Welcome to April. It’s definitely spring which is typically known as the time of new beginnings, freshness is all around, bringing new flowers, warmer weather and a chance to get outside.

Eighty four years ago on April 10, 1939, the first edition of “Alcoholics Anonymous” Big Book was published. As a result of all the work in writing the Big Book, millions of people have benefitted from those first 164 pages that explain the alcoholic problem and how to solve it.

This month, much discussion will surround Step 4, which is considered the beginning of a lifetime practice as we first have a look at those personal flaws, “which are acutely troublesome and fairly obvious.” As the warmer weather arrives, let’s grab a notebook and a pen and head outside to continue the work that keeps us sober, allowing us to live life to the fullest.

During this month of April, let’s take a refresher on Step Four, Tradition Four and Concept Four.

Step Four — Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. We thought “conditions” drove us to drink, and when we tried to correct these conditions and found that we couldn’t to our entire satisfaction, our drinking went out of hand and we became alcoholics. It never occurred to us that we needed to change ourselves to meet conditions, whatever they were. — Reprinted from The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 47, with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.

Tradition Four — Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole. When A.A.’s Traditions were first published, in 1946, we had become sure that an A.A. group could stand almost any amount of battering. We saw that the group, exactly like the individual, must eventually conform to whatever tested principles would guarantee survival. We had discovered that there was perfect safety in the process of trial and error. So confident of this had we become that the original statement of A.A. tradition carried this significant sentence: “Any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an A.A. group provided that as a group they have no other affiliation.” — Reprinted from The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 147, with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.

Concept Four — Throughout our Conference structure, we ought to maintain at all responsible levels a traditional “Right of Participation,” taking care that each classification or group of our world servants shall be allowed a voting representation in reasonable proportion to the responsibility that each must discharge. The “Right of Participation” is therefore a corrective of ultimate authority because it mitigates its harshness or misuse. It also encourages us who serve A.A. to accept the necessary disciplines that our several tasks require. We can do this when we are sure that we belong, when the fact of our “participation” assures us that we are truly the “trusted servants” described in A.A.’s Tradition Two. — Reprinted from The A.A. Service Manual Combined with the Twelve Concepts, p. C15, with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.

Grapevine News

Here’s what’s new for April.

• The Home Group: Heartbeat of AA — New book released! The 30th Anniversary Edition is a collection of previously published stories from AA Grapevine. AA members share moving experiences about the importance and joys of belonging to an AA group. This updated anniversary edition includes extra stories and a brand-new chapter on meetings using technology, showing how members have adapted to meet new challenges. A great way to start an AA meeting.
• Grapevine’s Weekly Podcast — Each week long-time AA members Don and Sam interview a different member about their experience, strength and hope, in a casual “meeting after the meeting” manner.
• Sign up to receive Grapevine emails — Includes Grapevine & Your Group, Grapevine Daily Quote and Grapevine Monthly News.

Submit Your Story for Upcoming Issues

Go here to submit your story.

1. Mid-Sobriety Challenges — Share about some challenges you’ve had after 8, 10, 20 years sober. Have you ever nearly relapsed? Did you ever stop going to meetings or disconnect from AA? Have you ever been a dry drunk? How did you get back on track? What helped you may help someone else.
   (stories due April 15, 2023).
2. Remote Communities Stories — Is it difficult to find AA meetings where you live? Are you a loner? Stationed far away? Do you have a language or cultural barrier? Are you homebound? Do you use online meetings? Are you involved in Remote Community service? (stories due June 15, 2023).
3. Sober Holidays! — What are the ways you stay sane and grateful during the holidays and New Year’s? How do you navigate holiday parties and family gatherings? Share your best sober holiday stories! (stories due June 15, 2023)

See how else you can get involved with the AA Grapevine Community.

Mark Your Calendar

Upcoming events that may be of interest to you.

• Southern Delaware Intergroup Monthly Meeting — Join us on Thursday, April 6 at 6PM via Zoom. Meeting ID: 987-8110-5001, Passcode: 914711. Our intergroup is a resource for 12-Step work and Alcoholics Anonymous information in Southern Delaware.
• SDIAA Archives Committee Meeting — The next meeting of the SDIAA Archives Committee is on April 10 from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM at the Lutheran Church of Our Savior located at 20276 Bay Vista Rd, Rehoboth Beach. Doors open at 6:15 PM.
• 2023 Northeast Regional Forum — Held June 2 through June 4 at the Boston Marriott Burlington Boston, MA, the Regional Forum provides unique opportunities for A.A. members to exchange information with representatives of the General Service Board, A.A.W.S., AA Grapevine and G.S.O. Registration for the Forum is free. Online pre-registration is encouraged. Go here to register for the 2023 Northeast Regional Forum.
• Founders’ Day 2023 — The 88th annual Founders’ Day will be held on June 9 through June 11 at the Akron University. The annual gathering is held on the weekend closest to June 10, which marks the day in 1935 when A.A. co-founder, Dr. Bob took his last drink in Akron, Ohio. For more information and to register, see the Founders Day 2023 Flyer and visit Founders’ Day.org.