MBAIAA Newsletter – November 2024

Published on November 29, 2024

Step 11 – “Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understand as we understand Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.”

“Prayer and meditation are our principal means of conscious contact with God.  We AA’s are active folk, enjoying the satisfaction of dealing with the realities of life, usually for the first time in our lives, and strenuously help the next alcoholic who comes along.  So it isn’t surprising that we often tend to slight serious meditation and prayer as not really necessary.  To be sure, we feel, that it is something that might help us to meet an occasional emergency, but at first many of us are apt to regard it as a somewhat mysterious skill of clergymen, from which we may hope to get a secondhand benefit.  Or perhaps we don’t believe in those things at all.”

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions – Page 96

What’s Happening Locally

Monthly Intergroup Birthday Meeting – Tomorrow!  Saturday, November 30th @ 7:00PM

This month’s host group is the Monterey Big Book Thumpers who meet every Monday at 7:00PM. Jesus will be our speaker.  He is coming to celebrate recovery and to share his experience, strength, and hope.

Time: Saturday, November 30th – 7:00PM
Place:  Monterey High School Cafeteria – 101 Herrmann Dr. Monterey CA 93940

Please come and support the fellowship!  We will have cake & coffee and there will be much to celebrate – TOGETHER!  The monthly birthday meeting is held on the last Saturday of each month (except for December when the meeting is held along with a holiday banquet ).  The first part of the meeting includes a presentation of birthday medallions for those celebrating annual A.A. anniversaries – all alcoholics are invited to participate.  Birthdays are followed by an A.A. speaker who shares for 40 to 45 minutes and the meeting ends about 8:30pm.  Coffee is typically ready no later than 6:30pm.  Arrive early for good parking, fellowship, and a great seat!

News From General Service

District 01 were held elections this week and we are happy to announce we have a new DCMC, Alternate DCMC, Treasurer, H&I Liaison, Archives and Bridging the Gap Chair.  All other positions remain open at the moment but we are optimistic that they will soon be filled.

We are busy planning and announcing the December 3rd Plain Language Big Book Launch Party!  Starting at 6:30pm at Church of the Wayfarer in Carmel the launch party will feature a speaker panel, AA Trivia, an ugly sweater contest and a hot cocoa bar and of course Plain Language Big Books will be available for sale.

Our General Service Comes Alive meeting continues to meet monthly to help educate GSRs as well as any interested AA Member about General Service.

With Best Regards,

Annette

IGR Minutes & Current Financial Reports

A Note From Central Office

It is a most important time of the year – it is the time of year that we celebrate our sobriety and express our gratitude by donating whatever we can to Alcoholics Anonymous individually and in our home groups.  It is a wonderful tradition, and your central office appreciates it greatly.

There is more big news- there is a new book!  It is called the Plain Language Big Book that is a tool to help readers understand the book Alcoholics Anonymous, which was first published in 1939. This new book is designed so that the A.A. Twelve Step program of recovery from alcoholism may be easily understood by all people who have a desire to stop drinking. Our district will have a launch party on December 3rd at 6:30 pm at Church of the Wayfarer in Carmel.

The International Conference will be held in Vancouver British Columbia from July 3- 6 2025.  The theme for the Convention is Language of the Heart and your hotel reservations can only be made if you are registered at the Convention.  All of the info will be available online.

Speaking of the future, keep in mind that many positions at the Steering Committee and IGR level are available right after the first of the year!  Come see us at Central Office for more information.  Please stop by the office so that you can get information about the many ways that you can be of service to this fellowship.  This work is vital to a well-rounded recovery.

We also have the Holiday Banquet that comes on December 28th at Monterey High Cafeteria. Please come celebrate with us!

Warm holiday greetings to you all.

Many Thanks!

Jana

Look after and support each other and remember that we can’t stay sober alone. Share with others what was so freely given to you.

“Nothing is so bad that a drink won’t make it worse.”
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