The phrase "God As We Understand Him" is perhaps the most important expression to be found in our whole AA vocabulary. Within the compass of these five significant words there can be included every kind and degree of faith, together with the positive assurance that each of us may choose his own. Bill W. Grapevine Copyright AA Grapevine, Inc, April 1961 Most people today have some knowledge of A.A. and that the twelve steps has something to do with God. Common discussion at meetings include words like moral inventory, making amends, and living by spiritual principles. God is often a topic of conversation, our literature is spiritual in nature, and the Big Book alone mentions the word God almost 300 times. The Big Book was written to educate Alcoholics and their families come to terms with the possibility that they may be suffering from an illness which only a spiritual experience will conquer. The Big Books. main object is to enable you to find a Power greater than yourself which will solve your problem. Many times we watch a mans hopes rise as we discuss our alcoholic problems and explain our fellowship. But his face falls when we speak of spiritual matters, especially when we mention God. Big Book p 44 & p45. Much to our relief, we discovered we did not need to consider another's conception of God. Our own conception, however inadequate, was sufficient to make the approach and to effect a contact with Him. Big Book p 46 The day Eby Thatcher sat in Bill Wilson s kitchen and suggested, Why don't you choose your own conception of God?" has probably saved hundreds of thousands of hopeless alcoholics across the globe. In A.A. spirituality comes in all brands, from traditional to unusual, and everywhere in between. This Shareguide issue offers information, ideas, and thoughts from our diverse membership on spirituality and God as we understand him. People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they re not on your road does not mean they are lost. Dalai Lama 1
If you are as seriously alcoholic as we were, we believe there is no middle-of-the-road solution. We were in a position where life was becoming impossible, and if we had passed into the region from which there is no return through human aid, we had but two alternatives: One was to go on to the bitter end, blotting out the consciousness of our intolerable situation as best we could; and the other, to accept spiritual help. Big Book Page 25 In AA we have two dictators, we profit and grow through both. One is John Barleycorn, who is never very far from the elbow of each of us. The other is The Father of Lights who presides over all men. God is saying to us Learn my will and do it And John Barleycorn is saying to us You had better do God s will or I will kill you! Bill Wilsons closing address at St. Louis, 1955 (AA Comes of Age, p. 255) The twelve simple words of the First Step embrace a whole philosophy of life. Books could be written on the subject of personal surrender suggested by the first six words. Admitted we were powerless over alcohol. The next six represent our acknowledgment that we have not yet learned to handle our affairs wisely;.that our lives have become unmanageable. The First Step prepares us for a new life, which we can achieve only by letting go of what we cannot control and by undertaking, one day at a time, the monumental task of setting our world in order through a change in our own thinking. This is only accomplished by surrendering to a Power greater than ourselves. E ven those of us who have no particular religious faith, or who have lost faith we once had may reach such extremities that we cry out in desperation for help. We pray involuntarily, we pray to Something, some unknown Power to relieve us of our unbearable burdens. Before the 12 Steps, in my confusion and despair I ask for help in this way, but the next moment I would begin to worry again about what was going to happen next. anonymous We are imprisoned by our own inability or unwillingness to reach out for help to a Power Greater than Ourselves. 2
We have no desire to convince anyone that there is only one way by which faith can be acquired. If what we have learned and felt and seen means anything at all, it means that all of us, whatever our race, creed, or color are the children of a living Creator with whom we may form a relationship upon simple and understandable terms as soon as we are willing and honest enough to try. Big Book P 28 I guess you would call me Agnostic, but I do believe in a Power greater than myself. I call that Power, God. I have no religious affiliation nor can I describe this Power in words. I call him God for lack of a word to describe it. But I do know one thing for sure, this Power has transformed my life. As a direct result of working the 12 steps, I have had deep spiritual experiences that removed the obsession to drink, rearranged my thinking and how I live life. I do get uncomfortable when I feel judgment from others that my faith is inadequate. Nothing useful come from Intolerance of the faith of others or the lack thereof. Skeptics Prayer: I don t know if you exist. I think you may only be a myth. I do not know. I think there must be something greater than myself, and I am a seeker of the truth. So whatever and wherever you are, I ask you to reveal the truth to my heart and clear away the clutter in my mind. Amen I am somewhat conservative in my belief in God. I was raised in the Church and feel strongly about my faith. However, I am an Alcoholic so I need the support of people who understand my disease and my fellow believers at church do not understand. I also have dedicated much my spare time to helping those find freedom from active alcoholism. I feel it is my responsibility to be there for the newcomer. I love my God and my Church, but I also love Alcoholics Anonymous. I do not allow my Christian faith cause conflict with my fellow in AA friends, and for me faith alone did not solve my alcoholic problem. 3
Prayer is not a check request asking for things from God. It is a deposit slip a way of depositing God s character into our bankrupt souls. He changes Caterpillars into butterfly's, Sand into pearls, Coal into diamonds. Just think what He can do with you! Upon entry into AA, I was given some tools that I could use every day to help me stay sober. One was 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." But I couldn't pray because my mind was so clouded and foggy and I was riddled with anger. So my Sponsor suggested that I use it as a poem. I recited it first thing in the morning, throughout the day, and before going to bed. I was willing to do the footwork in a way that made sense to me. It helped me in my path of coming to believe in God of my own understanding. Our Father who art in heaven, howdya know my name? BIG BOOK TENTH STEP PRAYERS P. 84 Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment and fear. When these crop up, we ask God at once to remove them. P. 85 Everyday is a day when we must carry the vision of God s will into all our activities. How can I best serve Thee--Thy will (not mine) be done. Ask Him in your morning meditation what you can do each day for the man who is still sick. The answers will come IF your own house is in order. BB p.164 4
Religious Roots In June 2010, AA marked its 75th anniversary. TIME takes a deep look back at the history of the self-help group AA is a secular organization, holding as one of its principles that "belief in, or adherence to, a formal creed is not a condition of membership." But the roots of AA were grounded in religion. Co-founder Wilson had a spiritual awakening after he was hospitalized for his drinking in 1934. He and his wife Lois joined the Oxford Group, a nondenominational Christian movement popular in the U.S. and Europe in the early 20th century. The AA tenets of self-examination, acknowledgment of character defects and restitution for harm done to others grew out of Oxford Group teachings. Today, four of the 12 steps in the AA program mention God directly, and the 12th calls for a "spiritual awakening as a result of these steps." As the Oxford Group grew, it suffered from infighting and debate about its purpose. AA, on the other hand, has maintained a stable structure and agenda for most of its existence. "The Oxford Groupers had clearly shown us what to do," Wilson said in 1955. "And just as importantly, we learned from them what not to do." We finally saw that faith in some kind of God was a part of our make-up, just as much as the feeling we have for a friend. Sometimes we had to search fearlessly, but He was there. He was as much a fact as we were. We found the Great Reality deep down within us. In the last analysis it is only there that He may be found. It was so with us. Big Book P 55 Is sobriety all we are to expect of a spiritual awakening? No sobriety is only a bare beginning; it is only the first gift of first awakening. If more gifts are going to be received, our awakening has to go on. As it does go on, we find that bit by bit we can discard the old life the one that did not work for a new life that does work under any conditions whatever. Grapevine - December 1957 You cannot intellectualize God, He is beyond your intellect, you cannot understand Him through your intellect. 5
Lord, Make me an instrument of thy peace! That where there is hatred, I may bring love. That where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness. That where there is discord, I may bring harmony. That where there is error, I may bring truth. That where there is doubt, I may bring faith. That where there is despair, I may bring hope. That where there are shadows, I may bring light. That where there is sadness, I may bring joy. Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort, than to be comforted. To understand, than to be understood. To love, than to be loved. For it is by self-forgetting that one finds. It is by forgiving that one is forgiven. It is by dying that one wakens to Eternal Life. Synonyms: Contemplation, thought, thinking, musing, pondering, consideration, reflection, deliberation, concentration The Prayer of St. Francis was first published in 1912 in Paris by a well know religious group. Since then it has been accepted and adopted by many other church followers. The Peace Prayer was also adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous as a teaching tool in the art of meditation. The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions are recommended reading for anyone studying the steps and this prayer is used in the study of the 11th step. The cool thing about this The goal of meditation is not to control your THOUGHTS It is to stop letting them control you prayer is that anyone of any faith can utilize it for focus, mediation, and relaxation. Most of us have clouded our minds and thoughts with mass doses of alcohol. The practice of mediation helps heal our minds emotionally, physically, and spiritually. As beginners in meditation, we might now reread this prayer several times very slowly, savoring every word and trying to take in the deep meaning of each phrase and idea. It will help if we can drop all resistance to what our friend says. For in meditation, debate has no place. 12 & 12 p.99 Saint Francis of Assisi 6
K[; Tradition Nine A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve. (Tradition 9 - Long Form) Each A.A. group needs the least possible organization. Rotating leadership is the best. The small group may elect its secretary, the large group its rotating committee, and the groups of a large metropolitan area their central or intergroup committee, which often employs a full-time secretary. The trustees of the General Service Board are, in effect, our A.A. General Service Committee. They are the custodians of our A.A. Tradition and the receivers of voluntary A.A. contributions by which we maintain our A.A. General Service Office at New York. They are authorized by the groups to handle our overall public relations and they guarantee the integrity of our principal newspaper, the A.A. Grapevine. All such representatives are to be guided in the spirit of service, for true leaders in A.A. are but trusted and experienced servants of the whole. They derive no real authority from their titles; they do not govern. Universal respect is the key to their usefulness. Editorial: We are not organized as a management team, but we do form committee's. We form committees to assure one person does not hold authority, and we answer to AA as a whole. One of the most valuable resources of Alcoholics Anonymous is the experience of those who have gone before us. Sharing our experience with someone who is stepping into a service roll is truly the heartbeat of AA. Thinking of the future of AA and others stepping into a service roll (spirit of rotation) becomes a solid foundation for continued healthy growth for the AA Fellowship. The spiritual principle of rotation in Alcoholics Anonymous provides us with a growing pool of people whose primary aim is to serve the AA Fellowship. Willingness and generosity to share both success and failure is crucial in order to preserve what we have been given. Mentorship and sponsorship is important in a service roll too, so whatever your job is in AA remember, someone will follow in your footsteps. Be a Service Mentor. Share freely! We have had positive results from the Saturday Night Speaker Meeting time change and attendance has remained steady. After a recent Saturday night meeting several people got together and went to the Jazz Festival while others stayed behind to enjoy a beautiful summer evening of fellowship on the porch of Serenity Hall. In July the CSO hosted the speaker meetings and introduced a new Speaker-Discussion format. This consisted of a 30-40 minute speaker on a topic with comments after. At the July 2 nd meeting the topic of Gratitude was introduced after the Speaker. On July 16th, speakers gave leads about how to have fun in sobriety. On July 23 rd three speakers will take the podium with a brief lead on the topic of Service. We are excited to see the new ideas our groups have planned for Saturday Night over the next few months. The month of December is still open for any group to take. message continued on back page 7
Reflecting on her life upon incarceration, a local AA member writes from her heart from a cell at the Elkhart County Jail. Hidden Hope, broken dreams, Life is never what it seems. My thoughts linger, I cannot sleep; For all I ve cost my kids, I weep. Of all the things I wish they would not have endured, They fell victim to my society, their innocence so pure. I had the weight of the world on top my shoulders; The little issues then are now huge boulders. If I could turn back all of time, A new meaning to life, positive focus I would find, One that would help my grip on a world so round. Highlights of happy times and one s family bound. Saddened I chose on that s caused so many tears. As all this didn't happen overnight. I must slowly face my burdens and make things right. I ve shortchanged my children, this I know; Downward no longer exists, up is the only way to go. I know now what I must do. Gather the shattered pieces and make our lives anew. RW CSO Message Continued: There are so many opportunities for service in A.A. There is a huge need for women to take meetings to the Elkhart County Work Release Program. Speakers are needed at treatment centers; volunteers are needed to communicate with the public and area professionals. The Shareguide is also looking for writers and volunteers to gather content and of course we always welcome your letters & articles. The CSO is also looking to hire an Office Manager for about 3-4 hours per week. The candidate will need experience with Excel & Word, have basic bookkeeping skills, and a sense of commitment. If this sounds of interest to you or someone you know, please contact the CSO. Service the Heart Beat of A.A. The greatest gift that can come to anyone is a spiritual awakening. CSO Office & Bookstore (Intergroup) 949-1/2 Middlebury St. Elkhart, IN 46514 574-295-8188 Check out our website for meeting schedule, and up to date information & events Bill W. 8