WELCOME TO THE HMB DISTRICT 5 NEWSLETTER · (FLYER ATTACHED) September 9th – Election Assembly...

Unity, Recovery, Service Hudson Mohawk Berkshire District 5 Newsletter June 2017

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The District 5 Newsletter is published monthly and is distributed as an e-mail in an effort to be more eco-friendly, as

well as to reduce postage and printing costs. Please feel free to forward this e-mail, because we are unable to reach

all our District 5 members, especially at the group level. If you want your contributions to be included in the

newsletter, please e-mail us at [email protected]. The District 5 Newsletter Committee will do its best to

make this a valuable resource for communication, and to allow the members of our District to keep in touch with

each other, further strengthening the unity of our fellowship.

We ask Group Chairs and GSR’s to bring this Newsletter to their Group Meetings.

(Please print copies and distribute them at your groups)

We hold a monthly business meeting for GSRs and committee members to discuss service needs in our district and to report on World Services on the First Friday of every month at the

First Baptist Church, 45 Washington St. (corner of Railroad Pl. and Washington St., 2 blocks up from Starbucks), Saratoga Springs, at 7:00 pm. All members are welcome to attend.

WELCOME TO THE HMB DISTRICT 5 NEWSLETTER

HELPFUL LINKS OF INTEREST

SARATOGA TELEPHONE ANSWERING SERVICE (STAS) 518 - 587- 0407

GENERAL SERVICE OFFICE NYC

http://www.aa.org/

GRAPEVINE WEBSITE

http://www.aagrapevine.org/

AREA 48 HMB WEBSITE

A.A. Area 48 HMB Hudson Mohawk Berkshire

AREA 48 HBM DISTRICT 5 HOME PAGE

District 5 Home Page

HMB AREA 48 MEETING SCHEDULE SEARCH

http://meetings.aahmbny.org/

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.aa.org/

http://www.aagrapevine.org/

https://aahmbny.org/

http://district5.aahmbny.org/

http://meetings.aahmbny.org/


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ONGOING EVENTS

SPRNG / SUMMER BACK TO BASICS (FLYER ATTACHED)

UPCOMING EVENTS

Northeast Regional Forum (NERF) (FLYER ATTACHED)

June 10th –District 5’s Founders Day/Fellowship Day (FLYER ATTACHED)

August 4th – 6th New York State Informational Workshop (FLYER ATTACHED)

September 9th – Election Assembly Blooming Grove Reformed Church

706 Bloomingrove Drive Defreestville, NY 12144

October 14th – HMB Fall Assembly 9am – 3pm Saturday,

St. James Episcopal Church 305 Main Street

Oneonta, NY

November 3rd - 5th _ HMB Convention

Ramada Conference Center 542 Route 9

Fishkill, NY 12524 (FLYER ATTACHED)

MEETING ANNOUNCEMENTS

GROUPS IN NEED OF SUPPORT

Meeting at St. Clements on Friday’s at 8pm.

Young Adults In Recovery

Wednesday’s - 7:30 PM

First Baptist Church, 45 Washington St, Saratoga Springs, NY

(Corner of Railroad Pl. and Washington St., 2 blocks up from Starbucks)

(O – BB)

MEETINGS TERMINATED

Zion Dire Super Church Thursday’s – 6 PM

222 Crescent Street, Saratoga Springs, NY (O - BB)


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AA Principles of the Month

Step 6 - Were entirely ready to have God remove all these characters of defects

Tradition 6 - An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or

outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.

Concept VI - The Conference recognizes that the chief initiative and active responsibility in most world service

matters should be exercised by the trustee members of the Conference acting as the General Service Board.

Tradition 6 Checklist

1. Should my fellow group members and I go out and raise money

to endow several AA beds in our local hospital?

2. Is it good for a group to lease a small building?

3. Are all the officers and members of our local club for AAs’ familiar with “Guidelines on Clubs?” (Which is available free from GSO)

4. Should the secretary of our group serve on the mayor’s advisory committee on alcoholism?

5. Some alcoholics will stay around AA only if we have a TV and card room. If this is what is required to carry the message to them,

should we have these facilities?

Concept VI Checklist

Are we familiar with how our General Service Board (G.S.B.) Class A and Class B trustees serve A.A.?

Are we familiar with how our other trusted servants serve A.A.?

Are we clear about the terms, “chief initiative” and “active responsibility”? Can we see a direct link to our home group?

“Slips and Human Nature”

WILLIAM DUNCAN SILKWORTH, MD, JANUARY 1947

“There is a tendency to label everything that a alcoholic may do as ’alcoholic behavior’. The truth is simply human nature. … Emotional and mental quirks are classified as symptoms of alcoholism merely because

alcoholics have them, yet those same quirks can be found among nonalcoholics, too. FROM THE BEST OF THE GRAPEVINE, VOLUME 1

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF A.A. WORLD SERVICES, INC


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BENEFITS OF STEP 6 …we then look at Step Six. We have emphasized willingness as being indispensable.

REPRINTED FROM ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, PP.76 WITH PERMISSION OF A.A. WORLD SERVICES, INC

Carefully reading the first five proposals we ask if we have omitted anything, for we are building an arch

through which we shall walk a free man at last . . . Are we now ready to let God remove from us all the things

which we have admitted are objectionable? REPRINTED FROM ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, PP.75, 76

WITH PERMISSION OF A.A. WORLD SERVICES, INC

“This is the Step that separates the men from the boys.” . . . the difference between “the boys and the men” is

the difference between striving for a self-determined objective and for the perfect objective which is God . . .

It is suggested that we ought to become entirely willing to aim toward perfection . . . The moment we say “No

never!” our minds close against the grace of God . . . This is the exact point at which we abandon limited

objectives, and move toward God’s will for us. REPRINTED FROM TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, PP.63, 68, 69

WITH PERMISSION OF A.A. WORLD SERVICES, INC.

Since most of us are born with an abundance of natural desires, isn’t strange that we often let these far

exceed their intended purpose. When they drive us blindly, or we willfully demand that they supply us with

more satisfactions or pleasures than are possible or due us, that is the point at which we depart from the

degree of perfection that God wishes for us here on earth. That is the measure of our character defects, or, if

you wish, of our sins. REPRINTED FROM TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, P.65


If we ask, God will certainly forgive our derelictions. But in no case does He render us white as snow and keep

us that way without our cooperation. REPRINTED FROM TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, P.65


Gossip barbed with our anger, a polite form of murder by character assignation, has it’s satisfactions for us to.

Here we are not trying to help those we criticize; we are trying to proclaim our own righteousness. REPRINTED FROM TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, P.67



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Meeting Minutes From District 5 Meeting-Date: May 5, 2017

District Meeting Opens at 7:00 P.M. with Serenity Prayer 12th Tradition is read

New GSRs introduced, newcomers welcomed.

Jody: Surrender group Schuylerville

Diane: Peaceful Happy Hour

Motion is made to pass on reading of the minutes, seconded and passed unanimously

DCM (Present) (Not Present) (Nothing To Report) Report:

Jeremy apologizes for missing last month. Jeremy notes that Delegate’s Day last month was canceled due to impending possible weather. Jeremy notes that his group emailed the delegate what their group conscience was on the items, recommends others do this as well.

Treasurers (Present) (Not Present) (Nothing To Report) Report:

Dave gives treasurer’s report: o Starting Balance: $875.98 o Credits:

$50 Living Sober $100 Back to Basics $112 Top Shelf Group $200 Peaceful Happy Hour

o Ending Balance: $1337.98

Records keeper (Present) (Not Present) (Nothing To Report) Report:

Liam notes that there were only a couple of changes last month; they should be on the website now. Getting better at change turnaround.

S.T.A.S. (Present) (Not Present) (Nothing To Report) Report:

All positions are filled, thank you for donations

Treasurer report: o Starting Balance: $2163.87 o Credits:

Interest: $0.10 Living Sober: $50 Unknown: $50 Unknown: $50 Top Shelf Group: $100 Peaceful Happy Hour: $100

o Debits: Contact Communications Answering Service: $242.63 Saratogian Ad: $97.25 Joanne Hackett Phone Bill: $120 Contact Communications Answering Service: $120.64

o Ending Balance: $1933.35


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Corrections “Women’s” (Present) (Not Present) (Nothing To Report):

Emily notes that all is going well. She has about 5 new women who want to get involved in jail service.

Emily notes that the corrections gets an allotment of $60 each (male female) each year. Notes that she can place an order for both.

o Jeremy notes that if he recalls correctly each committee has a $250 budget to work with, assumes that would be for a total of $250 for men and women together.

Corrections “Men’s” (Present) (Not Present) (Nothing To Report) Report:

John K. notes that all positions are filled, waiting for approval for new guys to come in, orientation is on 5/17 or 5/18 for men and women.

o Jack notes that there is a good possibility it may be the 17th or 18th

Jack asks how they can get some soft cover big books or living sober. Moved to new business.

CPC-Cooperation With The Professional Community (Present) (Not Present) (Nothing To Report) Report:

Heather notes that there is nothing new to report, has information packets to bring back to GSRs

Newsletter (Present) (Not Present) (Nothing To Report) Report:

Dave notes that his alternate now has a laptop, he is going to meet with him to show him how to search for info and put it together

Bridging The Gap (Present) (Not Present) (Nothing To Report) Report:

Chris notes that there is nothing new to report. Mike S. was going to talk to Conifer Park, hasn’t seen him since then yet to get report on that.

Treatment (Present) (Not Present) (Nothing To Report) Report:

Jessica notes that all slots are filled and going well,.

Functions/Roundtable (Present) (Not Present) (Nothing To Report) Report:

Jessica notes that Kim is unable to be here tonight. Founders day flyers are on the back table. o Fifth and Henning, June 10, starts at 3. Want to set up tables with each of the district chairs. See

her if interested.

Will have flyers for the district picnic next month, will be on July 16 at the Orenda Pavillion in Saratoga State Park.

Grapevine (Present) (Not Present) (Nothing To Report) Report:

Ginger notes that there is a new book from Grapevine that has been released, “Making Amends: Finding a New Freedom”. It will be $11.50. Includes making amends to parents, children, exes, financial institutions, etc. Ginger will try to have some ordered and available at Founders Day.

Accessibility/Special Needs (Present) (Not Present) (Nothing To Report) Report:

Tim notes that he has nothing new to report. The new email address for the District 5 Accessibilities chair is [email protected].

Service Development (Present) (Not Present) (Nothing To Report) Report:

Kathy notes that last month we talked about getting more of a definition about what this is, notes that the proposed changes to the service manual are similar to what Amanda had told her.

mailto:[email protected]


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Announcements

Paul notes that he left a stack of announcements for the back to basics o 4 Tuesdays in June, 6pm, at 5th and Henning

Dave (newsletter) notes that if people are having events coming up, month or two in advance, please forward to secretary so he can include in the newsletter.

Susan notes that the step meeting at St. Clements on Friday at 8pm is in need of support.

Ginger notes that the Sunday 12:30 meeting on Rowland street has closed

Old Business

D5 Service Manual o Jeremy notes that this was updated back in 2014, and there is a process to make changes to it. o Liam reads from the bylaws that the Service Manual is due to be reviewed in Jan/Feb every odd

year. Bring proposed changes to district by June. To amend, a proposed change can be proposed at any time by any group.

o Christine notes that many GSRs did bring it back to the groups after Chris sent out the mailing list.

o Proposed Change: name change for Accessibilities (from Special Needs). Old manual, no definition, new manual copied and pasted definitions from pamphlets. Passes unanimously. 30-0

o Proposed Change: currently, voting members: D5 GSRs or their alternates, D5 trusted servants or their alternate, previous DCM can vote, chairs or their alternate, and DCM. Proposed change: all GSRs or their alternate, D5 trusted servants AND their alternates, D5 standing committee Chairpeople and their alternates, previous DCM. Current DCM can only vote to break a tie. Trusted servants are DCM, alternate DCM, Treasurer, alt Treasurer, Secretary, Alt Secretary.

Liam makes a motion to make a change that the DCM can only vote in the case of a tie. Seconded. 28 in favor, 2 opposed.

Minority opinion: Paul notes that he thinks DCM should vote. Paul notes that this is based on Robert’s Rules, which doesn’t allow chair to make motions or give opinions. Emily notes that we use Robert’s Rules because it works.

New vote, 26-4. Motion passes o Proposed change: sobriety requirement for standing committee is not specified. Change:

committee chair suggested requirement is currently 2 years, keep that, alternates suggested requirement 1 year.

Kathy asks if there is a requirement for having been a GSR, if so, there is an assumption that they would have 2 years as they have served a 2 year GSR commitment.

Jeremy notes that in the past when we have allowed someone with less than 2 years, they have gone out.

Liam motions to amend service manual to include a 1 year suggested sobriety for alternates. Seconded. Passes 27-3.

Emily notes that sometimes alternates step into the chair position. o Liam notes that based on the bylaws, when office becomes vacant, it is

opened for vote

It is noted that 1 year is a point where if a person goes out, that is a good time to go out, thinks they should be past the 1 year period to have gone through major life events. Suggests 18 months.


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Jody agrees that having someone is better than no-one, but thinks they need to be ready.

No one is swayed, no re-vote. o Proposed Change: Service Development committee: reads description. Periodic workshops on

the 12 traditions, assist other committees upon request, custodian of traditions, provide a mock GSR report after each district meeting, answer group questions about traditions.

Kathy notes that they had previously tried to set up monthly tradition workshops, those fizzled. Is ok with description as it stands.

Paul notes that their goal was originally to provide a car pool to get people going to area meetings, have introduction table at district meetings for new GSRs and chair people, and do round tables

Emily notes that there are a lot of things involved with service, should consider having a broader introduction to service, not just district level, should be well versed in traditions and what happens in AA. Should have a standard of behavior, lead by example.

Laurie agrees with both Paul and Emily, thinks we should supplement this, she would like a GSR orientation

Jeremy notes that functions used to be functions and roundtables, groups came to functions to put on a roundtable, but only one or 2 groups in district come to them to do this.

o This has been tabled. Kathy and Paul will meet and discuss to present next month

New coffee pot from backstretch winners o Dave P. notes that they have not been able to release it yet, but should be here by next month.

Patti (Living Sober) notes that she might have one that we can use if that doesn’t work out. New Business

Emily notes that if Jeremy’s numbers ($250) are correct, asks for $300. Dave notes that this would take us right to the bottom of prudent reserve. Emily notes that they can order $150 now and revisit later in the year. Motion to spend $150 for corrections literature, seconded. Passes unanimously.

Open Positions

Alt SDC

Meeting is closed with the Responsibility Pledge Next Business Meeting: Friday June 2, 2017

WELCOME TO THE HMB DISTRICT 5 NEWSLETTER · (FLYER ATTACHED) September 9th – Election Assembly...

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