Sunday 10pm Progress Not Perfection Format
bridge number 712-432-8818
access code 8888#
mute- unmute * 1

FOR ALL MEETING FORMATS ON  712-432-8818  click on: http://afg-phonemeetings.blogspot.com/
Please Note: Format changes and updates for this    
meeting should be emailed to: 12comments@gmail.com

Opening statement: Hi my name is_______ and I am your secretary for this meeting. We welcome you to the /Progress not Perfection/ Al-Anon meeting and hope you find in this fellowship the help and friendship we have been privileged to enjoy. We who live or have lived with the problem of alcoholism understand as perhaps few others can. We, too, were lonely and frustrated, but in Al-Anon/Alateen we discover that no situation is really hopeless and that it is possible for us to find contentment, and even happiness, whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not. We urge you to try our program. It has helped many of us find solutions that lead to serenity. So much depends on our own attitudes, and as we learn to place our problem in its true perspective, we find it loses its power to dominate our thoughts and our lives. The family situation is bound to improve as we apply the Al-Anon ideas. Without such spiritual help, living with an alcoholic is too much for most of us. Our thinking becomes distorted by trying to force solutions, and we become irritable and unreasonable without knowing it. The Al-Anon program is based on the Twelve Steps (adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous), which we try, little by little, one day at a time, to apply to our lives, along with our slogans and the Serenity Prayer. The loving interchange of help among members and daily reading of Al-Anon literature thus make us ready to receive the priceless gift of serenity. Anonymity is an important principle of the AL-Anon/Alateen program. Everything that is said here, in the group meeting and member-to-member, must be held in confidence. Only in this way can we feel free to say what is in our minds and hearts, for this is how we help one another in Al-Anon/Alateen. Reprinted from AL-Anon/Alateen Service Manual (p-24/27) Phone Etiquette:

Please press * 1 to mute and un mute yourself – do not use the mute button on your phone as it decreases the sound quality for everyone. Press * 6 to increase volume and * 4 to decrease volume. Please stay muted at all times unless sharing. Please do not use a speaker phone or we will all hear an echo, and please disconnect your call waiting by pressing *70 before dialing in or we may hear your other conversation.

Readings I now need 3 volunteers to read
The Al-anon Preamble,
The 12 steps
The Tradition of the month. Please press *1 to unmute yourself, one at a time.Introductions: We will now go around the globe and introduce ourselves by first name and where wevare from.

 Hi, I’m______ from _______

Announcements: According to the 7th Tradition, Al-anon is fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions. Although we have no expenses related to this phone bridge, we invite you to send contributions to the WSO (our registered WSO ID is…… ) or make donations at face-to-face meetings.

Are there any *Al-Anon* related announcements? The business meeting for this group will take place the last Sunday of each month directly following the meeting

Format: The format for this meeting is discussion of our Slogan "Progress not Perfection." One member will choose a reading, found in the index under Slogans, from any of our 3 meditation books, after which we will open up for sharing. If you would like to choose another reading before you share, please feel free to do so.

Who would like to read the first selection on Progress not Perfection?

Sharing: We have 3 minute shares. Do we have a volunteer to be our spiritual timekeeper? (Thank you.) A few words before sharing begins: The timekeeper will gently call “Time” at the end of the 3 minutes. When you hear the timekeeper call time, please let them know you heard them by saying "Thank you, I’ll wrap up," so they don’t need to repeat the reminder. We ask the timekeeper to remain muted until they come in to say “Time.” And, we ask that everyone else stay muted to ensure a clear line (using *1 and not the mute button). To avoid interrupting each other’s shares, please wait until the end of the share to un mute yourself if you’d like to share.

In Al-Anon this is a gentle reminder that we speak from our own experience and ours is derived from living with the effects of alcoholism. We ask those who are members of other anonymous fellowships not to break their anonymity and to try and identify with the Al-Anon approach for the family illness. Ours is a different experience and calls for a different interpretation. We also ask that you resist the desire to comment or respond in any way to another person's share.

At approximately 15 minutes before the top of the hour, we’ll open up the sharing to newcomers or members who don’t often get a chance to share. Would the timekeeper like to share first? /(Note to Secretary/: if sharing is slow, ask members if they’d like to read another selection on Progress Not Perfection.)

Closing: It is now 5 minutes to the top of the hour. At this meeting members who choose to leave their numbers to give or receive outreach will do so after the meeting closes. We will also read the list of all the Al-anon meetings on the phone bridge after the meeting closes. The bridge remains open for questions and sharing after the formal meeting ends. Are there any available sponsors? Is there someone who can stay after the meeting to greet newcomers and answer questions and continue fellowship? (Optional—Al-anon Closing in addition to the reading below, if time permits)We will close by Reading a selection from Discovering Choices
I am not perfect, but I make progress every day. I learn something I need to know every day. Al-Anon is the foundation of my life. Al-Anon opens door after door for me, and each one displays something more wonderful than the preceding. I know that as long as I continue to work the Al-Anon program, keep an open mind, deal with my fears, and be willing to follow the paths my Higher Power reveals to me, I will continue to learn and grow in my relationships with all the people I love and all the people I encounter on this beautiful journey of life.I want to thank everyone for their service today. Join together for the Serenity Prayer. The meeting is now closed. At this meeting, members who choose to may now leave their numbers for outreach.Here is the meeting schedule on this bridge. Does anyone need the meeting list for the other phone bridge? The line is now open for fellowship. Good night.