A Time For Change
A Time For Change. That seems to be the theme in this issue of Essay. Change can be unsettling, but it can also be healthy. Growth involves change, and without healthy growth the organism dies. Growing pains are really an opportunity; that’s what life is all about—the adventure of going where we’ve never gone before, within ourselves first, then, as we grow in recovery and unity, the odyssey of the fellowship itself.
For those who didn’t hear my luncheon talk Saturday at Bozeman, I’d like to share in summary what I said then to bring you all up to date on what’s happening with Central Office and with me. As of April 21st, I am no longer employed at View Engineering. For a long time, I’ve felt the need for a sabbatical, but things came to a head at work, and I resigned.
Word in from John A. of Baltimore: “Recently a Sexual Behaviors Consultation Unit has been opened at the Johns Hopkins Hospital here in Baltimore.…
The following are minutes of the business meeting held June 6, 1987 at the Bozeman convention. The minutes were taken and prepared by Jean P. of Nashville.
Listed below is the Central Office financial report, prepared by our secretary, Nan, and Terry M. Note that for the first time, Essay is listing groups that have donated as groups to our world services Central Office work. Nan tells us it isn’t always clear whether donations are from groups or individuals, so there may be some glitches here. But it’s an eye-opener for all of us.
Any sober SA members interested in being a coordinator for corresponding with loner members without groups, much as Matt is doing with those in prison, please write Central Office. Please provide a brief summary of your story and length and condition of sobriety, why you’re interested in the job, and any other pertinent information for qualification.
Nan, our Central Office secretary for the last couple of years, has agreed to be office manager as well as secretary, if she limits her work to less than full time. This new situation has come about since the last three secretaries haven’t worked out, since the Central Office has moved to commercial office space, and since Roy has withdrawn from being CO manager.
As announced at Bozeman, Matt W. of Kansas City is SA’s prison coordinator. He is the communication switchboard between SAs behind the wall and members on the outside who wish to correspond with or sponsor those in prison. At present, this involves coordinating well over a hundred SAs inside with those on the outside. This amounts to running a Central Office all its own!
…Thank you for the support that you and SA have given to us in getting a group started within the Arkansas Department of Correction. We have just completed our second meeting and elected our officers, plus we have started our study program of the “White Book” and have found that this program is what we have been searching for.
These last couple of weeks I feel I have begun to understand what surrender really means. I thank God that I never stopped going to the meetings. And I thank God and SA that when I was finally hurting enough to really give up, He and the Fellowship were there for me, and the love and support carried me through withdrawal.
