Mini History of the Responsibility Statement
The Declaration was written for the occasion of the 1965 A.A. International Convention by Al S. Printed on wallet cards and in many A.A. pamphlets ever since, it has been quoted and recited innumerable times. Attempts have been made at least twice at General Service Conferences to change the wording of the Declaration to make […]
Heard in a Meeting: When I finally asked my parents for help to go to rehab…
When I finally asked my parents for help to go to rehab, they said they couldn’t, because I had stolen every cent from their bank account. [Talking about character defects]: A different flavor, but same ice cream shop. All my bottoms had trap doors I kept on falling through. I did not pandemic well. Don’t […]
A Room Full of Sponsors
by Bill M. When your sponsor’s not available to take your call—then what? “Inevitably, there was a day when the wheels came off. I didn’t know up from down, the anxiety was paralyzing, the terror palpable. The relief offered by a few drinks seemed to be the answer. I called David—no answer…” I was probably […]
AA History: Ebby T.
by Dan M. One of the first miracles of AA can be found in the story of Ebby T., before AA had even begun. It was Bill W.’s old friend from boarding school who brought to him the principles of the Oxford Group, which would lead to the development of The Twelve Steps, and it […]
Heard in a Meeting: My friend warned me on the way to the meeting…
My friend warned me on the way to the meeting, “People will be VERY nice.” She was right. I needed to put the ritual in spiritual. If you have a list of reasons why you’re not an alcoholic, you might be an alcoholic. Sponsor to sponsee: Let’s pretend you’re not in charge. Figuring it out […]
A.A. History: Sister Ignatia
by Dan M. This is the first of what we intend to be a regular column on A.A. history. We hope it will appeal to both those who have read deeply in A.A. history and those who are new to it. “She also insisted that there be a coffee bar, not something typical in a […]
Welcome, Linda S., to the Newsletter Team
We welcome Linda S. to the Newsletter Team. Linda joined in February and will be producing the email newsletter and sourcing events. The March issue is her first! She has extensive experience editing and producing newsletters for various groups and has already contributed some good ideas to the Scoop. We very much look forward to […]
Heard in a Meeting: We may not always be able to meet calamity with serenity…
We may not always be able to meet calamity with serenity, but we can meet calamity with sobriety. After this meeting I’ll have my emotional support burrito and I have Netflix all queued up. One always led to two, and two always led to too many. Toward the end, I was drinking alone, in my […]
Pride, Ego and Finding a Sponsor
by Bill M. When I heard a member say in a meeting, “I may not be much, but I’m all I think about,” I knew I was going to ask him to be my first sponsor. I had been going to meetings for a couple of months, drinking before and after and in between (and […]
Update on the Plain Language Big Book
The following is from the Information Session held January 14, 2024, sponsored by CNCA (Coastal Northern California Area 06). “The idea of a new book was not meant to change or replace the Big Book, but rather to overcome barriers so the AA message might reach more suffering alcoholics.” Background – Key Dates In 2016, […]
