A Note from the Service Structure Committee

Dear SA Intergroups:

This is an announcement of SA’s First Annual Oversight Assembly to be held January 12, 1996 at 2:00 PM, at the Freedom Conference in Phoenix. The location of the meeting will be in your conference program.

Enclosed is Service Structure information for your consideration and review. The format is very simple. A representative is needed from each region. Please elect your representative to attend this historical meeting.

The suggested reading list for those doing service work is:

• The AA Big Book
• The 12 Steps and 12 Traditions
• AA Comes of Age
• The AA Service Manual (which includes the 12 concepts for world service)

These books are all available from AA.

Thank you,

See page 14 for the proposed SA Service Structure chart.

Literature Committee News

SA Literature in Spanish

Work continues on Spanish translations of SA literature. The work of publication has begun. The first publication expected will be the full version of Recovery Continues. A revision of the White Book is in the works also.

Member Stories

Very soon, the Literature Committee will be making an appeal for member stories. Guidelines about the format, length, etc. will be forthcoming. We want to add to the collection of success and recovery stories. These personal tales are valuable to our understanding of the problem, the struggle, and the joy of recovery.

International Central Office Announcements

Contact Information

Your Central Office needs help with updating local contact information. Our records need to be as up-to-date as they can possibly be, so that people are not given incorrect information, or told that no meeting or contact person exists in their area when in fact, there IS a meeting. A group information form is being included with this issue of the Essay. Please take this to your local group, or check with them to make sure that correct information for your group is on file at the Central Office. If you have any doubt, please fill out this simple sheet and send it in, just to be sure.

Sexaholics looking for this program will thank you!

Tax Issue Report

The State of California has presented its bill for back taxes due, related to employee issues.

Central Office began in November to pay off the total due. The final bill is expected to be between $7,000.00 – $9,000.00. Payments will be in monthly installments until the total is paid.

Literature Order Form

Please take a minute to glance at the Literature Order Form on the back of your Essay… The order form has been updated, and this is now the ONLY order form containing correct information.

Please don’t use the old forms; if you see any, throw them away (or recycle them)!

Pay with Credit Card

At the November 19th meeting, COOC approved a six-month trial of credit card use.

Beginning January 1, 1996, your Central Office can accept credit cards as payment for orders. The new forms for English and Spanish orders have been altered to reflect this change. Accepted cards are: MasterCard, Visa, and American Express.

Credit Card orders must include Name as it appears on the card, card #, and Expiration date.

We hope this will be a valuable and useful service to the fellowship.

Summary of COOC Meeting Nov 1, 1995

Spanish translations: Central Office now has the disks of Recovery Continues in Spanish (which will be available as soon as appropriate software is located) and Jose Maria R. is now working on Member Stories and the Working Paper.

COOC welcomed our new Central Office Manager, Kay Shotwell.

Service Structure: discussion of how to facilitate inauguration of the new structure in Phoenix, including time for a formal installation of Regional reps and COOC will meet at 2:00 p.m., Friday, Jan. 12, to begin this process.

Following the advice of a concerned SA in Australia, a motion passed to change the name of Central Office to International Central Office.

Motion passed to authorize a retainer of $1,000 to Raymond Meyers, a lawyer, to carry through the incorporation of SA.

Discussion of a kit to send to professionals requesting information about SA; discussion of how much free literature to send. Suggestion that we ask for payment if the person can afford it, or otherwise regard it as 12th Step work. Kay was asked to track her 6-month outlay of literature and to determine how much of the expense goes for shipping and handling.