The Moderator asks a volunteer to read the Meeting Guidelines

Meeting Guidelines

• There is no cross talk. We don’t interrupt others. However, the leader has the right to remind the person sharing of guidelines, time consumed, etc..

• We don’t give advice. We talk in the “I”, not the “we” or the “you”, speaking from our own experience.

• We don’t get carried away analyzing what caused our behavior or attitudes. We talk as those who are now responsible for our attitudes and actions and are willing to take responsibility for our lives and recovery.

• In sharing, rather than displaying our knowledge or insights, we lead with our weakness and give of ourselves.

• We avoid politics, religious dogma, and other divisive issues.

• We avoid publicity and attention from the media.

• We avoid explicit sexual descriptions, sexually abusive language and profanity. We carefully consider the way we describe activities, people, places and things. Graphic descriptions of activities and things, and identification of people and places is inappropriate - what may be innocuous for you may be a “trigger” for another member. If someone feels the sharing is too explicit, he may so signify by raising his hand or saying ‘explicit’.

• We avoid dumping, self-pity, and blaming others.

• We don’t take the “inventories” of others; that is, we uncover and work on our own defects, not those of others. We refer to our own experiences.

• We DO speak honestly of where we really are today. We try to develop transparent honesty of complete self-disclosure, letting the other members know where we are currently, regardless of length of sobriety.

• We DO lead with our weakness and take the risk of total self-disclosure.

• By attending on time and sharing regularly, we GIVE of ourselves to others in the group. We get back recovery.

• We only use first names. We protect, with special care, the anonymity of every SAA member.  

Voices of Recovery - Daily Reading

Our tradition is that we read SAA Voices of Recovery at every meeting.  

The Moderator asks for a volunteer to read today's Voices of Recovery

If a new person is present - do this

o Ask a volunteer to read Introduction on pages 1 and 2 in the Green Book (Link to Green Book online) 

An additional reading from SAA or AA authorized literature may be implemented here.

Third Saturday of the Month: Speaker Meeting

This morning is a Speaker Meeting wherein we may listen to a speaker from our group, listen to a previously-recorded SAA conference speaker, or read a personal story from the Green Book.

(Link to SAA Green Book Personal Stories) or (Link to SAA Speaker Recordings)

By Group Conscience, speakers must be a member of SAA for at least 6 months and must have at least 2 months sobriety.   Speakers should follow the AA tradition of telling ‘what it was like, what happened, and what it is like now’.  Speakers generally speak no longer than 20 minutes and may ask for a signal from the timer with 5 minutes remaining. 

“Are there any volunteers to speak, or suggestions of recordings or readings?” 

When the speaker/reading is finished, we will open the floor for sharing.  

In sharing, we consider our meeting guidelines and try to apply what we have heard to our daily lives.

Establish group conscience; if a speaker is speaking, ask for a volunteer to keep time.

...Let the speaker begin...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Once the speaker/recording/reading is finished, move on to sharing.)

Would someone volunteer to keep time for the shares?   Thank you.

“The timer will raise his hand and say “time” when time is up. Please abide by the time constraint and refrain from sharing more than once until everyone has had a chance to speak. 

When sharing, please identify yourself by first name and addiction (if desired, length of sobriety). 

We will take a short break at approximately 9:25am for the Seventh Tradition and SAA-related announcements.      

Let’s begin.”

Break at approximately 9:25 am

7th Tradition & SAA Announcements

“It is now time for the Seventh Tradition of Sex Addicts Anonymous, which states, ‘Every SAA group ought to be self-supporting, declining outside contributions.’

Please make contributions to this SAA group and the SAA national office by any of the options listed in chat.  Please note that donations go first to paying off our annual Zoom subscription and NorwoodZOOM website - secondarily to the SAA ISO. 

If you only want to contribute to the SAA national office, text “SAA” to 91999 from your phone and you will be brought to a page where you can make a donation via credit card.

[The Moderator may cut and paste these into the group chat]

• VENMO  - Name:  @Joe-Norwood-7

• PAYPAL - Email: norwood070870@gmail.com

• ZELLE - Name: Joe Norwood       Email: norwood070870@gmail.com

“Are there any SAA-related announcements?”

[pause] 

“Let’s continue with sharing…”

End sharing at 9:55am or when no more shares are forthcoming.

“Next week’s meeting will be a Getting Current Meeting. 

Would someone like to volunteer to run next week’s meeting? (pause)

If you did not get a chance to share quite enough, please get a phone number or stay on the Zoom call after the meeting.

If there are newcomers, read this paragraph: 

“I would now ask for a show of hands or identification by regular members who would be willing to speak to and answer questions for newcomers to our meeting. [pause] If you are a newcomer to our group, or to SAA, we welcome you to share in our experience, strength and hope for a new life in sexual sobriety.  Please feel free to stay after the meeting and speak to anyone who has raised his hand.

If there are no newcomers, read from here:

“This is an anonymous program. Please keep the name, address, and phone number of anyone you meet in SAA to yourself - And what we say here let it stay here, when we leave here. [pause] 

Remember that we never identify ourselves with SAA in the press, radio, TV or films.   Neither does anyone speak for SAA.

Sponsorship

“Sponsorship is an important tool to recovery in SAA as outlined on page 13 of the Green Book. A temporary sponsor can provide help and guidance to the person serious about recovery until a permanent sponsor can be found. 

If you are seeking a temporary sponsor or have been endorsed by your sponsor to be a temporary sponsor, and would be willing to work with someone, please text the temporary sponsor coordinator, whose number is posted in the chat panel.”   

(pause and post their number in the chat panel)

Closing

“Would someone read A Vision for You from page 164 of the AA Big Book.”

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 obviously you 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 countless others. 

This is the Great Fact for us.  

Abandon yourself to God as you understand God. 

Admit your faults to Him and to 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.

“After a moment of silent meditation, I’d like to ask  _______  to lead us in the Third Step Prayer, from the AA text."

God, I offer myself to Thee – to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. 

Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. 

Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of Life. 

May I do thy will always.    Amen.