OPENING

Welcome to the Thursday afternoon SAA tele-meeting Big Book study.  Let’s open this meeting with a moment of silent meditation, each in our own way, followed by 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.

 

To paraphrase the Forward to the First Edition:

WE, OF Sex Addicts Anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. To show other sex addicts precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book. For them, we hope these pages will prove so convincing that no further authentication will be necessary. We think this account of our experiences will help everyone to better understand the sex addict. Many do not comprehend that the sex addict is a very sick person. And besides, we are sure that our way of living has its advantages for all.

 

My name is _________ (give name and last initial) and I am a sex addict.  By the grace of a very loving God, my sobriety date is _____________ (Month/Date/Year).

Is there anyone on the line who does not have an AA Big Book in front of them? (Pause for names). If you don’t have an AA Big Book in front of you, you can access it on-line at www.aa.org/bigbookonline/

 

This is an open meeting and as such all who have an interest in sex-addiction and our program of recovery are welcome.  Because this is an open meeting, you need not identify yourself nor your reason for being here if you do not wish to do so.  Your anonymity will be protected.  We ask that you protect ours.

While this is an open meeting, membership in Sex Addicts Anonymous is restricted to those who have a desire to stop addictive sexual behavior for good and all.  If you are struggling with drugs or alcohol or some other addictive issue, CA, NA, AA or one of 200 or more other 12 Step fellowships is where you will find your solution.  If you are looking for a solution to one of these respective problems and have not found one, please let a trusted servant know and we will be happy to assist you in finding a group that will meet your needs.  If you do not struggle with addictive sexual behavior and have a desire to stop, you are welcome to stay and listen to us study, but we ask that you restrict your participation to merely reading the indicated text when called upon.

At this time we would like to recognize those who have reached certain milestones in their pursuit of sobriety.  Is anyone celebrating 1 month,  (pause for names, congratulating each one), 2 months, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months. Is there anyone celebrating an annual birthday?

We would also like to welcome any newcomers to SAA.  If there is anyone here that would like to begin their journey to sobriety, or if you would like to recommit to sobriety after a recent slip, we would like to acknowledge you.  Being acknowledged indicates that you have a desire to stop addictive sexual behavior for good and all. Is there anyone here that would like to begin their journey to sobriety this afternoon? (pause for names, welcoming each one)

We'll do that again at the end of the meeting for anyone that might have been shy.

If you have questions about how to work the Steps as instructed by the Big Book, your sponsor is the proper person to whom to pose them.  If you are not getting satisfactory answers, if you are looking for a sponsor or looking for a new sponsor, perhaps there is someone here that can help.  Will those of you who have worked these Steps, had a spiritual awakening and have the time & willingness to work with others please announce yourselves and your phone number, so that those looking for guidance will know who they can entrust their lives to? (pause for names and phone numbers)

If you are a woman and feel uncomfortable sharing your personal information, please feel free to call Michelle, her number is 559-270-5629.  As a trusted servant, I maintain a list of women working the steps out of the Big Book who are willing to share their phone number with other recovering women.

In this meeting we stay focused on the instructions in the Big Book of A.A.  Time and experience has proven it to be the most successful approach to the Steps no matter what the addictive problem may be.  We as sex addicts know that we must be focused on two things: either applying these Steps or studying their instructions for better application.  We know that if we do not do these things that we will surely act out.  And for us, to act out is to die.  For our study purposes, we will use the Big Book Study Guide prepared by members of Dallas’s Primary Purpose Group of Alcoholics Anonymous.  In this guide there are questions correlated with almost every sentence in the Big Book.  The trusted servant will read a question and call upon a member to read the correlating sentence.  If you feel comfortable doing so, please feel free to adapt the language to how it applies to Sex addicts, except where it is historically pertinent. If you have comments regarding the text read, please restrict them to your insights into its message as it relates to your sex addiction.

We consider all else to be an outside issue.  This includes personal problems.  The proper venue for sharing such problems is with a sponsor.  This, after all, is where real recovery takes place – in working the Steps with a sponsor.  If you feel the need to check- in, please contact a member who has already shared their phone number with you.  The two of you can then contact each other outside of the tele-meeting.  For the newcomer, there will be a period of fellowship after the meeting where you can discuss other issues and other literature.

Before we begin our Big Book study I’d like to remind everyone that the only other literature we refer to in this meeting is a dictionary from the 1930’s, if it is needed.  Now we will review a Tradition.  This week's Tradition is _______. _________ (call on someone by name) would you honor us by reading the long form of the tradition, followed by the short form. (Pause for reading). ________  do you have anything extra ordinary to say about that?

We will begin our study tonight on page ______.

I will now turn the meeting over to Rich or Michelle for the study portion of the meeting.

 

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CLOSING

 

“Our book is meant to be suggestive only.  We realize we know only a little.  God will constantly disclose more to you and to us.  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.  But you obviously cannot transmit something you haven’t got.  See to it that your relationship with Him is right, and great events will come to pass for you and for countless others. This is the Great Fact for us.

“Abandon yourself to God as you understand God.  Admit your faults to Him and your fellows.  Clear away the wreckage of your past.  Give freely of what you find and join us.  We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit, and you will surely meet some of us as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny.

 

“May God bless you and keep you until then”

 

(Big Book page 164).

 

We would like to acknowledge at this time anyone wishing to start their journey to sobriety.  Being acknowledged indicates a desire to stop addictive sexual behavior for good and for all, but we don’t act-out just one day at a time.  Does anyone want to begin their journey today? (pause for names and welcome each one)

Our Seventh Tradition states that "every group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions."  12-step meetings around the world normally pass a basket at this time to receive donations that are used to support recovery.  Because this activity is not possible in our meeting, we encourage you to make donations to our Intergroup to support the telemeetings and the ISO. This can be done at www.saatalk.org or by sending a check to :

Telemeeting Intergroup

P.O. Box 434015

St. Louis, MO 63143

Our business meeting is held the last Thursday of the month.

Are there any SAA related announcements?

(pause for announcements)

Prayer List:

Are there any prayer requests? (Pause for prayer requests, trusted servant may maintain a prayer list for the month)

 

Please join me in a moment of silence for these prayer requests and for the sex addict who still suffers, followed by the Lord’s prayer.

 

Who’s in charge…

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily grace and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not in to temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen

(All meetings except the last Thursday of the month, read the following)

It’s now time for fellowship, and this is a great time to ask questions, feel free to leave at any time. Are there any newcomers with questions?

(Last Thursday of the month only)

It is now time for the Business meeting which will be followed by fellowship. If you are new, please stick around, we’d love to talk to you. (page down)

BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA

 

 

Welcome to the Thursday afternoon SAA Big Book Study teleconference business meeting.  My name is ______ and I’m a sex addict and your trusted servant for this meeting.

 

Would someone please read The Twelve Traditions?

 

In keeping with our traditions, do we have any old business to discuss? (pause for any old business, if none, move on)

 

Do we have any new business to discuss?

  • We need a Trusted Servant  to read the opening and closing for the next month, who would like to volunteer? (pause for a volunteer)
  • You can find the opening and closing online at www.saatalk.org
    • Is there any other New business? (pause for new business)

 

Should a meeting format change occur, outgoing trusted servant please update this format with those changes and email the new document to website@saatalk.org

 

Please help me close this meeting with 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.

It’s now time for fellowship, and this is a great time to ask questions, feel free to leave at any time. Are there any newcomers with questions?