As we welcome the new year, we reflect this month on Step One, a fundamental reason most of us seek sobriety and recovery. Without admitting we are powerless over alcohol, there is not the chance to seek the institutional wisdom of others in A.A. who have done the same. Although the further we get from alcohol, the less significant it becomes, it is still imperative to be reminded often of the hold alcohol had on our lives before we sought help.

As stated in the Twelve and Twelve (page 21), “Our admissions of personal powerlessness finally turn out to be firm bedrock upon which happy and purposeful lives may be built. We know that little good can come to any alcoholic who joins A.A. unless he has first accepted his devastating weakness and all its consequences”.

But however important it is to remember from where we came, it is equally as important to remember how far we have come. A new year. A new life. A new chance. A new happiness.

Happy January.

As it’s January, the first month, let’s look at Step 1, Tradition 1, and Concept 1.

Step 1: “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol – that our lives had become unmanageable.”

Who cares to admit complete defeat? Practically no one, of course. Every natural instinct cries out against the idea of personal powerlessness. It is truly awful to admit that glass in hand we have warped our minds into such an obsession for destructive drinking that only an act of providence can remove it from us….

Under the lash of alcoholism, we are driven to A.A. and there we discover the fatal nature of our situation. Then, and only then, do we become open-minded to conviction and as willing to listen as the dying can be. We stand ready to do anything which will lift the merciless obsession from us.

— Reprinted from The Twelve and Twelve – (pages 21 and 24), with permission of  A.A. World Services, Inc.

Tradition 1: “Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends on A.A. unity.”

The unity of Alcoholic Anonymous is the most cherished quality our society has. Our lives, the lives of all to come, depend squarely upon it. We stay whole, or A.A. would cease to beat; our world arteries would no longer carry the life-giving grace of God; His gift to us would be spent aimlessly. Back again in their caves, alcoholics would reproach us and say, “What a great thing A.A. might have been.

Reprinted from The Twelve and Twelve – page 129, with permission of  A.A. World Services, Inc.

Concept 1: “Final responsibility and ultimate authority for A.A. world services should always reside in the collective conscience of our whole fellowship.”

Alcoholics Anonymous has been called an upside-down organization because the “ultimate responsibility and final authority for . . . world services” resides with the groups — rather than with the trustees of the General Service Board or the General

Service Office in New York. In Concept I, Bill traces how this came to be. The first step in 1938 was “the creation of a trusteeship,” first called the Alcoholic Foundation, renamed in 1954 the General Service Board. Why? To perform the services the groups could not do for themselves: e.g., uniform literature, uniform public information about A.A., helping new groups get started, sharing with them the experience of established groups, handling pleas for help, publishing a national magazine, and carrying the message in other languages and in other countries. A service office was formed to carry on these functions under the board’s direction. Both the board and the office looked to the co-founders, Bill and Dr. Bob, for policy leadership.

Reprinted from A.A. Service Manual/Twelve Concepts for World Services (with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.

Southern Delaware Intergroup Monthly Meeting — Join us on Thursday, January 4th at 6 pm via Zoom. Meeting ID: 987-8810-5001, Passcode: 914711. Our intergroup is a resource for 12-Step work and Alcoholics Anonymous information in Southern Delaware. Please consider volunteering for a service opportunity, which includes most Intergroup committees. For more information about what each Committee does, see our Service Committees page and plan to attend our next intergroup meeting.

Footprints in the Winter Sand – February 2nd – 4^th – The 2024 Footprints in the Winter Sand will be held February 2-4, 2024 at ASHORE Resort & Beach Club (formerly The Clarion) in Ocean City, MD. There is no on-line registration. Checks must be sent to Footprints along with the registration form found HERE.

We Love Our Literature!

Greetings from your SDIAA Literature Committee. We have had a busy year purchasing, selling, donating, and distributing A.A. World Services books, pamphlets, pamphlet racks and twelve steps and twelve traditions window shades to our Southern Delaware family of groups and individuals; both in English and Spanish languages.

The Literature Committee not only provides a resource for obtaining literature, but also provides materials to the Public Information Committee whose members distribute A.A. pamphlets and racks to various organizations in Sussex County. Because of our increasing demand for climate-controlled storage space, this past summer SDIAA moved out of the 5 x 10’ unit and into a larger 10’ x 10′ unit and purchased three additional shelving units. We now have ample space for well-organized literature storage, archive files and materials and special events items. As a reminder to our readers, SDIAA is offering a 20% discount off all items available from AAWS to our Home Groups and Individuals, until further notice. We also pay shipping costs so if we don’t have a particular item in our inventory, we will special order it and shipping is always free. This is one way SDIAA is helping to give back and is helping to “carry the message to alcoholics…”. Note: The SDIAA does not sell Grapevine subscriptions, nor do we sell coins, medallions, jewelry, or any non-AAWS items.

If you know of a newcomer to A.A., or a friend who may not be familiar with the extensive assortment of AAWS literature available, why not give a gift of a book or keep an extra copy of a “Big Book” in your car for the next time you meet a new person who is attending their very first A.A. meeting.

Here’s how you can obtain literature pricing or place an order. First, look at our Literature Committee page to see a complete listing of AAWS literature, or go to AAWS.org online bookstore to search for literature. This is a great place to view literature including all pamphlets and in various languages too. Contact: literature@sussexaa.org and tell us what you are requesting. You will receive a reply quoting price and availability. We do not ship to postal addresses, but a convenient time and place for delivery will be made.

If you are interested in helping the Literature Committee or any of the SDIAA service committees, or have any suggestions, please contact literature@sussexaa.org. Yours in Service, Paul S.

Simply, Open Meetings are available to anyone interested in Alcoholics Anonymous’ program of recovery from alcoholism. Non-alcoholics may attend open meetings as observers. Closed Meetings are for those who have a drinking problem and “have a desire to stop drinking”. For more information, please visit https://www.aa.org/information-about-meetings.

What’s Your Favorite slogan, phrase or prayer?

We have been asking for submissions for our newsletter (see article below) and our member Morgan S. was kind enough to send in a submission that we are able to feature here! We are asking for a favorite slogan, phrase or prayer.

“The mind is like a parachute, it works better when it is open.” Looking back, I realize my mind was closed when I first attended an AA meeting. When the pain outweighed the fear, I surrendered. The willingness to listen to others share their experience is paramount. Little by slowly, my mind opened up and I could take that critical first step: an admission of powerlessness and unmanageability. That admission helped me open up my mind to seeking a solution.

Thank you Morgan!

REMINDER!

Want To Be Part of the Newsletter? We would love to hear from you!

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.

Subscribe to this Newletter via E-mail!

Subscribing to this Newsletter via e-mail is very easy. Simply email “subscribe” to support@sussexaa.org or sign up HERE and you will receive the monthly email on the 1^st of each month.