A.A. Meeting Format Additions for Online Meeting (Zoom)

Use your regular meeting format with these helpful additions, as warranted. 

CHAIR: [Please use the “mute all” function as the facilitator to mute everyone. Before the meeting begins, please ask someone to read the preamble and all the customary literature of your meeting. PLEASE ALSO SELECT A TIME KEEPER IN ADVANCE (if customary) AND EXPLAIN THEY CAN UNMUTE FOR WARNINGS AND CALLING TIME (It’s best for this role to be  SOMEONE WHO WILL BE USING A LAPTOP)].

Welcome to the [insert meeting name] group of Alcoholics Anonymous. My name is ________ and I’m an alcoholic. This is a new process for our group,  so it may be a little shaky at first. We ask that you please be patient as we work through all the little snafus; thank you for showing up and being of service. 

Please take a moment to find the “raise hand” feature on whatever device you are using – it may be on the participants’ section at the bottom of your screen or it may be on a section called “more.” It is also possible to see a list of participants in the meeting. Please refrain from commenting on people’s share in the chat window as it is cross talk! The chat function will be useful for making announcements to the group as a whole. It is also possible to collapse the chat window. 

The chair will place everyone on mute so as to minimize any noise. Please use the raise hand feature to be recognized. The chair will then unmute people at various points throughout the meeting. PLEASE RE-MUTE YOURSELF AFTER YOU SPEAK.  AGAIN, PLEASE RE-MUTE YOURSELF AFTER YOU SPEAK :-)

[Use your meeting’s typical format, either speaker, literature or something else. Introduce the speaker or read the literature or ask for topic suggestions from the group, if that’s the usual format. Read from your group’s regular script, for newcomer recognition, AA anniversary recognition, and out of town visitor recognition.]

  • 7th Tradition: While the speaker picks a topic we will practice the 7th Tradition, which states that we are self-supporting through our own contributions. The money collected will ensure we can cover our meeting’s rent and expenses when we meet in person again AND supports our local Central Office and AA services worldwide. [Type the link to the digital basket url, email or handle into the Chat text] The group’s [venmo/google pay/paypal account] can be found in the Chat text.
  • Literature Announcement: you can access PDF versions of the Big Book, 12 & 12 and other AA approved literature online at www.aa.org 
  • Invitation to sponsor: Would all the people who are available to be a sponsor please text the word “Sponsor” in the chat text and provide a phone number where you can be reached after the meeting?
  • Announcements: If there are any AA related announcements, please text them to the group using the chat feature.

  • Timekeeper [Optional]: By group conscience, we have a timekeeper for 3-minute shares with a 1-minute vocal warning after 2 minutes, so that we can allow for as many people as possible to share. I have asked ______ to be our timekeeper. 

We will now close the meeting.

And remember, who you see here and what you hear here – please let it stay here. 

(Close according to your group conscience.)