Secular Serenity Online Preamble

Welcome to this online meeting of the ‘Secular Serenity’ group of Alcoholics Anonymous. Please limit the time of your shares to allow everyone to have a chance to speak. If you have not done so please turn your phone to silent for the duration of the meeting.

We would like to start the meeting with a moment of silence, to be used as you like; to reflect on why we are here; to consider the still suffering alcoholic in and out of the rooms; for reticent meditation; or if you wish an unspoken prayer.

[Please allow 30-60 seconds as you like]. Thank you.

Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of individuals who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. As per Tradition Three; ‘The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking’ . There are no dues or fees for AA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution, does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

We would like to welcome those who are new to AA, those who are at this meeting for the first time, and those of you visiting from out of town; from another planet or alternate universe? Welcome to all. If there is anyone who has not been here before, please introduce yourself, using your first name only, so that we may get to know you better? The newcomer is the most important person at any meeting, because we can only keep what we have by giving it away. We have learned from our group experience that those who keep coming to our meetings regularly stay clean and sober. Any new comers?

Is anyone celebrating any significant sobriety milestone, e.g. 24 hours, one week, one month;, one year, a few gazillion planks etc… or any length of time that maybe significant to them?

Are the any relevant announcements?

This group of AA attempts to maintain a tradition of free expression, and conduct a meeting where alcoholics may feel free to express any doubts or dis-beliefs they may have, and to share their own personal form of spiritual experience, their search for it, or their rejection of it. We do not endorse or oppose any form of religion or atheism. Our only wish is to assure suffering alcoholics that they can find sobriety in AA without having to accept anyone else beliefs or having to deny their own. We hope to provide a comfortable forum for those recovering from addiction to alcohol and/or other drugs regardless of any spiritual or philosophical beliefs. In this meeting we speak about our own experiences and feelings. We accept without criticism what others say because it is true for them, and work toward taking responsibility for our own lives rather than giving unsolicited advice.

I have asked _____________________ to read ‘What is Secular AA’

[Thank you]

As has become traditional at this meeting we will now have a brief ‘introduction round’ please state your name and if you choose to how you are feeling.

This an Open meeting of alcoholics anonymous and all visitors are welcome, however if you have less than 24 hrs sobriety/clean time we ask that you not share in the meeting, but rather come speak to us afterwards.

[19h15] This is a [either] a topic/ a sharing meeting; our [either] topic/sharer this evening is ___________________.

[Introduce topic/sharer]

[Once the speaker is finished]

Thank you_________________ We will now open the meeting to the floor for sharing on the topic/share or any other recovery related issue.

[19h55] That is all we have time for this evening. If you do have any burning issues, please speak with someone after the meeting.

Remember, anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities. We close our meeting with a moment of silence, to be used as you like; to reflect on why we are here; to consider the still suffering alcoholic in and out of the rooms; for reticent meditation; or if you wish an unspoken prayer. Followed by the AA Responsibility Statement.