September 2023 Newsletter

Although the Summer is slipping away, September will continue to afford us weather to enjoy our favorite outdoor events, including our Bash at the Beach to be held September 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Cape Henlopen State Park. Please do not forget to bring a dish! See below for more detailed information. Enjoy our shoulder season!

During this Ninth month, let’s take a look at Step 9, Tradition 9 and Concept 9.

Step 9: “Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.”

As soon as we begin to feel confident in our new way of life and have begun, by our behavior and example, to convince those about us that we are indeed changing for the better, it is usually safe to talk in complete frankness with those who have been seriously affected, even those who may be only a little or not at all aware of what we have done to them. The only exceptions we will make will be cases where our disclosure would cause actual harm. — Reprinted from Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions© (page 85), with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.

Tradition 9: “A.A. as such ought never be organized; but we may create service boards and committees directly responsible to those they serve. “

A.A. has to function, but at the same time it must avoid those dangers of great wealth, prestige, and entrenched power which necessarily tempt other societies. Though Tradition Nine at first sight seems to deal with a purely practical matter, in its actual operation it discloses a society without organization, animated only by the spirit of service — a true fellowship. — Reprinted from Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions© (page 177), with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.

Concept 9: “Good service leaders, together with sound and appropriate methods of choosing them, are at all levels indispensable for our future functioning and safety.”

A leader in A.A. service is therefore a man (or woman) who can personally put principles, plans and policies into such dedicated and effective action that the rest of us want to back him up and help him with his job. When a leader power-drives us badly, we rebel; but when he too meekly becomes an order-taker and he exercises no judgment of his own — well, he really isn’t a leader at all. Good leadership originates plans, policies, and ideas for the improvement of our Fellowship and its services. But in new and important matters, it will nevertheless consult widely before taking decisions and actions. Good leadership will also remember that a fine plan or idea can come from anybody, anywhere. Consequently, good leadership will often discard its own cherished plans for others that are better, and it will give credit to the source. — Reprinted from The A.A. Service Manual combined with Twelve Concepts, 2021-2023 Edition (page c29) , with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.

Southern Delaware Intergroup Monthly Meeting — Join us on Thursday, September7 at 6 p.m. 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.

2023 Annual Bash at the Beach

When: Sunday, September 17, 2023
Time:   10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: The Pavilion at Henlopen State Park
15099 Cape Henlopen Drive, Lewes, DE. – Follow Signs (Main Beach Area)
Cost:  $8.00 – tickets can be purchased through many local AA members.   Parking Cost: $5 in-state and $10 out-of-state

Guest Speakers – Food – Fun – Fellowship – Music – Games

Please bring a side dish or dessert. For more information, contact events@sussexaa.org

We have been asking for submissions for our newsletter (see article below) and our member Annette W. was kind enough to send in a submission that we are able to feature here!

“One day at a time. This has been my most important lesson in sobriety, learning how to live in the moment. For years I tried to recreate the past or thought only about how things would be different when this happened or that happened. Now, for the most part, I wake up each day grateful to be sober and take each moment as it comes. When I live this way, I don’t miss what’s right in front of me. I can’t do anything to change what has happened before and don’t have any idea what’s going to happen ahead, so I stay sober living one day at a time.”

Thank you Annette!

Want To Be Part of the Newsletter? We would love to hear from you and 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 and subscribing to this Newsletter via e-mail is very easy. Simply email “subscribe” to support@sussexaa.org  and you will receive the monthly email on the 1^st of each month.

This Month’s Intergroup Committee Feature
Accessibility Committee

Accessibility — The purpose of the accessibility committee is to help make Alcoholics Anonymous in our area accessible to every member who desires it by raising awareness within the A.A. community of the challenges faced by those with special needs such as mobility, vision, hearing etc. when accessing meetings, and building capacity within the A.A. community to offer meetings, special functions, and service opportunities to members with special needs. For more information, see the SDIAA Accessibilities Toolkit. You can also send an email to accessibility@sussexaa.org.

Southern Delaware Intergroup Committees Positions Open for Service

Intergroup could use your help. There are openings as members on all committees, but importantly, Chairpersons are needed for the Accessibilities Committee; Bridging the Gap Treatment Committee; Website Committee and Vice Chair of Intergroup.

For more information about Intergroup and its committees, please go to About Southern Delaware Intergroup – Southern Delaware Intergroup (sussexaa.org).

Check out the new Grapevine & La Vina Apps!