It was brought to our attention that in the last issue of ESSAY there was a letter from the S-Anon group in Oklahoma City stating that, “to our knowledge, S-Anon International Family Groups has no publication of its own.” For future inquiries and information, we want to let you know that we do have a newsletter.

When I was first introduced to SA several years ago, our group followed the literature, procedure, and sobriety definition as it stands in the white manual. I followed that wholeheartedly and, at times, even painfully. The result has been a long time sobriety.

Recently I celebrated two years of sobriety. So much has changed in my life over those two years. Perhaps the greatest gift I now enjoy is a wonderful sense of well-being. With an attitude of gratitude I will continue to do what is necessary to preserve this fragile gift of sobriety.

Coming out of my SA meeting last night, I felt like I never wanted to go back. I get this feeling again and again there. A spirit of temporizing, playing around with lust and masturbation. “But not to orgasm, mind you.” Of course…. (Yet there was one in the meeting who set his clock back for going to the kind of flesh flurry he used to go to!)

If we surrender, truly surrender, our will and our lives to the care of God as we understand Him, there are no specific guarantees. True surrender is unconditional—not dependent upon any particular outcome. For example, if I surrender in order to save my marriage and my marriage fails, do I then withdraw?

[The following is from a letter dated January 21, 1991 from the Boulder, CO Monday Night Meeting. They expressed the wish that “any or all of this letter be published in Essay.”]

…Our chapter is doing quite well, with over 30 active members and a weekly attendance of at least 16-20. Everyone finds support, encouragement, and hope through these meetings and the literature you have made available…

Roy K.’s 12 December 1990 letter to SA groups invited groups to respond to what he felt was SA’s interpretation of the sobriety definition:

To SA Everywhere, from SA Oklahoma City:
How many ways can we say thank you for the conference? Or how do we love you for being there and being you? Let us count the ways.

The November 1990 German SA Newsletter has been translated into English. Copies are available free from the Central Office. Many thanks to the generosity of Gregory A. of Niagara, NY, who did the translation.

Overheard at the Baltimore Convention: “I have to let others in to make room for myself.”

Newcomer comes into the Program: Sees the light. Goes to meetings. Stops acting out. A change takes place, and he or she knows it. Something’s different. There’s a sense of impending joy. There’s recovery in the air, and they get caught up in it. Maybe there’s a way out after all! Starts talking the talk.

The following paper represents a first-attempt at dialogue on the issue of SA and sexual abuse. This paper, and cover letter, were sent from the SA Central Office to the Regina Committee on Sexual Abuse in Saskatchewan in July.

Looked at from the outside, nothing appears weirder than SA. When I first heard of it, I laughed out loud. When I heard they were against masturbation and sex before marriage, I just felt sorry for them. (Much like the way I felt at the references to God in the AA Big Book three years earlier.)

Thank you for your helpful response to the article appearing in “Regina Committee on Sexual Abuse.” Yesterday I met with “The Sexual Harassment” committee of the United Church of Canada Saskatchewan Conference. I met as a minister of the church although they also know of my connection with SA.

Good news! As of April 27th, I now have more than two years sobriety. I have put much work into my spiritual recovery as well and both need constant vigilance and much effort. I am most grateful for my brothers and sisters in both the Monday and Wednesday groups and all SA members everywhere for the binding support we share.

I feel compelled to write this letter to share my experience, strength, and hope. I write this as much for me as I do for others in the fellowship. I want to share a message. A message I have learned the hard way.

The autonomy of individual SA groups (Tradition Four) does not extend to matters affecting the fellowship as a whole. Nothing is more basic to the SA fellowship as a whole than what has come to be known as the SA sobriety imperative. The sobriety imperative is the thing which makes SA unique among several 12 Step programs dealing with sexual addiction.

Our groups SA and S-Anon in Frauenfeld have existed since spring 1988. They grow up very slowly. Our meetings are every Friday. Once a month on the first Friday we have our meeting together with S-Anon. For interested members, we also have rooms in our homes that we will make available to visitors for lodging.

Our fellowship continues to grow. We are averaging between 20 to 25 a meeting. By God’s grace there’s a lot of healthy recovery with many over one year of sobriety. God is changing lives slowly but surely. I have almost ten months of sobriety—Praise God!