“ENJOY THE JOURNEY”
25th Annual TRI-COUNTY CONFERENCE
October 5th, 6th, & 7th 2012
The Met Hotel—Troy, MI
Registration at the door $20.00
HOTEL ROOMS AT REDUCED RATES $82.00 THE MET HOTEL 248-879-2100
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Taylor We Hope
Celebrates its 30th Anniversary
on October 25th
Doors Open at 11am
Bring a dish or dessert to pass
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YOUNG & SOBER
Newfrom the Grapevine. This collection of Grapevine Stories, written by AA members who got sober in their teens, 20s and 30s, present the joys and challenges of getting sober at an early age. GV27 for $10.99
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Why Do We Have a Long and a Short Form
Of the Traditions?
Well back in 1949 Bill W traveled around the county explaining the Traditions and trying to get members to become more familiar with them. He met a man named Earl T. who told him they were to long and suggested to Bill that he should re-write them. And he did, he and said;
“ Accordingly, I have worked over the material once more, coming up with what I hope is a quieter and clearer job – something which would be a more fitting companion to the Twelve Steps themselves and of just about the same wordage.”
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CHECK OUT THE NEW AA WEBSITE
AA-semi.org. Do you know what the semi stands for? Southeastern Michigan. Did you know that your can put your event flyers on the website?
Well you can! Check it out!!
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8Oth AA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
Atlanta, Georgia July 2nd–5th, 2015
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MARVELING IN THE MIRACLE
12th Annual Woman to Woman Luncheon
Sunday, November 4th
Speaker; Suzie A. from Ann Arbor
LaurelManorBanquetCenter
39000Schoolcraft Rd.Livonia, 48150
Doors open at 11:30, Lunch served at 12 noon
Registrations forms with payment
MUST be received by October 23rd
or
Patrica 734-675-3457
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The Good Old Days
In the 1950’s WWJ telecast a TV program called “MR HOPE” in which AA members appeared wearing Lone Ranger masks who told their stories. The masks were worn to protect their identities. The program aired at noon on Sundays. One of our current member (1998), Bill B., was on the show a couple of times along with the Police Commissioner and some Judges. Wouldn’t that be something to have a TV show or even a radio show like that today? Cybriety.org has more AA History.
The Allen Park Group is
Having a Fall Fest
If Weather Permits We Will Be On the
Lawn So Bring a Chair!!
We’ll have Hot Dogs, Chips, and Fix’ens,
And of course Pop and Coffee
…Desserts are welcome...
When: Wednesday October 10th
Bring your family too!! Dinner is at 7pm
Special Guest Speaker at 8pm
7101 Park Ave.Allen Park, 48101
AP Presbyterian Church
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Promise’s 11th Anniversary
**Halloween Party**
Friday November 2, 2012 @ Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church 1709 Emmons at Abbott, Lincoln Park. Google us.
Doors open at 5:30pm with Coffee and Fellowship.
Dinner at 6:00pm: Please bring a Dish or Desert.
Spooky Speaker: Tracey Y. fromFox Hall at 7:00pm.
50/50 raffle, Best Costume Prize, lots of fun….
Main Course will be provided by the Promises Group
We will provide a pan to bring “you’re special” Dish/ Desert!
Call Sharon @ 734-309-1434, Chris 734-709-3800
or Lynn 734-752-1492 to help and get involved
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MCYPAA 34 “There is a Solution” 2012 Convention
November 23rd, 24th, & 25th 2012
MCYPAA 34 is going to be hosted in
Mount Pleasant, MI this year.
The Young People in AA Love to Have Fun
So Clear You’reCalendar!!!!
Visit the website at
Contact: Steve C.
OR Jessica R.
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AA Study Group, 2012
The “Big Book” exploring the: “Problem, Solution, & How it Works” using the”Primary Purpose” method. Three panel speaker meeting:
- “The Problem”..Chris S from the Book Study
- “The Solution”..Tone F from Sticking to Basics
- “How it Works”..Mike T. from the Book Study
Calvary Reformed Church, 14151 Trenton Rd, SouthgateMI
Thursday October 11th
Doors open at 5:30 and Speakers start at 6:30
At 5:45 we will have Beverages and Pizza.
Please bring a dish. Deserts, Finger food, or Snacks
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24 HOUR HOTLINE: 313-831-5550
TOLL-FREE HOT LINE: 877-337-0611
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District 11 & 12 Needs YOU!!!
We have a few open positions. *Corrections, *Special Needs, *MCYPAA Liaison*Intergroup Liaison. Don’t be afraid of these jobs, they are not that hard. Drinking was hard work compared to this. Service work helps to keep us sober and humble. Come to the district meeting and see what we do. The meeting only last one houron the 3rd Monday of the month. FEAR keeps us from growth.
2011 Membership Survey Pamphlet
There were 8000 members form the US and Canada surveyed and here are a few things they found. Highlighting the importance of one-on-one 12 Step work and caring the message and How They Found AA; **34% from an AA member, ** 40% from a healthcare professional ** 63% from treatment or counseling. Key findings can also be found on line, or order table top display (M-13).
It Sure Beats Sitting In a CellPamphlet
It hasbeen completely revamped. The revised pamphlet contains all new text and personal stories and portrays the strength and hope of a wide range of incarcerated alcoholics, from those serving a life sentence to kids at a juvenile detention centers.
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We Have a Wide Variety of MOVIES to Check Out and Watch with Friends or Sponsee’s
- Hope: Alcoholics Anonymous,
- It Sure Beats Sitting in a Cell
- Young People and AA
- Bill Discusses the 12 Traditions
- Carrying the Message behind These Walls
- Bills Own Story
- Father Martin – 12 Steps of AA
- Farther Martin – One Day at a Time
- Markings on the Journey
- Rap with Us
- Father Martin – Steps 1-3 of AA
- Father Martin – Steps 1-2 of the Promises
& Steps 3-4 Humor
- Father Martin – Recovery and Forgiveness
- Father Martin- Recovery and the Family
- Father Martin – Spiritual Aspects
CallChuck at (313)806-7227
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I Am Your Worst Enemy!
~ Plagiarized Version ~
I am more powerful than the combined armies of the world.I have destroyed more men, women and children than all the wars of all the nations combined.
I massacre thousands of people every year. I am more deadly than bullets and I have wreckedmore homes than the mightiest guns. I can destroy the mightiest of buildings and the best of homes.
In the United States alone, I steal more than $5.5 billion each year.I spare no one, and I find my victims among the rich and poor alike, the young, the old, the strong, the weak.Widows know me to their everlasting sorrow.
I loom up in such proportions that I cast my shadow over every field of labor.I lurk in unseen places and do most of my work silently.I am relentless, merciless, and cruel. I am everywhere, in the home, in schools, in factories, on the land and on the sea.
I bring sickness, degradation, intense, and everlasting pain and death, yet few seek me out to destroy me.
I crush, I maim, I devastate, I terrorize - I will give you nothing, and I will rob you of everything you have.
You are warned against me, yet you heed me not.
I am your worst enemy.
I AM ALCOHOL
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The Promise Group Has Made a Change
There will be an open speaker on the last Friday of the month. They also celebrate sobriety anniversaries with cake, ice cream and pizza. The meeting starts at 7pm and is located at Emmons and Abbot in Lincoln Park.
The Alkathon New Year’s2012-13’
We are looking for exciting people to help plan this event. It takes a lot of people to throw a party for 5oo recovering alcoholics. So to insure your sobriety, get off the couch, and be part of the action this year, we need you!! The first meeting was September 16th but it’s not too late for the next ones. They will be at St Phillips Church in Trenton on October 7th & 28th, November 11th, and December 2nd and 16th.Meeting dates may change.
Call Stan 313-587-7320, Mike 734-558-2453,
or Leon 734-818-6415 for more info.
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A STORY ABOUT THE ALKATHON
Do you realize that the word Alkathon doesn’t exist in the dictionary? The word was invented to describe an amazing gesture of humanism, which we think originated in the downriver area. An event which may not be the first such act occurred in the 1960’s.Alkathons during the holidays have been part of the AA experience for many years. They serve to provide a safe sober environment for thousands of recovering people at an emotionally difficult time of year. I searched for something about their origin and came up with the origin of one in Ottawa, Canada that captures the spirit of these great events. In Delray Beach the Alkathon’s are at Central House and run from Noon on 12/24 to Midnight 12/25 and from noon on 12/31 to Midnight 1/1. Check your local Intergroup Office for an Alkathon near you!!
“Once upon a time, a long time ago, during the late 60’s, two sober AAs, Toby Craig and Jack W. made their living feeding Parliamentarians and the like, on The Hill Restaurants and Cafeteria. They banded together with some other soberAAguystodoavery Christian thing for less fortunate people than themselves, (the skid-row and homeless alcoholics), and invited them to a Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve at St. Giles Church, corner of Bank St. & First Ave. It was an unparalleled gesture to serve a first-class dinner to the Street-people of Ottawa infected with Alcoholism. It was a 2hr. affair followed by an A.A. meeting. Some of these hardened Street-people didn’t show, they did not want to pay the price of attending an A.A. meeting. It was nonetheless successful and repeated the following year with an increased attendance. This Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve has grown and grown, and grown to what has become known as the Alkathon. Essentially the Alkathon is intended for the lessfortunate inourgreat fellowship, that includes the individuals on the skids and the homeless. It gives us super fortunate sober A.A.s the opportunity to continue what Toby and Jack started, an opportunity to honor these two guys who put into action which Tradition 5 teaches us…………………
“When Anyone,Anywhere Reaches Out, Let the Hand of A.A. Always be There”. We often hear the proverb “You can’t lead a horse to water”. True, but, you can keep it there long enough ‘till it gets thirsty. In other words, the double AA also stands for “Assertive Attraction” and that is in the spirit of what Toby and Jack had thought of doing and put into action. It is our responsibility to continue in this spirit.Outside Enterprises engage in Outreach programs. Let the Alkathon be an “Outreach”. Invite the less fortunate from around town, like Toby and Jack did, not caring whether they had a bath or clean clothes. Let’s practice the greater good, and not just think of the Alkathon as a closed party for sober alcoholics.Toby & Jack would remind us very quickly of our primary purpose” (Taken from “Dave’s Page,” Twelve Step Recovery.)To be continued next issue, “Downriver Alkathon.”
Leon
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The Sober Times as You Know It
I’m sorry to say but I will not be able to continue as the Editor of the Sober Times. It has been a very rewarding job and I have been so bless to do service work of this kind. Elections for the District are in January and my position will be open. I’m sure someone else will take over and keep this newsletter going. It’s called the sprit
of rotation. Everyone has there own style, and change is always a good thing! Sincerely – Susan J