GENERAL SERVICE CONFERENCE 2020: A Clear Vision For You...2020: A CLEAR VISION FOR YOU. MAY 16 – MAY 19, 2020 HISTORIC 1ST VIRTUAL CONFERENCE ! 70. th. 2. The Legacy Continues. 3

In this unusual time of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, our primary purpose, while remaining constant, has evolved considerably in terms of how we fulfill it.

The GSO offices had to shut down, with all employees working from home. Our International Convention, the source of so much interest and excitement throughout the Fellowship, was canceled. Two Regional Forums have been canceled. Area Assemblies throughout the US and Canada have been canceled. And the General Service Conference itself has been postponed and ultimately moved to an entirely digital platform.

There are additional changes and adaptations that will be necessary as time moves on.

And yet, we have continued moving forward – as individuals, as A.A. members, and as a Fellowship.

In the face of such organizational challenges, it is a privilege to present this summary report on the 70th

General Service Conference.

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GENERAL SERVICE CONFERENCE

2020: A CLEAR VISION FOR YOUMAY 16 – MAY 19, 2020

HISTORIC 1ST VIRTUAL CONFERENCE !

70th

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The Legacy Continues

3In 1951 the first General Service Conference met in Cleveland, beginning a Five Year experimental period until the 1955 International Convention in St Louis, where A.A. Co-Founder Bill W. formally turned over the stewardship of A.A. to the General Service Conference. Today the Legacy continues.

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First Stop was PRAASA

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The first stop on our way to the conference this year was at PRAASA. This year PRAASA was in Arizona Area 3, in Tucson on March 6,7,8. The host committee provided a fabulous service to the entire Pacific Region.

6It seems like every delegate report has a picture of the conference hall. Here is the conference for this year. Note the box of Kleenex on the bed, I used it frequently !

May 16 – 19, 2020Daily 10 – 10:30 a.m. Hospitality/Fellowship and Dancing10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Serenity Group A.A. MeetingSATURDAY – MAY 16, 2020 – OPENING SESSION12:15 – 1:15 p.m. Welcome, Opening, Roll Call, Greetings, Keynote Address,1:30 – 4:30 p.m. Conference Committee Meetings5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Secondary Committee Meetings6:45 – 7:45 p.m. Opening A.A. MeetingSUNDAY – MAY 17, 202012:15 – 1:15 p.m. Finance Report:1:15 – 2:15 p.m. General Sharing Session – What’s On Your Mind?3:30 – 6:00 p.m. Elections: West Central regional trustee, Western Canada regional trustee6:30 – 8 p.m. Area Delegates Only Meeting

MONDAY – MAY 18, 20201:15 – 8:30 p.m. Committee Reports and Discussion8:30 – 9 p.m. Virtual Ice Cream Social and D.J. Dance PartyTUESDAY – MAY 19, 20201:15 – 7:15p.m. Committee Reports and Discussion7:30 – 8:30 p.m. Floor Motions8:30 p.m. Closing Remarks 70th General Service Conference AdjournsClosing – Serenity Prayer: English, French, Spanish

A CLEAR VISION FOR YOUConference Week Schedule

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8Conference members come from the 8 Regions in the US/Canada service structure.

Delegate Statistics

Average Age 59Oldest 76Youngest 33 Average sobriety 22Longest sobriety 43Shortest sobriety 5Average length of service 17Longest service 40Shortest service 5

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A quiet place to prepare for each day. 10

Heard at the Serenity Meeting

“rocketed into the 5th dimension” “God of my experience not my understanding”“We sacrifice our ego and pride” “Anonymity is part of each Tradition” 11

Concept IThe final responsibility and the ultimate authority for A.A. world services should always reside in the collective conscience of our whole Fellowship.

Bill in Concept 1, "If these our vital agencies were to collapse or bog down, our unity within and the carrying of our message to innumerable alcoholics without, would suffer serious and perhaps irreparable damage. Under all conditions and at any sacrifice, we would have to sustain those services and the flow of life blood that they were pumping into the world arteries of our Fellowship.”

The Miracle of the 70th General Service Conference.

Westchester, NY, the original conference location was the U.S. epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak just weeks before the conference was to take place.

Let us remember our GSO staff and all the workers who made the conference a reality, thank you! 12

A.A.W.S REPORT

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Disappointment comes when expectations don’t meet reality. And there has been much disappointment over the last few months.

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However, if we take a closer look, along with those disappointments have come some real opportunities. The fellowship has stepped up, and quickly organized online and telephone meetings and workshops. Intergroups and Central Offices have scrambled to keep their meeting lists updated. and many have provided guidelines for collecting digital contributions while maintaining privacy and anonymity. Our General Service Office made the transition to telework and our GSO employees while working form home have kept our essential services up and running to support our 12th Step work. They have accomplished this while being in the region most affected by the pandemic. Just another set of heroes to be acknowledged through all of this. Phone calls and emails are still being answered, literature is being shipped and plans for when life returns to the new normal are underway.

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16A lot of great work was done last year. We now have a Communications Services Department, an idea that got it’s start from our Communications audit. This department will collaborate with other G.S.O. departments, AAGV and staff assignments on video projects, PSAs, and much more.

17Enterprise Resource Planning – We are beginning to see the positive impact it will have on office operations and the services provided throughout the Fellowship. Once fully implemented, the new system will better facilitate the Fellowship’s involvement and maintenance of group, district and area records.

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The Big Book is available in 71 languages, with 23 languages pending and 16 new translations in progress, along with 5 revisions/retranslations. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions is available in 48 languages, with pending translation in Arabic and a revised Czech translation. Daily Reflections is available in 34 languages. For Correctional Facilities: Digital distribution and staple-free pamphlet projects are u

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Last year, Archives received almost 1,500 requests for info/research. Group Services has been an integral part of improving communications with Intergroup and Central Offices. The CPC and Corrections desks recently sent out updates asking for sharing from the fellowship and providing information about what is going on – even when the world seems to be shutdown. The Conference desk has been crazy busy getting everything prepared for the first ever digital conference! The International Convention desk – after years of effort and thousands of tasks being completed – only to have it cancelled. Now we can look forward to 2025 in Canada. The Public Information desk, besides working with the media and coming up with innovative ways to get the message out, has continued working on providing information about Safety in A.A. and updating safety materials.

A.A.GRAPEVINEREPORT

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Today, the Grapevine remains true to Bills vision for it, reflecting our AA community through the sharing of our stories. It is the spiritual value inherent in our stories that make Grapevine and La Viña the broadest expression of our current membership. The AA Grapevine has been known as “our meeting in print” or the International Journal of AA.

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We are fortunate to have technology at our disposal today. This helps reduce the feelings of isolation. In AA, we often talk about those remote communities which are hard to reach. Today it sometimes feels that each of us is in a remote community and sobriety (and sanity) may be jeopardized.

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Want to help another alcoholic? Check out the 2020 Carry The Message Project and give Grapevine or La Viña to an alcoholic. This 12th Step project is great for Sponsee’s, Newcomers, Prisons, Detoxes, and more. in 2019 a grass-roots effort was undertaken by a Spanish linguistic District in Area 16 Georgia to provide LaViña magazine subscription certificates to Alcoholic Spanish-speaking inmates and groups in Correctional facilities in all 93 Areas across the US and Canada. I am excited to report that 322 certificates were generously donated to the Chest of Hope effort from the A.A. fellowship.

25The aagrapevine.org website was redesigned and the La Viña website pages are in the process of being redesigned, an average of 32,488 unique visitors go to an average of 2.4 pages on the website each month.

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AA Grapevine distributed 110,549 Grapevine and La Viña books, e-books, CDs, and other content-related items. AA Grapevine also produced a new collection of jokes previously published in Grapevine, Take Me to Your Sponsor; and completed translation of the book Emotional Sobriety into French.

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One Big Tent was translated into Spanish and In 2019, the La Viña Story Archive Project was completed, the first digital archive of original stories of recovery written by members of the Hispanic A.A. community and published in La Viña magazine. Additionally, a new La Viña store was added to the website. This year the 24th Pacific Region La Viña Anniversary will be in Phoenix on July 24th –July 26

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Sixteen audio stories have been published on Grapevine’s YouTube channel, including artwork contributed by members. Additionally, there are six explainer videos, including How to Succeed as a Grapevine/La Viña Rep and Carry the Message videos in both English and Spanish.

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CHECK OUT THE A.A. GV YOUTUBE CHANNEL TO VIEW THE NEW GV VIDEO

HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/UDMVX1LUAFY

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39These bars graduate from right to left.

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47This bar shows the reserve fund at 7 months after a $3MM draw down, however , because the 2020 budget is being completely redone and our reserve fund is based on operating cost, this number will be more accurate when the new budget is complete. After the new budget is released along with the audited 2019 numbers, I will report that information back to Area 3.

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Signing into meetings / DANCETIME !!!

When signing into the conference rooms Motown Music was being played and everyone kept the spirit of the International Convention and the Detroit host committee in our hearts. People danced, wore funny hats, and funny glasses too! A.A=Love in Action

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GET READY FOR VIRTUALLY DETROIT, JULY 2020

A.A. speakers; a digital “Carrying the Message Pavilion”; sharing from nonalcoholic friends of A.A. and special guests linked to our history; a presentation of the 40 millionth Big Book; a new Archives video on the history of A.A.; an AA Grapevine video created for the Convention, and more.

1.AGENDA

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You can send ideas for Conference themes, workshops and presentations to me your Delegate for Conference submission. These theme, presentation/discussion and workshop topics revolve around basic principles of A.A. Your District and the Area can incorporate discussion of these topics into workshops, meetings, assemblies, etc.

A. The committee recommended that the theme for the 2021 General Service Conference be: “A.A. in a Time of Change.”

The full Conference voted in favor making the recommendation an ADVISORY ACTION.B. The committee recommended that the following be presentation/discussion topics for the 2021 General Service Conference: Practicing A.A.’s Spiritual Principles in a Changing World: 1. Recovery in a Changing World 2. Unity in a Changing World 3. Service in a Changing World The full Conference voted in favor making the recommendation an ADVISORY ACTION.C. The committee recommended that the following be the workshop topic for the 2021 General Service Conference:

Inform - Communicate Involve - Act Inspire – Attract

The full Conference voted in favor making the recommendation an ADVISORY ACTION.

AGENDA

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2.COOPERATION WITH THE

PROFESSIONALCOMMUNITY

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No Committee Recommendations.

Committee considerations: • The committee discussed the request to discontinue the pamphlet “A.A. in Your Community” and took no action.

CPC

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Area 03 Assigned to: CPC PANEL

The sense Area 03 WAS IN FAVOR

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The committee noted that this pamphlet is vital to local C.P.C. committee work to introduce A.A. to professionals and that the title defines A.A. as a community resource. The committee also noted that an update to the language and style is needed. The committee requested that the trustees’ C.P.C./Treatment and Accessibilities Committee explore ways to update content of the pamphlet with a focus on modern professional settings and consider those who consume content in various formats

Consider a request to create a pamphlet for mental health professionals. This was forwarded on to the 71st General Service Conference along with some notes for next years committee to consider.

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CPC

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Area 03 Assigned to: CPC PANEL

The sense of Area 03 WAS IN FAVOR

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3.CORRECTIONS

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CORRECTIONS

No Committee Recommendations

Committee considerations:

• The committee heard a report from the A.A.W.S. publishing director on the efforts to provide digital distribution of A.A. literature into correctional facilities.

• The committee reviewed the Corrections Kit and Workbook and provided a list of suggestions including adding “The ‘God’ Word” pamphlet to the kit.

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4.FINANCE

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Review the pamphlet “Self-Support: Where Money and Spirituality Mix.”

Consider a request to revise the pie chart percentages on page 12. No action.

Consider a request regarding contribution percentages to service entities. Forward to next year conference.

The committee recommended that the draft language related to the “virtual basket” be included.The full Conference voted in favor ADVISORY ACTION

FINANCE

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AREA 03 Assigned to: FINANCE PANEL

The sense of AREA 03 WAS OPPOSED

The sense of AREA 03 WAS IN FAVOR


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5.GRAPEVINE

LA VIÑA59

GRAPEVINE

LA

VI~NA

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AREA 03 Assigned to: GV and SPANISH PANELS


Consider a request to change the name of the Conference Committee on Grapevine to the Conference Committee on Grapevine and La Vina.

The committee recommended that the name of the Conference Committee on Grapevine be changed to the Conference Committee on Grapevine and La Viña.

The full Conference voted in favor making the recommendation an ADVISORY ACTION

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GRAPEVINE

LA

VI~NA

2

AREA 03 Assigned to: ALL PANELS


Consider revising the A.A. Preamble to use gender neutral pronouns. For example, "Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people who share their experience, strength and hope with each other...“

The committee requested that the Grapevine Board consider developing examples of generalized language options and that a progress report or draft versions be brought back to the 71st General Service Conference.

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GRAPEVINE

LA

VI~NA

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AREA 03 Assigned to: GV and PUBLIC INFORMATION PANELS

The sense of AREA 03 WAS SPLIT

Consider a request for AA Grapevine, Inc. to establish an Instagram account in line with the Twelve Traditions.

The committee suggested that the Grapevine Board provide additional information on implementation, anonymity, security, affiliation, outside contributions, privacy and promotion and bring a progress report back to the 71st General Service Conference.

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GRAPEVINE

LA

VI~NA

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AREA03 Assigned to: GV and SPANISH PANELS


Consider a request to develop an A.A. Grapevine pamphlet on how the AA Grapevine can be utilized to carry the A.A. message.

The committee agreed to forward to the 71st General Service Conference:

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6.LITERATURE

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LITERATURE

1

The committee recommended that the updated draft video of “Your General Service Office, the Grapevine and the General Service Structure” be approved.The full Conference voted in favor ADVISORY ACTION

The committee recommended that the “A.A.W.S. Policy on Publication of Literature: Updating Pamphlets and Other A.A. Materials,” approved by A.A.W.S. in January 2020, be approved.The full Conference voted in favor ADVISORY ACTION 65

Interchurch Center where the GSO is located on the 11th floor. (white building on the right)

And the Riverside Church. (just to the left of Interchurch Center)

LITERATURE

2

Consider updating the pamphlet “A.A. for the Black and African-American Alcoholic.”

The committee recommended that the pamphlet “A.A. for the Black and African-American Alcoholic” be updated to include fresh stories and a new title that is respectful and inclusive.

The Committee report time expired before a vote was taken. Moved to 71st

Conference as a Committee Recommendation.

AREA 03 Assigned to: LITERATURE PANELS


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LITERATURE

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AREA 03 Assigned to: Treatment/Accessibilities and Corrections PANELS


Consider if proposed agenda items for plain language, simplified language, accessible translations and large print versions of the book Alcoholics Anonymous, as well as workbooks to help study the program of Alcoholics Anonymous, can be addressed with a common solution.

The committee requested that the trustees continue to explore this topic and the trustees make available to the Fellowship the presentation “The Big Book: Researching Issues, Possible Tools and Access (70th General Service Conference 2020)” The committee noted the importance for the Fellowship to be informed about the nature of the accessibility challenges with regard to A.A. literature. The committee requested that a progress report be brought back to the 2021 Conference Committee on Literature. 67

LITERATURE

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AREA 03 Assigned to: LITERATURE PANEL


Consider request to include a G.S.R. preamble in the pamphlet “G.S.R.: Your Group’s Link to A.A. as a Whole.”

The committee agreed to forward the to the 71st General Service Conference

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LITERATURE

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AREA 03 Assigned to: PI-CPC-P&A PANELs

A: The sense of AREA 03 WAS IN FAVOR

B: The sense of AREA 03 WAS IN FAVOR

Consider revising the pamphlet “Questions & Answers on Sponsorship”: a. Change the suggestion that sponsor and newcomer be of the same sex. b. Expand the section on “Service Sponsorship” and retitle the pamphlet to include service sponsorship.


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LITERATURE

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AREA 03 Assigned to: FINANCE PANEL


Consider request to revise text related to self-support in the pamphlet “Frequently Asked Questions About A.A.”


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LITERATURE

6

AREA 03 Assigned to: LITERATURE PANEL


Consider request to add a subtitle to the booklet Living Sober.


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LITERATURE

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A: The sense of AREA 03 WAS SPLIT

B: The sense of AREA 03 WAS OPPOSED

Consider requests to revise the book Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions:

A. To remove the phrase “opposite sex” from paragraph two on page 117 in the chapter “Step Twelve.” B. To reconsider use of the phrase “lustful enough to rape” in paragraph one on page 66 in the chapter “Step Six.”


72The 12 Steps to Dr. Bob’s home

LITERATURE

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AREA 03 Assigned to: SPANISH PANEL


Consider development of a draft Fourth Edition of the book Alcohólicos Anónimos.


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LITERATURE

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A: The sense of AREA 03 WAS OPPOSED

B: The sense of AREA 03 WAS OPPOSED

Consider requests to revise the book Alcoholics Anonymous:

A. Add pages 3 through 41 of the pamphlet “The A.A. Group” as an appendix in the next printing. B. Revise the first 164 pages.


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7.POLICY and ADMISSIONS

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P&A

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Consider a proposed process for approving observers from other General Service Structures to the U.S./Canada General Service Conference.

The committee recommended that the “Process for Approving Observers to the Conference” be approved.


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P&A

2

Consider implementing electronic voting for trustee elections.

The committee recommended that the General Service Conference implement electronic voting for trustee elections starting in 2021.


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P&A

3

Consider continuing the review of dates for the General Service Conference with timing and year(s) to review as requested by the general manager.

The committee recommended that the review of Conference dates be changed to consider dates for the General Service Conference with timing and year(s) to review as requested by the general manager.


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P&A

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Committee consideration:

The committee considered a proposed process for the equitable distribution of Conference committees.

The committee requests that the trustees’ General Service Conference Committee clarify the specifics of the proposed plan and bring back a more fully developed process for review by the 2021 General Service Conference.

The last business each committee does is elect its chair for next years conference.

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The committee elected Kevin F, Delegate for Area 03, Arizona, as Policy and Admissions Conference Committee Chair !!!

8.PUBLIC INFORMATION

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PI

1 The committee recommended that all A.A.W.S video titles be adjusted for search engine optimization (SEO).


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PI

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The committee discussed a request to develop a plan to create an A.A. podcast.

The committee suggested that G.S.O. explore the development of a draft plan to create a G.S.O. podcast to be brought back to the 2021 Conference Committee on Public Information.

The committee suggested that information such as function, target audiences, participation, possible episode topics and an implementation plan be included.

AREA 03 Assigned to: PI PANEL


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9.REPORT and CHARTER

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R&C

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The committee discussed restoring the two paragraphs with the accompanying footnote in the Concept Eleven essay of The Twelve Concepts for World Service that were removed by an Advisory Action of the 66th General Service Conference and took no action.

AREA 03 Assigned to: P&A PANEL


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10.TREATMENT

AndACCESSIBILITIES

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TREATMENT

ACCESS

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Discuss the report on the review of materials related to Bridging the Gap activities.

The committee recommended that the pamphlet “Bridging the Gap” be updated for currency and inclusion to reach a broader scope of treatment settings about temporary contact services, and that a progress report or draft be brought to the 2021 Conference Committee on Treatment and Accessibilities.


This was my first full Conference vote. It was a spiritual experience as was every vote I took

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TREATMENT

ACCESS

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Consider a request to develop a Bridging the Gap Workbook.

The committee suggested that the trustees’ C.P.C/T.A. committee develop a Bridging the Gap Committee Workbook and provide a progress report to the 2021 General Service Conference.

AREA 03 Assigned to: TREATMENT/ACC and CORRECTIONS PANELS


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11.TRUSTEES

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The committee recommended that the slate of trustees of the General Service Board be elected at the annual meeting of the members of the General Service Board in May 2020. The full Conference voted in favor making the recommendation an ADVISORY ACTION

The committee recommended that the slate of officers of the General Service Board be elected at the annual meeting of the members of the General Service Board in May 2020. The full Conference voted in favor making the recommendation an ADVISORY ACTION

The committee recommended that the slate of A.A.G.V directors be elected at the annual meeting of the members of the AA Grapevine Corporate Board in May 2020. The full Conference voted in favor making the recommendation an ADVISORY ACTION

The committee recommended approval of a revised slate of directors of the A.A. World Services Corporate Board, omitting the newly proposed A.A. World Services director as ineligible due to procedural issues.

The Conference Chair ruled the committee recommendation out of order.

TRUSTEES

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12.ARCHIVES

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The committee considered requests to develop a book on A.A. history from 1955 through the present and suggested that the trustees’ Archives Committee consider possible themes, content ideas and the time period such a book might cover. The committee requested a report be brought back to the 2021 Conference Committee on Archives.

ARCHIVES

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AREA 03 Assigned to: P&A and FINANCE PANELs


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13.INTERNATIONAL

CONVENTIONS andREGIONAL FORUMS

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IC/RF

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The committee discussed the use of the Lord’s Prayer for closing the Big Meetings at the International Convention and had a thoughtful and wide-ranging discussion.

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•The use of the Lord’s Prayer can create controversy and support the perception of A.A. as a religious organization.•Although the prayer is a part of the history of A.A. and is widely used and supported in some areas, it could make some members feel excluded.•The benefits of autonomy and keeping the newcomers in mind when selecting how to close A.A. meetings.•The diversity of our Fellowship and the need for everyone to feel included.•Consideration of surveying the Fellowship for a wider sharing regarding use of the Lord’s Prayer.•Given the international nature of the International Convention, how the Lord’s Prayer is perceived in other countries.

THE COMMITTEE’S THOUGHTS…

14. Floor Actions

Several floor actions were moved and forwarded to the trustees’ Committee on the General Service Conference for consideration of forwarding to the 2021 Conference.

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We went on a virtual tour of Bill and Lois Home, Stepping Stones. 96

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GENERAL SERVICE CONFERENCE

APRIL 18-24, 2021

BROOKLYN BRIDGE

MARRIOTT HOTEL

Thank you Arizona Area 03 for allowing me to serve you, and the fellowship that saved my life.

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Documents

GENERAL SERVICE CONFERENCE 2020: A Clear Vision For You...2020: A CLEAR VISION FOR YOU. MAY 16 – MAY 19, 2020 HISTORIC 1ST VIRTUAL CONFERENCE ! 70. th. 2. The Legacy Continues. 3