August brings us new energy as summer is at its height before rolling to a close and out of town visitors start heading home next month. We hope your summer has been going well so far.

How fortunate we are to have those in the program who helped create and maintain online meetings to get us through the toughest times and stay sober. Take some time this month to thank those who have sacrificed their time for others and consider a service position in our Southern Delaware Intergroup organization. Vacancies include Intergroup Vice Chair; Archives Committee Chair; Website/Tech Committee Chair and Liaison for Area 12. For more information see our Service Committees page and plan to attend our monthly intergroup meeting this Thursday on Zoom. Any questions? Please contact us by email: support@sussexaa.org

During this Eighth month, let’s take a look at Step 8, Tradition 8 and Concept 8.

Step Eight: Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. Steps Eight and Nine are concerned with personal relations. First, we take a look backward and try to discover where we have been at fault; next we make a vigorous attempt to repair the damage we have done; and third, having thus cleaned away the debris of the past, we consider how, with our newfound knowledge of ourselves, we may develop the best possible relations with every human being we know. Whenever our pencil falters, we can fortify and cheer ourselves by remembering what A.A. experience in this Step has meant to others. It is the beginning of the end of isolation from our fellows and from God. — Reprinted from Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions© (pages 77 & 82), with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.

Tradition Eight: Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers. Alcoholics Anonymous will never have a professional class. We have gained some understanding of the ancient words “Freely ye have received, freely give.” We have discovered that at the point of professionalism, money and spirituality do not mix. Almost no recovery from alcoholism has ever been brought about by the world’s best professionals, whether medical or religious. We do not decry professionalism in other fields, but we accept the sober fact that it does not work for us. Every time we have tried to professionalize our Twelfth Step, the result has been exactly the same: Our single purpose has been defeated. However, the business of A.A. does sometimes require paid workers. This is the exciting welter of events which has finally cast up A.A.’s Tradition of nonprofessionalism. Our Twelfth Step is never to be paid for, but those who labor in service for us are worthy of their hire.– Reprinted from Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions© (page 166 & 173), with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.

Concept Eight: The Trustees of the General Service Board act in two primary capacities: (a) With respect to the larger matters of over-all policy and finance, they are the principal planners and administrators. They and their primary committees directly manage these affairs. (b) But with respect to our separately incorporated and constantly active services, the relation of the Trustees is mainly that of full stock ownership and of custodial oversight which they exercise through their ability to elect all directors of these entities. This Concept deals with the ways the General Service Board “discharges its heavy obligations,” and its relationship with its two subsidiary corporations: A.A. World Services, Inc. and AA Grapevine, Inc. — Reprinted from The A.A. Service Manual combined with Twelve Concepts, 2021-2023 Edition (page c23) , with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.

Box 459

Box 4-5-9 is a quarterly news bulletin from the U.S./Canada General Service Office. This newsletter includes information about A.A. service, literature, events, sharing from groups, service committees and individual U.S./Canada A.A. members.

The Summer 2022 issue describes some of the Covid challenges conference attendees experienced during the 72nd General Service Conference, held in Brooklyn, New York, from April 24-30, 2022. The issue also highlights the advisory actions which include changes to A.A. books and pamphlets.

Request for Translators

The Publishing department at the General Service Office is seeking professional freelance translators who have a familiarity with A.A. structure and content to join their publications team (English to French/Spanish; Spanish/French to English). The publications team works on various projects spanning books, pamphlets, correspondence and reports and they need your talent to help them translate the material that helps French and Spanish-speaking members carry the A.A. message of recovery. If interested, send your resume and cover letter to aapublishing@aa.org.

Call for Stories

• There’s still time to submit your story for the Fifth Edition Big Book through the new story submission section on the G.S.O. website. Here you will find guidelines and suggestions on how to write your story, and information on the automatic copyright signing process. Deadline: October 31, 2022. The memo for this solicitation can be found here. Questions? Please email 5BBStory@aa.org.
• Recovery stories for the pamphlet A.A. for the Black & African American Alcoholic are being sought from all African American, Canadian, Caribbean A.A. members from the English, French and Spanish-speaking Black communities in the A.A. structure in the United States and Canada. Deadline: October 31, 2022. You can submit your story via email pamphletstories@aa.org, or by postal mail — Attn. Literature Assignment, General Service Office, Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163. The memo for this solicitation can be found here.
• Recovery stories for the Fourth Edition of the Big Book Alcohólicos Anónimos are being sought from a wide representation of the Hispanic community. Deadline: December 15, 2022. You can submit your story via email 4LGHistorias@aa.org, or by postal mail — Attn. Literature Assignment, General Service Office, Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163. The memo for this solicitation can be found here.

SDIAA Bylaws Update

The draft SDIAA Bylaws is available for review to be approved by the Intergroup representatives (IGRs) at the September 1, 2022 meeting. Visit our Bylaws page to compare the draft to the current one (April 12, 2022).

1. Any questions, comments or clarifications should be submitted by the IGR to support@sussexaa.org no later than August 15, 2022.
2. Approval of the updated bylaws will be by a 2/3 majority of those IGRs attending the September 1, 2022 meeting.
3. Each IGR will have one vote. If an IGR cannot attend the September meeting then the Alternate IGR (AIGR) can cast their home group’s vote.

Help Wanted

Want to be part of this newsletter? We would love to hear from you!

We are always seeking submissions of articles about your experience with the Steps and Traditions, humorous stories, and/or tidbits of your experience, strength and hope that you’d like to pass along. We welcome your input! All content will be reviewed for approval by the Steering Committee prior to publication.

Here are some topic ideas:

• How you worked a specific step.
• A favorite A.A. slogan and how it has helped you.
• How you got your first service position.
• Something your sponsor said that impacted you.

You can submit entries to support@sussexaa.org.

Mark Your Calendar

Upcoming events that may be of interest to you.

• Southern Delaware Intergroup Monthly Meeting — Join us on Thursday, August 4 at 6PM via Zoom. Meeting ID: 821 1107 1538, Passcode: 186548. Our intergroup is a resource for 12-Step work and Alcoholics Anonymous information in Southern Delaware.

• Town Hall for Online A.A. Groups — The Three Legacies Study Group and the Get Into Action Committee is hosting a Town Hall for Online A.A. Groups on Saturday August 6 from 2:00 – 4:00 PM. Zoom Meeting ID: 949 5119 4588, passcode: Unity2022. The mission of the committee is to foster collaboration among online groups to participate in the US/Canada general service structure. Attendees will have opportunity for questions and feedback. Come join the conversation as we continue Unity, Service, and Recovery online. Please pass on to other online groups. Spanish and ASL interpretation available. For more information, send an email to threelegaciesstudygroup@gmail.com.

• 2022 Annual SDIAA Bash at the Beach — Join your local community on Sunday, September 18 at the Main Pavilion at Cape Henlopen State Park for a fun-filled day that includes guest speakers, food, fun, fellowship, music, games, the beach and more! Cost this year will be $7. Please note the parking costs — $5 in state & $10 out-of-state. For more information, contact events@sussexaa.org

• 2022 Gratitude Breakfast — It’s back this year live and in person on November 19 at the Indian River Fire Hall located on 32628 Oak Orchard Road in Millsboro. This year the Gratitude Breakfast will coincide with Gratitude Month — a traditional time to express our collective gratitude for our individual sobriety. For more information, contact events@sussexaa.org