service doesn’t need to be the same as anyone else’s, and it doesn’t need to be something I dislike--in fact it works even better if it is something I do really like. But often times it may be something I have never done before that is out of my comfort level.
I have often found that people are really hesitant to do something that they have never done before or something that they need to spend some time learning how to do. But what a wonderful opportunity! I once spent several months sitting with a willing person to teach her how to put a newsletter together. The first month I did most of the work and showed her how to do it; the final month I brought a book and sat with her while she did the whole thing. She was afraid, but I was sure she could do it. She went on to do the newsletter for several years and it was great. OA is a great place to learn to do things because OA'ers can be gentle and supportive. But they can also be critical and unsupportive. Let’s all try to be gentle with our Trusted Servants and support them whenever we can.
I urge you to look around and see what needs to be done for your group, your intergroup, your region, or for World Service. I am not planning to run again to be Trustee, but you may want to consider putting your name forward as a Trustee Nominee this fall at the Region One Assembly, if you qualify.
It would be wonderful if your local intergroup and Region One had more than one candidate for each position. Don’t run against someone else--run with them!
Margie G. - Region One