Welcome to May. Summer is slowly arriving as will be those heading in from out of town to enjoy our amazing community — spending time at the beach, and for the lucky, dropping into our strong recovery program here in Sussex County.

As a reminder, May also brings us the Delaware Area 12 convention. More information regarding the convention and other events are listed below.

Let’s begin with a refresher on Step 5, Tradition 5 and Concept 5 during this fifth month.

Step 5: “Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.” All of A.A.’s Twelve Steps ask us to go contrary to our natural desires … they all deflate our egos. When it come to ego deflation, few steps are harder to take then Five. But scarcely any Step is more necessary to longtime sobriety and peace of mind than this one. — Reprinted from Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions© (page 55), with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.

Tradition 5: “Each group as but one primary purpose – to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.” The only thing that matters is that he is an alcoholic who has found a key to sobriety. These legacies of suffering and of recovery are easily passed among alcoholics, one to the other.

This is our gift from God, and its bestowal upon others like us is the one aim that today animates A.A.’s all around the globe. There is another reason for this singleness of purpose. It is the great paradox of A.A. that we know we can seldom keep the precious gift of sobriety unless we give it away. — Reprinted from Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions© (page 152), with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.

I am responsible…
When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help,
I want the hand of A.A. always to be there.
And for that: I am responsible.

Concept 5: “Throughout our structure, a traditional “Right of Appeal” ought to prevail, so that minority opinion will be heard and personal grievances receive careful consideration. We have to recognize that there are times when the minority can be right and it is our responsibility to listen to their petition. We have seen many examples where a well stated and well crafted minority opinion can change the outcome entirely. — Reprinted from The Twelve Concepts for World Service Illustrated© (page 10), with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc..

Service Opportunities

We have a few opportunities to provide valuable service to Southern Delaware Intergoup and help ensure the hand of Alcoholics Anonymous to always be there.

• Intergroup Vice Chair — Acts as Chairperson in the Chair’s absence and assumes other responsibilities as delegated by the Chair.
• Intergroup Secretary — Primary responsibilities include taking monthly meeting minutes and maintaining a current list of Intergroup officers and Intergroup Representatives (IGRs).
• Website/Tech Committee Chair — Convenes monthly meetings with the committee regarding website/tech activity and reports at the monthly intergroup meeting.
• Liaison Area 12 — Serves as the conduit between Area 12 and Intergroup, representing Intergroup at area assemblies and area committee meetings.

For more information, see our Service Committees page and plan to attend our monthly intergroup meeting this Thursday. Any questions? Please contact us by email.

GlideApp for Newcomers

If you are looking for a really cool way to access A.A. information on your phone — check this out. It’s a digital source for A.A. materials that includes links to literature and meeting information. Last summer G.S.O.’s Publishing Department reviewed and has supported the use of glideapps for access to A.A. material, particularly in virtual settings.

Glideapps are easier to install than traditional mobile apps. Instead of installing the app from Apple or Google’s app store, you simply click or press the link sdiaa.glideapp.io and your browser will prompt you to add the app to your home screen. Alternatively, you can scan the QR code image with the camera on your phone to preview it. Your app will automatically update when new features or information is added. On iOS, make sure to open the link in Safari.

About A.A.

About A.A. is the newsletter from the General Service Office of the U.S. and Canada for professionals in all fields who deal with alcoholics. The Spring 2022 issue takes a look at “A.A. as a Resource Around the World.” The issue also focuses on “Reaching Out to Mental Health Professionals” and introduces three new Class A (nonalcoholic) trustees of A.A.’s General Service Board.

Box 4-5-9

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 Spring 2022 issue highlights changes made to the A.A. website, gives a recap of the Virtual Day of Sharing at G.S.O, provides history on A.A. in the U.K (75 years of Sobriety), lists applications open for A.A. G.S.O. staffing positions, and summarizes advisory actions for several pamphlets.

Quarterly Report from G.S.O

The latest report from the General Service Office (G.S.O.) is where you’ll find recent activities of the General Service Board, A.A. World Services, Inc., and AA Grapevine, Inc. This issue includes advisory actions, finance reports, committee reports and other pertinent information.

The AA Grapevine Half-Hour Variety Hour

The half-hour variety hour features long-time A.A. members Don and Sam. Each week they interview a different member about their experience, strength and hope, in a casual “meeting after the meeting” manner. Special features will enhance each episode.

The podcast is available on your favorite podcast platforms and through the podcast website where you can also listen to previous podcasts.

A new episode will be available in English every Monday at 9:00 am EST.

You can send an email to podcast@aagrapevine.org with comments, suggestions, jokes, and such. To record an Ask the Oldtimer question or a recovery related joke, call 212-870-3418.

Use #heardinameeting on social media. Our tradition of anonymity will be respected with all submissions used on the show.

Grapevine News

Here’s what’s new for May from the Grapevine.

• Fun in Sobriety — This new book features 50-plus inspiring stories by members of Alcoholics Anonymous about the many ways they’ve learned to have a good time after putting down the drink. Chapters include travel, outdoor activities, arts & hobbies, social entertainment, fun-filled AA activities, and sober events. Full of passion and humor, this book shows how, by working the program and developing a sober network, life can begin to take on new, exciting adventures. For more information, or to order the book, please contact the literature committee.
• Prayer & Meditation — This book features powerful stories by members of Alcoholics Anonymous about the many ways they pray and meditate in their daily lives. The stories in this book show how members begin to pray and meditate and then branch out to develop very personal, and often creative, ways to practice. For more information, or to order the book, please contact the literature committee.
• Armed Forces Interview Project — The Trustees’ Committee on Cooperation with the Professional Community/Treatment and Accessibilities is seeking A.A. members in the U.S. and Canadian Armed Forces to discuss their experience, strength, and hope as sober members of A.A. in the military in recorded anonymity-protected interviews. The goal of this effort is to improve A.A. outreach to members in the U.S. and Canadian military. Interested military members can volunteer or get more information about this project by writing to militaryoutreach@aa.org.
• AA Grapevine Job Opening — The AA Grapevine is looking for a Controller who is responsible for all accounting, budgeting, sales, costing and financial reporting. Go here for a complete job description and information on how to apply.
• Grapevine YouTube Channel — Check out the videos that may be of use, or interest to members, the general public and the professional community. Content on this channel is consistent with A.A. principles and copyrights.

Mark Your Calendar

Upcoming events that may be of interest to you.

• Southern Delaware Intergroup Monthly Meeting — Join us on this Thursday, May 5 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.

• Delaware Area 12 Annual Convention — Held May 20th through May 22nd at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, this jam-packed weekend will feature plenty of speakers, activities and fellowship. To learn more about the convention and hotel accommodations, please visit the Delaware Area 12 Convention website.

• Founders’ Day 2022 — Back live and in-person, Founders’ Day will be held June 10, 11 & 12 at the Akron University. The annual gathering is always 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 2022 Flyer and visit Founders’ Day.org.

• 7th Annual Unity & Service Conference — Held from July 8 through July 10, the Unity & Service Conference will be back in person this year at the Concord Hilton, 1970 Diamond Blvd, Concord, CA 94520. They are hoping to have a hybrid model so all can join. Please see the event website for more information and to register.

• North/South Virtual Special Forum — Tagged as Beyond Language, Culture & Geography: Sobriety Within Everybody’s Reach, the forum running on July 16 from 11:00 am – 7:00 pm, will stretch the virtual hand of A.A. from Canada and the United States to the furthest reaches of South America. The main objective is to bring members throughout our home “zone” together for direct sharing of experience, strength and hope. More information can be found on our event page and this flyer. Any questions can be sent to northsouthconnections@aa.org.