Hi Daisy,

There are meetings online here that are similar to face to face, they are monday - Friday 9am and 9pm eastern, there are also meetings on Saturday and Sunday..but I don't want to give you the wrong times...Check out the meeting chatroom link above.  You do not have to share, but can if you want to.  Alot of members go out for coffee after the meeting..this is referred to as the meeting after the meeting.  Sure hope you give f2f meetings a try, they are great!

Welcome Daisy,

I have been attending face to face meetings for over 6 years now. I attend two a week. The meetings are different in the style of the meetings but the people that attend either/both of the meetings are wonderful.

I will give you the preamble of both of my face to face meetings, as well as excerpts from the online chat meetings:

SUNDAY MORNING ‘STEP ALIVE’ MEETING
AL-ANON FAMILY GROUP

Will you join me in a moment of silence, followed by the Serenity Prayer.
GOD, GRANT ME THE SERENITY TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANGE, THE COURAGE TO CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN AND THE WISDOM TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE.

We welcome you to the Sunday morning ‘Step Alive /Al-Anon Family Group’ and hope that you will find in this fellowship the help and friendship we have been privileged to enjoy.

We who live, or have lived with the problem of alcoholism understand as perhaps few others can. We too were lonely and frustrated, but in Al-Anon we discover that no situation is really hopeless, and that it is possible for us to find contentment and even happiness whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not.

We urge you to try our program. It has helped many of us find solutions that lead to serenity. So much depends on our own attitudes, and as we learn to place the problem in its true perspective, we find it loses its power to dominate our thoughts and our lives

The family situation is bound to improve as we apply the Al-Anon ideas. Without such spiritual help, living with an alcoholic is too much for most of us. Our thinking becomes distorted by trying to force solutions and we become irritable and unreasonable without knowing it.

The Al-Anon program is based on the Twelve Steps (adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous), which we try, little by little, one day at a time, to apply to our lives, along with our slogans and the Serenity Prayer. The loving interchange of help among members and daily reading of Al-Anon literature thus makes us ready to receive the priceless gift of serenity.

Al-Anon is an anonymous fellowship. Everything that is said here, in the group meet-ing and member-to- member, must be held in confidence. Only in this way can we feel free to say what is in our mind and hearts for this is how we help one another in Al-Anon.

The Al-Anon Family Groups are a fellowship of relatives and friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength, and hope in order to solve their common problems. We believe alcoholism is a family illness and that changed attitudes can aid recovery.
Al-Anon is not allied with any sect, denomination, political entity, organization or institution; does not engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any cause. There are no dues for membership. Al-Anon is self-supporting through its own voluntary contributions.
Al-Anon has but one purpose: to help families of alcoholics. We do this by practicing the Twelve Steps, by welcoming and giving comfort to families of alcoholics, and by giving understanding and encouragement to the alcoholic.
Our meetings last for one (1) hour and fifteen (15) minutes, except for the first Sunday of the month. On the first Sunday of each month, we will transition to the business meeting at 9:55 AM. This will allow all members to participate if they chose to. If the business meeting concludes before 10:15 AM, we will carry on with the regular meeting. The last ten (10) minutes every meeting is left open to any member who wishes to share.
The group conscience requests that all present refrain from gossip, dominance, discussion of religion, treatment centers, other self-help programs, counseling and the
use or mention of any material other that Al-Anon conference approved literature.

Please remember that in Al-Anon we keep the focus on us, not on the alcoholic.
Thank you for your cooperation in our group effort to stick to Al-Anon principles.

1. Let’s go around the room and introduce ourselves- first name only.

2. Are there any newcomers? …. If there are- we suggest that you try at least six (6)
different meetings before deciding if Al-Anon is for you. Is there anyone who
would be willing to talk to the newcomers after the meeting?

3. We use a round robin format for discussion. Feel free to pass..

4. At 9:30, we will take a short break, at which time we will pass around the
Seventh (7th) tradition and the secretary’s report will be read.

At the break----

1..Pass the basket and the sign up book We ask that you consider signing up to chair a meeting or be a greeter as the book is being passed. The person signed up to chair next week is…

2. Are there any volunteers to help clean up the room after the meeting?

3. Please refrain from wearing strong perfumes or aftershave as some are allergic.
Thank you.

At the end of the meeting, read either the long or short closing….

If anyone is willing to be a temporary sponsor please raise your hand…

CLOSING

In closing, I’d like to say that the opinions expressed here were strictly those of the person who gave them. Take what you liked and leave the rest.
The things you heard here were spoken in confidence and should be treated as confidential. Keep them within the walls of this room and the confines of your mind.
A few special words to those of you who haven’t been with us long: whatever your problems, there are those among us who have had them, too. If you keep an open mind, you will find help. You will come to realize that no situation is too difficult to be bettered and no unhappiness too great to be lessened.
We aren’t perfect - the welcome we give you may not show the warmth we have in our hearts for you. After a while, you’ll discover that though you may not like all of us, you’ll love us in a special way - the way we already love you.
Talk to each other, reason things out with someone else, but let there be no gossip or criticism of one another. Instead let the understanding, love, and peace of the program grow within you one day at a time.
Will all who care to, join me in the Serenity Prayer?

Daisy, I so remember my fears six years ago of attending a meeting. What would it be like? What if someone recognizes me? What if they think I am there about X, X or X? Etc. Etc. Etc.

All I can say was after the first meeting, I wanted what many members seemed to have -- the ability to laugh at themselves despite so much pain surrounding them and their ability to reach out and love my even though I thought I was unlovable.

Don't leave before the miracle
Maria123

Hi Daisy  , what are face to face meetings like >>>  awsome  it is a oportunity to make new friends , to share your inner most fears and accomplishemts with people who truly understand how u feel , cause they have been where your at  . It is a safe place to share your feelings anonymity is the basis of our program .  And no u don't have to speak simply say u would like to just listen for now .   goodluck  Louise

My homegroup meets 4 times a week - Mon is a steps/tradition meeting, Wed,Fri & Sat are topic meetings - the chairperson decides the topic. 

Like the other replies, meeting opened with a moment of silence followed by serenity prayer, the opening is read, intros by first name only, announcements, steps & traditions are read, then the readings, members share on topic, if you are not comfortable sharing when it is your turn you can simply pass, meeting is closed with Lord's prayer.  After meeting you can visit with some of the long time members if you have questions.

Hope that you were able to make that f2f meeting, they are wonderful for me - I try to make 3 to 4 a week.  Plus a few open AA meetings also - the Open AA meetings help me understand the disease.  Our group usually suggest at least 6 meetings before making a decision if Al-Anon f2f meetings are for you.

Good luck in your recovery,

Rita