January Issue of The Point is Here

The latest edition of The Point, featuring works by local A.A. members, is available now. Find the most recent issue here.

Intergroup News

The following news was shared at San Francisco and Marin Intergroup’s January 3 meeting, to take back to your group and any other A.A. meetings you attend.

TAKE AWAY MESSAGE

Here is the message to take back to your group and any other A.A. meetings you attend.

• New year, new commitment? Please encourage Secretaries and Treasurers to register with Intergroup as a Trusted Servant to stay informed of A.A. at the local level and serve as a point of contact for your meeting. To get connected email [email protected]

• San Francisco and Marin Intergroup needs Central Office Volunteers to answer the phone lines, greet customers, and assist with special projects. Minimum of 1 year sobriety. For more information about this weekly shift opportunity, please email [email protected].

• PRAASA (the Pacific Region A.A. Service Assembly) is coming to San Francisco March 1-3, 2024. They are expecting 1,500 A.A. members for this conference from all over the U.S. and Canada. Register now at praasa.org. Also, they are looking to fill both individual and group volunteer positions, including airport greeters, registration volunteers, hospitality suite staff and sponsor a group member or newcomer. 

Intergroup Service Committee Opportunities

Remember: Anyone can join our service committees; you do not need to be an Intergroup Rep to participate.

• The Tech Committee continues to work on numerous tech projects including the website, assisting Teleservice with the VOIP system and the Airtable database. If you are familiar with Airtable or WordPress, the Tech Committee would especially like your help! Email [email protected] to join and attend the next meeting on January 8 @ 5pm.
• The Communications Committee provides a wide-range of communications support to Intergroup, including The Point and The Buzz. The committee is beginning work on the 2023 annual report. To get involved contact [email protected] and join the next committee meeting on January 8 @ 5:30pm. 
• San Francisco Public Relations recently tabled at the Jessie Alley Fair and presented to the chaplains at St. Francis Hospital. They are also continuing their efforts to get A.A. literature into the SF public libraries. To get involved contact [email protected] and join the next committee meeting on January 8 @ 7pm. 
• The Teleservice Committee continues to answer the helpline to help the still-suffering alcoholic. The committee is holding elections in February as the commitments are turning over. To get involved, contact [email protected] and join the next committee meeting on January 15. Orientation is @ 6pm followed by the business meeting @ 6:45pm.
• Outreach Committee works to attract more IGRs to Intergroup and in 2023, through the efforts of the Outreach Committee, we gained 17 new IGRs! Please continue to share this brief announcement at any meetings you attend that don’t have an IGR. The Outreach Committee is developing Outreach materials to send to trusted servants in Marin and San Francisco and working on outreach to meetings about increasing IGR participation. To get involved at the committee level, contact [email protected] and join the next meeting on February 7 @ 6pm.

Committee/Entity Liaison Reports

• Marin Accessibilities next meeting is January 8 @ 7pm, and their goal is to raise awareness of possible barriers in accessing the AA message. Their targeted message for January is: raising awareness of barriers in A.A. meetings, such as steps, wheelchair access, and how welcoming are members.
• Marin Fellowship Committee is starting its Step Workshop series this month beginning with Step 1 and they are hosting a Winter Wonder Dance Party on January 20, in Mill Valley. The next meeting is January 8 @ 7pm. 
• San Francisco General Service is working to get volunteers for PRAASA 2024 and they are trying to get more GSRs involved at the General Service level. The next meeting is January 9 @7:30pm. 
• Marin General Service is in the process of approving the 2024 budget and looking at what to do about excess funds. The next meeting is January 15 @ 7:30pm. 
• San Francisco H&I brings A.A. meetings and literature into hospitals and institutions in San Francisco. If your meeting does not have an H&I Rep, please consider adding this important service position. For details, reach out to Thatcher H, the SF H&I liaison at 415-656-5666. The next SF H&I business meeting is January 20 at 10am, followed by orientation at 11am at 2900 24th Street, San Francisco.

Informational Session on Plain Language Big Book

A plain language translation of the first 164 pages of the Alcoholics Anonymous book at the ninth-grade reading level is currently in development. Learn more about its origins, purpose and development at this informational session hosted by CA Northern Coastal Area 06 on Sunday, January 15 @ 1pm.

2024-01-14 Plain language BB Info Session

Register as a Trusted Servant

If you are a newly elected trusted servant (e.g., Secretary, Treasurer, Intergroup Representative), you are encouraged to register with San Francisco and Marin Intergroup. A current list of meeting contacts is vital to stay connected. To register, send an email to [email protected]. Thank you for your service!

Sobriety by the Bay

Winter Wonder Dance Party

Marin Fellowship Committee is hosting a Winter Wonder Dance Party on January 20 at the Mt. Tamalpais United Methodist Church in Mill Valley. The A.A. meeting starts at 6pm, followed by dancing from 7 to 10pm.

2024-01-20 Dance Flyer

Save the Date: Shasta Winterfest

Shasta Winterfest is a weekend-long gathering of A.A. members and sister Programs Al-Anon and Alateen. The event is inspired by recovery and filled with speakers, marathon meetings, special events, prize drawings, literature and a comedy show. Shasta Winterfest is January 26-28 at the Holiday Inn in Redding. Get tickets here.

Service Opportunities…

• Technology Committee (online) is January 8 @ 5pm.
• Communications Committee (online) is January 8 @ 5:30pm.
• SF Public Relations (online) is January 8.
  • Orientation @ 6:30pm
  • Business Meeting @ 7pm
• Marin Fellowship Committee (in-person) is January 8 @ 7pm.
• Marin Accessibilities Committee (online) is January 8 @ 7pm.
• MCYPAA (in-person) is January 8 @ 7:15pm.
• Marin H&I (in-person) is January 9.
  • Orientation @ 6:15pm
  • Business Meeting @ 7:15pm
• San Francisco General Service (online) is January 9.
  • New GSR Orientation and Concepts Study @ 6:45pm 
  • District Meeting @ 7:30pm
• Marin Bridging the Gap (online) is January 10.
  • Orientation @ 6pm
  • Business Meeting @ 6:15pm

We Must Be Able to Accept Help

For the love of a New Year, please share this information and encourage your A.A. fellows to subscribe to The Buzz. The Buzz is produced by San Francisco and Marin Intergroup.   
 

Your San Francisco and Marin Intergroup | Central Office

A.A. History and Speaker Event

Many remarkable women found recovery in the early days of A.A., including Marty M., who helped raise awareness about the importance of treatment and education of the disease of alcoholism. Learn more about one of our prominent pioneers on December 16 @ 9:30am. All are welcome at this virtual LGBTQ+ event, featuring a presentation by Mily T. of San Francisco and experience, strength and hope shared by Penny P. of Livermore. 

Hilldwellers Big Book Meeting and Holiday Potluck Party

The Hilldwellers Big Book Meeting invites you to their holiday party on December 18 at Potrero Hill Neighborhood House (953 De Haro Street, SF). Food and fellowship @ 6pm, in-person A.A. meeting @ 7pm, followed by an online A.A. meeting @ 8pm.

2023-12-18 Hilldwellers Potluck

Holiday Meeting Closures

Keep sending information about meetings that will be closed over the holidays to Central Office, and check out this page to see which meetings have reported cancellations so far.

Christmas Brunch and Meeting: All About the Book

On December 23 from 11am-1pm, come to an All About the Book Brunch and Christmas Celebration. This event is at St. Vincent’s (1 St. Vincent Drive, San Rafael). The A.A. speaker meeting is @ noon. There is a suggested donation to cover the cost of food, however, no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

2023-12-25 All About the Book Christmas Brunch

Novato 24-hour Alcathon: Christmas Celebration 2023

Novato Alcathon presents their 24-hour Christmas Celebration 2023. Come to Novato Druid’s Hall (801 Grant Ave., Novato) for A.A. meetings every hour starting @ 5pm on December 24. The last meeting begins @ 4pm on December 25. The meetings are open meetings, family and friends of alcoholics are welcome and consider bringing a dish to share.

Mission Fellowship Holiday Alcathons

Come to Mission Fellowship (2900 24th St, SF) for Holiday Alcathons. During Christmas, A.A. meetings start @ 5pm on December 24. The last meeting is @ 10pm on December 25. During New Year’s, meetings start @ 5pm on December 31 and the last meeting is @ 10pm on January 1.

Annual Christmas Meal and AA Meeting

2023XmasFlyerAlanoFinal

Marin Pop Up Bookstore

The next Marin Pop Up Bookstore in San Rafael is Monday, December 18. Place your orders by December 16. Pre-ordered literature will be available for pick-up and additional A.A. literature will be available for sale.

SAVE THE DATE! Living Sober Conference

Step by Step Workshop: Step 12

2023-12-23 Step 12 Workshop MFC

Service Opportunities…

• California Northern Coastal Area (CNCA) (hybrid) is December 16 @ 12:30pm.
• Archives (hybrid) is December 17 @ 12pm.
• Teleservice (online) is December 18.
  • Orientation @ 6pm
  • Business Meeting @ 6:45pm

• Marin General Service (hybrid) is December 18.
  • New GSR Orientation @ 6:30pm
  • Business Meeting @ 7:30pm

We Must Laugh at Ourselves

For the love of sending you one more email today, please share this information and encourage your A.A. fellows to subscribe to The Buzz. The Buzz is produced by San Francisco and Marin Intergroup. To learn more about Intergroup, check out our Annual Report.   
 

Your San Francisco and Marin Intergroup | Central Office

Reminder: Central Office of Holiday Meeting Closures

It’s holiday season! If your group is not meeting on a regularly scheduled date, let Central Office know ASAP so our schedule will continue to be accurate. Please share this request widely with your A.A. groups. Do it for your fellows, visitors and especially potential newcomers. 

As a reminder, Central Office will be closed December 23 for Christmas and December 30 for the New Year.

Gratitude in Action

San Francisco and Marin Intergroup is grateful for the generous contributions it received during Gratitude Month in November. If your group participated in Gratitude Month, please encourage your treasurers to send in those contributions before December 31. Please note: For group or individual contributions, write “Gratitude Month” on the memo line of your check or in the Notes field online, so that it will be properly recorded. Contributions can be mailed to: 1821 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, CA 94109 or contribute online.

Call Marty! Presentation and Speaker Meeting

Holiday Literature Sale

Get your hands on this A.A. History Special featuring the 75th-anniversary copy of the 1st Edition of the Alcoholics Anonymous book and Our Great Responsibility, which includes a selection of Bill W.’s General Service Conference talks from 1951-1970. Order your books via the online bookstore while supplies last. The books are $6 each or $10 for both.

Intergroup News

The following news was shared at San Francisco and Marin Intergroup’s December 6 meeting. Please take this back to your group and any other A.A. meetings you attend.

TAKE AWAY MESSAGE

Here is the message to take back to your group and any other A.A. meetings you attend.

• San Francisco and Marin Intergroup needs Central Office Volunteers to answer the phone lines, greet customers, and assist with special projects. Minimum of 1 year sobriety. For more information about this weekly shift opportunity, please email [email protected].
• The 2024 Intergroup budget was approved. This budget includes expanded programmatic work supporting Intergroup’s service committees and essential 12th Step services provided by San Francisco and Marin Intergroup. Thank you for your support and service, as we look forward to the coming year!

Intergroup Service Committee Opportunities
Remember: Anyone can join our service committees; you do not need to be an Intergroup Rep to participate.

• The Communications Committee provides a wide range of communications support to Intergroup, including The Point and The Buzz. The committee is beginning work on the 2023 annual report. To get involved contact [email protected] and join the next committee meeting on December 11 @ 5:30pm. Also, check out the current edition of The Point here. 
• San Francisco Public Relations (SFPR) is looking for volunteers and committee members. Join SFPR on Saturday, December 16 at the Jessie Alley Street Fair. Their recent activities include the Speaker Workshop with participation from Marin PI and Project Homeless Connect on December 6. SFPR also shared highlights on getting A.A. literature into SF public libraries. To get involved contact [email protected] and join the next committee meeting on December 11 @ 7pm. 
• The newly merged Teleservice Committee continues to answer the helpline for the still-suffering alcoholic. The committee has moved from an AT&T landline to a new VOIP system and ported the helpline number to the new system. To get involved, contact [email protected] and join the next committee meeting on December 18. Orientation is @ 6pm followed by the business meeting @ 6:45pm. Also, due to the committee merger, Intergroup has updated the suggested group contribution recommendations to A.A. service entities.

• Outreach Committee works to attract more participation from the Fellowship at Intergroup, including attracting more IGRs (share this brief announcement at any meetings you attend that don’t have an IGR). The Outreach Committee is developing outreach materials to send to trusted servants in Marin and San Francisco and working on outreach to meetings about increasing IGR participation. To get involved at the committee level, contact [email protected] and join the next meeting on January 3 @ 6pm.
• The Tech Committee continues to work on numerous tech projects including the website, assisting Teleservice with the VOIP system and the Airtable database. If you are familiar with Airtable or WordPress, the Tech Committee would especially like your help! Email [email protected] to join and attend the next meeting on January 8 @ 5pm.
• The Sunshine Club brings meetings to AA members who are unable to attend regularly scheduled meetings due to illness, accident, or a medical condition. The Sunshine Club held an orientation for 5 new coordinators in November, and two of those individuals will step in as new co-chairs. Special shout out to Clayton B. and Tom V. for their service as the outgoing co-chairs – we are so grateful for your service! The Sunshine Club’s quarterly business meeting is at the end of January. Reach out to [email protected] for more information.

Committee/Entity Liaison Reports

• Marin General Service held a district inventory exploring ways to attract more people to service at the district level, including GSRs. They are in the process of approving the 2024 budget. The next meeting is December 18. 
• San Francisco General Service announced that PRAASA (the Pacific Region A.A. Service Assembly) is coming to San Francisco March 1-3, 2024. They are looking to fill both individual and group volunteer positions, including airport greeters, registration volunteers, hospitality suite staff and sponsor a group member or newcomer. For details email [email protected]. The next meeting is December 12. 
• San Francisco H&I brings A.A. meetings and literature into hospitals and institutions in San Francisco. If your meeting does not have an H&I Rep, consider getting one. The next SF H&I orientation and business meeting is January 20. 
• Marin Accessibilities next meeting is December 11 @ 7pm. The committee encourages all to attend and talk about how your group resolved any access barriers. Their targeted message for December is: how does your group address accessibility issues? Perhaps through a group steering committee, group inventory, service sponsorship and/or accessibilities checklist?

12 Concepts Workshop this Saturday

Box 4-5-9

A useful source for A.A. news, Box 4-5-9 is a quarterly newsletter from the U.S./Canada General Service Office. In this issue, meet four new Class B General Service Board Trustees and learn more about the Reserve Fund, A.A.’s “Prudent Financial Principle” in action. This issue also includes news from publishing, information on visiting GSO, a calendar of events, and more. Click here to view the current issue and subscribe to the Box 4-5-9 mailing list.

Service Opportunities…

• Communications Committee (online) is December 11 @ 5:30pm.
• SF Public Relations (online) is December 11.
  • Orientation @ 6:30pm
  • Business Meeting @ 7pm
• Marin Accessibilities Committee (online) is December 11 @ 7pm.
• Marin County Young People in A.A. (MCYPAA) (in-person) is December 11 @ 7:15pm.
• Marin H&I (in-person) is December 12.
  • Orientation @ 6:15pm
  • Business Meeting @ 7:15pm
• San Francisco General Service (online) is December 12.
  • New GSR Orientation @ 6:45pm 
  • Service Manual & Concepts Study @ 6:45pm
  • District Meeting @ 7:30pm
• Marin Bridging the Gap (online) is December 13 @ 6pm.

Gratitude Month is Here

November is Gratitude Month in Alcoholics Anonymous! Many A.A. groups, both in-person and online, will pass a second basket at each of their meetings this month. These additional contributions directly support the essential 12th Step services provided by San Francisco and Marin Intergroup. Does your group meet online? We have a new Gratitude Month “digital basket” you can share with your members: Venmo @SFMarinIntergroup. Click here to learn what you can do to help!
 

12 Concepts Workshop Reminder

Join the 9am Online Daily Women’s Meeting of A.A. for a 12 Concepts: Women in Service workshop. This is an introduction to the 12 Concepts of A.A. and how to apply them at every level of service. This monthly series continues with “Concepts IX – X” on November 11 @ 10:30am to 12pm online. 

Annual Thanksgiving Day Celebration

Join the Larkspur Haven Group of A.A. at the Strawberry Rec Center (118 E. Strawberry Drive, Mill Valley) for its Annual Thanksgiving Day Celebration on November 23. Doors open at 10am, speaker meeting with Susan S. at 12pm, followed by a bountiful Thanksgiving feast. Friends and family are welcome and volunteer commitments are available.

Does Your Meeting Pass the Pink Can?

H&I Northern California carries the message of A.A. to the alcoholic in corrections and treatment facilities. Funding for H&I is provided by contributions collected in the H&I pink cans passed at A.A. meetings, and by contributions from individual members. These contributions allow H&I to provide books to tens of thousands of confined alcoholics who would otherwise not have access to the life-saving message of A.A.’s literature. This year, NorCal H&I’s financial status has been downgraded from Fair to Poor. Please encourage your meetings to pass the pink can and send money in electronically via www.handinorcal.org.

SFPR Speaker Workshop on Nov. 18

 

Holiday Meeting Changes?

Central Office needs your help keeping the meeting schedule current. If your group is not meeting on a regularly scheduled date due to a holiday, please email [email protected] so the info can be reflected in the online schedule. Having accurate information on our meeting schedule is important, as the holidays can be a stressful time. Thanks!

Save the Date: Open House and Ugly Sweater Holiday Party

Central Office Closure 

Central Office will be closed this Saturday, November 11 in observance of Veteran’s Day. On November 14, it will resume regular hours of operation, which are Tuesday to Friday 10am-6pm and Saturdays 12-4pm.

Service Opportunity With The Buzz

Want to know how The Buzz is put together? If so, volunteer for the Associate Editor position. The Associate Editor helps draft the weekly content for The Buzz. It’s a one-year commitment. Serving on The Buzz is a great way to stay informed of what’s happening in the San Francisco and Marin fellowship. Email [email protected] for more information.

Service Opportunities for the Week …

• SF Public Relations (online) is November 13.
  • Orientation @ 6:30pm
  • Business Meeting @ 7pm
• Marin Accessibilities Committee (online) is November 13 @ 7pm.
• Marin County Young People in A.A. (MCYPAA) (in-person) is November 13 @ 7:15pm.
• Communications Committee (online) is November 13 @ 5:30pm.
• Marin H&I (in-person) is November 14.
  • Orientation @ 6:15pm
  • Business Meeting @ 7:15pm
• San Francisco General Service (online) is November 14.
  • New GSR Orientation and Concepts Study @ 6:45pm 
  • District Meeting @ 7:30pm

We Must Be Thankful

For the love of extra time, please share this information and encourage your A.A. fellows to subscribe to The Buzz. The Buzz is produced by San Francisco and Marin Intergroup. To learn more about Intergroup, check out our Annual Report.   
 

Your San Francisco and Marin Intergroup | Central Office