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Post Info TOPIC: group conscience/ group inventory


Newbie

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group conscience/ group inventory


 First time here, am wondering how you get a f2f group to do either one of these. I have been going to my f2f for 3 yrs and have done neither. The group is not doing so well, I chaired a meeting on the topic of group conscience and found that only 2 out of the 8 people there new what is was or what it looked like, I was told that the topic wasnt appropriate for a regular meeting, what would newcomers think.(We have only 2 comers that have stayed in the last 3 yrs). At the last business meeting some ideas were brought up and because there were differences of opinions no decision was made. It has been tabled until who knows when. Myself and three others are thinking about starting a new group and leaving this one. There is lots of crosstalking in the meeting, lots of advice giving, interupting of shares. Most times i leave feeling worse then when i came. Was told before I leave I need to express my feeling to the group. Not sure I want to do that. Can anyone call a group conscience? or a group inventory? Or does it have to be done by the GR? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

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SLS


Senior Member

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I don't think that a group conscience has to be called by the GR, although I do believe that one of the GR responsibilities should be to make sure that one is held. It is unfortunate that your group does not seem to want to adhere to the traditions--I have found that when a group ignores the traditions, it slowly dies.

One thought is that you might contact your District Representative and speak with him/her about your concerns about the group. The DR could visit the group and raise the issue either at the appropriate time during the meeting or with the GR before or after the meeting.

Regardless, I hope that you find a group that is alive with recovery!!  smile

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Do not be anxious about tomorrow; tomorrow will look after itself.
The Bible, from Courage to Change, p.138




~*Service Worker*~

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It is my understanding from reading the Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual (which is available to all members) that any member of the group may call for a group conscience.

I agree with SLS that if you have a District Rep - you may want to contact the Rep for info and or support on trying to steer the meeting back toward a healthier path.

My home group usually tries to announce when a group conscience has been called for a week (we meet 4 x a week) before voting on the issue - that is not always possible on each instance, but as a general rule it helps keep all members informed so that they can be there to vote as they would like.

A group inventory, I recently learned is not necessarily just about the "bad" things in the group, just like our Step 4 inventory. It is is about what is good, what is working, what could be improved and what isn't working. It is very healthy for a group inventory to be done occasionally (just like it is on our own Step work) just to see where the group is and where the group is going.

Another avenue, if your District Rep is not available can be your State Delegate. Our District recently had a fellowship workshop that our State Delagate attended. She gave us a wonderful amount of information on Service Work, Group Responsibilities, Alateen issues and various other topics.

Hope you are able to reach out for the support you need - I hate to see any meeting continue in a way that is not healthy and productive for ALL it's members.

If this doesn't work, you can always contact WSO about starting that new meeting!!

Rita


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~*Service Worker*~

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Our group sets aside the 5th Tuesday (which comes around every 3 month) as a time to hold a group concience after the meeting. We are flexible with it so if there is need to have one sooner, someone will mention it when requests for "new or old business" is made but we don't spend much time on it right then. For example, we have an excess of funds which needs to be addressed so that was mentioned -- now it will be announced at the next three meetings that we will have a group concience meeting early next month.

We stay away from discussing group concience stuff at our regular meeting. What usually happens is just what you are feeling. There is a problem and someone will mention it -- like the health of the group -- and it will be said that that is an issue for a group concience meeting. About a year ago we had a big group concience meeting regarding our group being fully self supporting -- we were committing to so many things that we weren't taking care of our dues to WSO and district -- now a year later after our group concience on this we are having a meeting about a surplus of funds.

Group concience meetings have a purpose, they work and you shouldn't worry about bringing this up. In Alanon we all have an equal voice, use yours smile.gif you'll be suprised -- it's kind of like service work you grow from it.


Luna

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Newbie

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Thank you for the response. Unfortunately our Gr is also the DR. I have tried to talk to her and have myself tried bring in the traditions. I have found another group to call *home* for now. There are a few of us that are going to start a new meeting here where we live. Is not always easy to travel to the city. Am very sad to have to move on, but grateful for the opportunities I have had.

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Senior Member

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One of my f2f recently completed a group inventory using the Guidelines from the literature order form. It was proposed at a business meeting, and then at the regular meeting they took a quick vote on spending the first 15 minutes of the next however-many-regular-meetings-it-took on the Group Inventory, and that's what we did. The Guidelines are in question form, so people were able to share things like "I have felt uncomfortable when such and such happened", or "I think this group is really good in this particular area".

Having said that, implementation of the ideas expressed during the inventory hasn't happened yet, so I'm not sure what that might look like.

I've also seen several situations where someone has asked for "a quick show of hands" on some issue or another, at the "are there any announcements?" part.

A GR should be bringing your concerns to the group whether he/she agrees with them or not - I'm really sorry that hasn't happened.

Having said all this, change does seem to happen VERy slowly - for example, the recently available revised edition of the Sponsorship pamphlet has a revision date of 2001 - so it's also possible that more will be addressed at the next business meeting. But maybe not, if you're not there.smile.gif

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