Minutes for April 2018

Monthly EC Teleconference

May 5th 2018

14:00 p.m. CEST

 

Please notify the secretary at [email protected] with changes, additions, or motions for this meeting.

Meeting opened at 14:14

 

A.  Call to Order:  Please be sure that any background noises in your area are eliminated since the sounds make it difficult for participants to hear.  When speaking, please say your name first. This will help us record your name with your input. Thank you.

1)  Open with the Serenity Prayer

 

2)  Tradition Five:  Each group has but one primary purpose .  

 

B.  Roll Call of European Countries:  

Chair of TC - Majbrit

European Committee Present:

Majbrit – Chair & WSO Board Member

Charlie H - WSO Board Member and Chair of Literature Committee WSO

Tanya M - Secretary

Jim - Brooklyn, USA - Chair of ABC Committee WSO

Country Representatives & Guests:

Kadrii-Liisa - Estonia - Translation & Treasurer

Denis -  Russia, Moscow

Alexia - Germany, CR & Chair of Literature & Translation & Service Board

Apologies:  Jeffrey F - CZ, Finance & Treasurer

Reminder Non-committee members are welcome to listen to this teleconference but are requested to remain silent unless asked to participate. We respectfully request that guests hold their questions and comments until later in the call when we open it up for discussion. If someone needs to talk further, arrangements can be made after the end of the call.

 

When the call is opened for discussion, this will be your chance to have direct contact with the WSO and ask questions about anything related to our fellowship such as service structures, translations, literature, etc.

Majbrit - EC Chair & WSO Board Trustee updates

  • Just back from ABC & AWC & WSO Board Meeting
  • Majbrit hasn’t been able to connect into her ACA email account.
  • Summary of ABC & implications for SWEDEN 2019 - a motion was brought up at ABC that the AWC should always follow the ABC.  If the host city accept this.  Voted in by majority of fellowship at ABC.  Majbrit has spoken with Frederik and host committee meet tomorrow and are going to vote this in.  Majbrit has absolute trust in the Swedes ability to host this.  There are many Swedish volunteers and many Americans also volunteered to support them. 
  • Charlie - in Feb 2017 it was decided to have the ABC in Sweden and do Annual World Convention separately in USA.  When Jim was doing the report about ABC - he asked why ABC & AWC were separate for 2019.  BIG discussions were held at the ABC.  We are a WORLD FELLOWSHIP and we should treat Europe the same as US.  BIG statement to board.  Lots of US were among the delegates about supporting ACA in Europe and other countries too.  Charlie felt delegates very strongly pro-Europe.
  • Jim - Brooklyn USA.  Agreed, general attitude was let’s put the WORLD into World Service.  It’s easier to have them together than 2 separate events. 
  • QUESTIONS invited:
  • Denis, Russia - thinks very symbolic to hold AWC in Sweden - opportunities for ESH for whole world as world convention is financially supported.  So his belief is that all people in both continents can be satisfied
  • Charlie - we voted not to do a second convention.  Just ONE WC - maybe other activities in North American. Keep it unified.
  • COUNTRY UPDATE
  • Russia - Denis - about 3 new meetings in Moscow in last 2 months.  Some meetings in 2 Russians will hold open ACA at AA conventions - it was popular last year.  The date of Moscow Convention isn’t yet set. 2nd printing of BRB arrived last week with another 1000 books printed.  
  • Germany - Alexia - finished translation project - first 9 free down-loadables have been sent to all meetings for a Group Conscience to be done and after will send them with any amendments to WSO for approval.  German website to be launched by end of May - .  First ACA event in Germany in 2019 - 29-31st March 2019.
  • Estonia - Kadrii-Liisa - not much news.  Russian group celebrated their 1st year and asked her advice and she checked BRB and joined their Business Meeting.  New Treasurer.  We read Meditation Book in Estonian.  
  • CZ - Tanya - CZ/SK/Eng groups forming an IG and hopefully will have some more events together later in the year.
  • AWC Sponsorship workshop run by Majbrit & Charlie at AWC - how to be a good sponsor and a channel on Slack about Sponsorship has been set up.  
  • Charlie - in 2017 there was a motion at ABC to give clearer information about sponsorship/co-traveling.  This new Slack channel and working group is to figure out how to give newcomers good guidance while they’re starting in ACA and avoiding codependency that’s problematic in ACA.  Anyone can join this channel and do service.  Newcomers at AWC felt it would be helpful and many of the attendees were 3-4 years in but scared of doing sponsorship.  All are looking forward to discussion and provide more ACA literature on how to get started - ranging from a sponsors manual to a 6 week Mentor’s program to help newcomers understand the basics.  Should be more information coming.
  • Preventing Abusive and Predatory Behaviour  - A Slack Channel has also set up to avoid predatorily behaviour or 13th stepping.  How to be safe in meetings.  There’s not sufficient info in BRB - how to apply Traditions to this topic.  Channel is Addressing_Pred_Behaviour.  It seems all 12 step meetings have this issue.
  • Kadrii Liisa - how to join these groups?
  • Charlie - If you are already in Slack, you can give your name and you can be invited.  
  • ACA events in Europe - compiled by Tanya - to be updated on individual country website pages - see below, includes European AA events that ACA Inter-groups can approach about co-operating together.

 

  • Reaching out to other 12 Step groups Charlie explained one of 2 pieces approved in Toronto is a trifold to AA members and should be easy to translate - https://acawso.org/2018/04/07/new-literature-for-fellowship-review-finding-emotional-sobriety-trifold/ 
  • Translation Committees sub-committee regular call - will be valuable for each country.
  • NEXT MONTH more about 2019 ABC & AWC.  
  • Group Inventory - query from Alexia, Germany - Charlie explained it didn’t get discussed in Toronto but it’s being worked on by Group.  Would you like to be involved?  Will report next EC call

Motion to close meeting 15.00

Closed with ACA Serenity Prayer.

NEXT MEETING:  Sat 2nd June 14.00 CEST

Meeting minutes prepared by Tanya M – May 5th 2018

GENERAL REMINDER from Secretary:

Events – As you organize your events, please let us know so that we can post this to the News section of the EC website.   This way ACAs travelling  to other countries know what events are on, when and where and can do service by visiting.

Website – thanks to those Country Reps who have had time to put together some information for your country pages on www.acawsoec.com.

This will be updated soon.

As you have time and energy we look forward to receiving your information:

  • Number of meetings currently in the country -  PLUS details of WHERE and HOW to get to the meeting and WHO to contact to find meetings in your country.  Just like on the Czech page http://acawsoec.com/czech-republic/
  • History of fellowship and growth to go to your country page 
  • Local website

Literature - Did you know you can download free copies in different languages of the trifolds at http://www.lit.adultchildren.org/ 

Contact details of your Translation Committee – so we can provide them with the Guidelines for translation coming from WSO

 

May
18-20th ACA - Ukraine - Lviv https://dda-ukraina.jimdo.com/
19-20 AA - Germany - 41st Annual Roundup- Rheinland-Pfalz - https://alcoholics-anonymous.eu/event/41st-annual-rheinland-pfalz-intergroup-roundup/
June
9-10 AA - Germany - Dusseldorp - CER June Regional Assembly

CER Regional Assembly June


22-1July ACA - Lithuania - Combined 12 step fellowship events
www.suaugevaikai.com Ask for the English pdf for this 9 day AA/Al-Anon/ACA event
July
1st AA - Germany - Frankfurt AA annual BBQ/Picnic - https://alcoholics-anonymous.eu/event/frankfurt-aa-annual-bbq-and-picnic/
13-15 AA - Germany - 27th Bavarian RoundUp - https://alcoholics-anonymous.eu/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IGB-Roundup-2018-Flyer.pdf
27-29 AA - Lithuania - 9th European Convention of Young People in AA http://eurypaa2018.com
August
3-5 AA - Germany - Annual Rheinland IG Campathon - https://alcoholics-anonymous.eu/event/annual-rheinland-pfalz-intergroup-campathon-2/
18-20 ACA - Hungary - Convention https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnxhY2FodW5nYXJ5fGd4OjJkMjA3ZGY2NGI0ZGNiMDM
31-Sept2 AA - Bulgaria - 11th National AA Convention https://alcoholics-anonymous.eu/event/11th-national-bulgarian-convention/
31 - Sept 2 AA - Germany - Berlin - 13th International Convention - https://alcoholics-anonymous.eu/event/13th-international-berlin-convention-of-alcoholics-anonymous/
September
21-23 AA - Belgium - The Road to Happiness - https://alcoholics-anonymous.eu/event/the-road-to-happiness/
28-30 ACA Poland - 3rd Annual Rally - http://www.dda.org.pl/aktualnosci.php
28-29 ACA UK - London - 5th European Meeting - http://www.adultchildrenofalcoholics.co.uk/Events.php
28-29 AA - France - Cannes - Big Book Workshop - https://alcoholics-anonymous.eu/event/big-book-workshop/ - mother and daughter US speakers & sponsoring
TBC ACA Russia - Moscow Convention Sept or Oct
October
TBC ACA Denmark - 30th Anniversary - details to come
5-7 Sept ACA Belgium - Action Coming from Love - http://www.volwassenkinderen.nl/index.php/meetinglijst
12-14 AA - France - Biarritz AA 2nd English-speaking Convention - https://alcoholics-anonymous.eu/event/biarritz-2018-a-vision-for-you/
November
16-18 AA - Spain - Costa Del Sol IG Convention - http://aaconventioncds.org
December
1-2 AA - Slovakia AA CER Bratislava - https://alcoholics-anonymous.eu/event/cer-regional-assembly-december/