Wednesday 9am - Technical Information
For the Secretary/Chair to read before leading a phone bridge meeting
As the Secretary/Chair for this meeting you will be given a “leader code” that will give you more features on the key pad than other members.
Here is some information that will help before dialing into the meeting once you have been given the leader code.
1. Dial the phone number and then use the regular pin number followed by the # sign that everyone else uses.
2. There will be a voice prompt after entering the regular pin # that says “IF YOU ARE THE MODERATOR PLEASE PRESS 1.”
3. Follow the prompt and Press 1. The word “moderator” and “leader” mean the same thing.
4. The voice prompt will again say “PLEASE ENTER THE MODERATOR PIN (Leader Code) number FOLLOWED BY THE # SIGN”.
5. You will join the phone meeting muted after entering the leader code and # sign. Press *1 to unmute yourself and then introduce yourself as the Secretary/Chair of the meeting. Press *0 for a menu of all features.
Probably one of the most important services you can give as the Secretary/Chair is to have the highest sound quality on the phone bridge system. This means without background noise and weak sound quality. “Sound” is all we have for the phone meeting to work.
Background noise can be taken as disrespectful or interruptive while members are speaking. As a trusted servant you can guide the meeting without background noise or interruptions to the best of your ability.
Along with your own skills; here are a few tips and a few pieces of information to help you:
1. Technically the phone bridge system is built for “only” one person to be unmuted at a time. This of course would include, You (the Secretary/Chair) as well as the Timekeeper to stay muted by using the *1 keys. The timekeeper only unmutes to say “time”. The Secretary/Chair unmutes a few seconds before the member is done sharing to welcome the next share. You can remind the timekeeper to please stay muted except to say “time”. (Only one line unmuted at a time).
2. As the Secretary/Chair (with the leader code) you are encouraged to use the *5 to clear the line to address the noise. This ensures that members will be able to speak so their share can be heard. Then the member can press the *1 keys to continue sharing without the previous background noise. We call this “Cycling Through”. (Most of the time people forget to mute and don’t know they are not muted). This can be done by saying “Excuse the interruption, I’m going to clear the line” and then press *5 keys. You then could say, “Whoever was sharing please press *1 and begin again,” or “Whoever would now like to share please press *1 to unmute yourself.”
3. Some meetings have multiple readers. The extra unmuted lines will cause the reading to be heard by some but not by other members.
Here are some suggestions.
1. Organize the readers so they know the order they will be reading.
2. Then tell the rest of the readers to mute until a few seconds before it is their turn to read.
3. After each member reads remind them to mute again.
4. (AS A Rule of Thumb), just because you can hear does not mean that other members can. These phones meetings have global coverage. Not all phones have equal sound. Only one line unmuted at a time will keep a clear worldwide phone line for everyone during the meeting.
These 4 technical points can promote safety, warmth and recovery similar to face to face meetings. This was written to assist you to know and understand the phone bridge technical features.
Thank you for taking the time to read these suggestions. If you need help, just ask. Congratulations on doing service and beginning the flow that opens our heart to what it already knows---that we all need each other.
Sincerely,
Your Web Coordinator
The Meeting Format Starts Now
(This is the part you read out loud)
Meeting Format
WEDNESDAY 9AM
INTRODUCTION:
1) Hi I am ---- your secretary for this meeting. We
Welcome you to the Wed 9:00 am Step Two Beginners Meeting. The intention of
this meeting is for newcomers to Al-Anon to feel welcome and to know how
important you are to our fellowship. All Al-Anon members are always welcome
here. The topic for this meeting is the reading of Step Two. We hope that the
reading and study of the Step will help the newcomer feel that they are part of
our Al-Anon Family Group.
2) PHONE ETIQUETTE:
a. Prior to joining the meeting, we ask members to temporarily disable their call waiting by dialing *70 before calling the number to the phone bridge (example *70-1-712-432-8733). If you do not disable your call waiting we may hear your conversation or beeping.
b. When you dial in, you will start the conference being muted.
c. Stay muted at all times unless you are sharing. You can un-mute by pressing your *1 keys. You will hear a voice say “you are now unmuted”. Some phones do not have a long enough beep for the muting and un-muting to happen. You may have to press *1 several times for this function to work. When the voice comes on you will know that the *1 keys have worked.
d. We ask members to use the *1 keys to mute even if they have a mute function on their individual phones. The *1 keys ensure the greatest sound strength for the entire phone line and provides the greatest service to all members of the phone bridge during the meeting.
e. Please do not use a speakerphone for sharing or we will all hear an echo. Some speaker phones will not mute even when pressing your *1 keys.
f. To hear a menu of all the features--such as volume control and member count--simply press * by itself.
4) ASK FOR A VOLUNTEER TO READ THE 12 STEPS
ASK FOR A VOLUNTEER TO READ THE TRADITION OF THE MONTH
4a) Now we will Go Around the Globe and Introduce ourselves
Hi I’m______ from _______
4b) Are there any announcements? (Note to Secretary: The business meeting is the first Wed of the month. We will a need someone to run the business meeting. The format for running the business meeting can be found at alanonphonemeetings.org.)
5) Leader asks for readers to read Step Two from: (note
only read out loud the appropriate weeks reading)
1st Wed of month How Al-Anon
Works
2nd Wed of the month Twelve
& Twelve (whole step including story)
3rd Wed of the month Paths
To Recovery (up to Members share)
4th Wed of month 3
Meditation books (One Day at a Time, Hope for Today, Courage to Change)
5th Wed of month Speaker
on Step Two 15-20 minutes
6) (Ask someone who has been in the program for at least 6
months and has done Step One, Two and Three and has turned them over to their
Sponsor ) if they would like to qualify for 5 minutes on Step Two. (If no one
steps up the leader may qualify or open the meeting for sharing)
(On the fifth week of the month a Speaker shares for 15-20 minutes) Would
speaker like to leave their number?
7) In Al-Anon this is a gentle reminder that we speak from our own experience and ours is derived from living with the effects of alcoholism. We ask those who are members of other anonymous fellowships not to break their anonymity and to try and identify with the Al-Anon approach for the family illness. Ours is a different experience and calls for a different interpretation.
8) By Group Conscience and for the safety of our members, we do not speak over one another and there is no cross talk which means: we do not comment on or respond to in any way to another person’s share. In Al-Anon we speak from the “I” perspective and we don’t give advice.
9) ASK FOR TIMEKEEPER: We have 3 minute shares do we have a volunteer to be our spiritual timekeeper? Please be gentle when you call time. When you hear the timekeeper call time please let them know you heard them by saying Thank you, I’ll wrap up, etc.
10) OPEN FOR SHARING: We are now open for 3 minute sharing we invite newcomers and people new to the bridge to share first (Note to secretary after 2-3 newcomers sharing is open to everyone)
11) CLOSING: At 3 minutes before the
hour It is now time to close the meeting.
At this meeting people can ask for numbers or give out their numbers for giving
and receiving outreach. Call out the names now and we will get the numbers after the
meeting closes. We will also read the list of all the Al-Anon phone meetings on
the phone bridge after the meeting closes. The bridge remains open for
questions and sharing after the official meeting ends. At this meeting
fellowship continues as long as there are 2 or more people on the line or until
the next meeting is scheduled to begin. Are there any available sponsors? Is
there someone who can stay after the meeting to greet newcomers and answer
questions and continue the sharing?
THANK EVERYONE FOR
THEIR SERVICE
Suggested Al-Anon Closing
In closing, I would like to say that the opinions expressed here were strictly
those of the person who gave them. Take what you liked and leave the rest. The
things you heard were spoken in confidence and should be treated as
confidential. Keep them within the walls of this room and the confines of your
mind. A few special words to those of you who haven’t been with us long:
Whatever your problems, there are those among us who have had them too. If you
try to keep an open mind you will find help. You will come to realize that
there is no situation too difficult to be bettered and no unhappiness too great
to be lessened.
We aren’t perfect. The welcome we give you may not show the warmth we have in
our hearts for you. After a while, you’ll discover that though you may not like
all of us, you’ll love us in a very special way – the same way we already love
you.
Talk to each other, reason things out with someone else, but let there be no
gossip or criticism of one another. Instead, let the understanding, love and
peace of the program grow in you one day at a time. Reprinted from Al-Anon/Alateen
Service Manual (p-24/27)
SERENITY PRAYER
Formal meeting is now closed.
12) Get requested phone numbers.
13) Read schedule for phone bridge meetings.
714 432 8733 (access code 52639#) Schedule
8:00am
Sunday, Early morning Rise & Shine Step Study
Saturday Early Morning Speaker Meeting
9:00am
Monday 3 Daily Meditation Books ODAT/Courage to Change/Hope for
Today
Tuesday Step 1 How Al-Anon Works/12 and 12/ Paths to Recovery/ 3 Meditation
Books
Wednesday Step 2 How Al-Anon Works/12 and 12/ Paths to Recovery/ 3 Meditation
Books
Thursday Gratitude 3 Meditation Books
Friday Step 3 How Al-Anon Works/12 and 12/ Paths to Recovery/ 3 Meditation
Books
11:00am
Sunday Step/Tradition/Concept/3 Mediations Paths to Recovery
12:00 Noon
Monday Day A Topic from the 3 Meditation Books
Tuesday Al-Anon 12 & 12
Wednesday From Survival to Recovery
Thursday Al-Anon’s 3 meditation Books
Friday Speaker Meeting
Saturday Hope for Today Meditation Book
2:00pm
Sunday Paths to Recovery Book Study
4:00pm
Monday Beginners Meeting 3 Meditation Books/How Al-Anon Works/Beginners
Pamphlet
Tuesday 10th Step How Al-Anon Works/12 and 12/ Paths to Recovery/ 3 Meditation
Books
Wednesday 11th step Guided Mediation Paths to Recovery/ How Al-Anon Works/3 Med
Thursday Slogans How Al-Anon Works/3 Mediation Books
Friday 12th step
Saturday Opening our Hearts
Sunday Transforming our Losses
8:00pm
Monday From Survival to Recovery
Tuesday Topic discussion from 3 meditation books
Wednesday Beginner's meeting How Al-Anon works
Thursday Step/Tradition/Concept/3 Meditations Paths to Recovery
Friday How Al-Anon Works
Saturday Speaker meeting
Sunday Steps and Traditions How Al-Anon works
10:00pm
Monday 4th Step WRITING Workshop Blue Print for Progress
Tuesday LBGTO Discovering Choices
Thursday 4th Step WRITING Workshop Blue Print for Progress
Saturday Traditions Meeting How Al-Anon Works/Paths to Recovery
12 midnight
Thursday 3 Daily Readers 3 Meditations Books
ANNOUNCE THE OTHER PHONE BRIDGES:
14) Turn meeting over to volunteer for after-meeting fellowship.
Thanks for your service!
II. Suggested Format for Business Meeting
1. Lets open with a moment of silence followed with the serenity prayer:
2. God grant me the serenity to: Accept the things I cannot change courage to change the things I can and the Wisdom to know the difference.
OLD BUSINESS
3. Secretary do we have any old business to revisit from last meeting?
4. We open up the floor for discussion on these items.
5. Do we have a motion on this item?
5a. Do we have a second?
5b. Secretary please read the motion.
Ask if there is any further discussion before we vote.
5c. We now go to voting…
5d. All in flavor say “I” and state the order of “I’s” Like “I one” and then “I two” and so on.
5e. Any opposed? Say “nay one” and so on.
5f. Any abstentions? Say “abstaining one and so on.
5g. The motion is now carried or opposed with __#___in favor, ____#____opposed and _____#_____abstentions.
NEW BUSINESS
6. Is there any new business that the group wants to bring up?
7. (if so) So our first order of business is ___________.
8. We open up the floor for discussion on this item.
9. Do we have a motion on this item?
9a. Do we have a second?
9b. Secretary please read the motion.
Ask if there is any further discussion before we vote.
9c. We now go to voting…
9d. All in flavor say “I” and state the order of “I’s…like, “I one” and then “I two” and so on.
9e. Any opposed? Say “nay one” and so on.
9f. Any abstentions? Say “abstaining one and so on.
9g. The motion is now carried or opposed with __#___in favor, ____#____opposed and _____#_____abstentions.
NEW BUSINESS
10. Is there any new business that the group wants to bring up?
11. (if so) So our first order of business is ___________.
12. We open up the floor for discussion on this item.
13. Do we have a motion on this item?
9a. Do we have a second?
10b. Secretary please read the motion.
Ask if there is any further discussion before we vote.
11c. We now go to voting…
12d. All in flavor say “I” and state the order of “I’s” Like “I one” and then “I two” and so on.
13e. Any opposed? Say “nay one” and so on.
14f. Any abstentions? Say “abstaining one and so on.
15g. The motion is now carried or opposed with __#___in favor, ____#____opposed and _____#_____abstentions.
NEW BUSINESS
14. Is there any new business that the group wants to bring up?
15. (if so) So our first order of business is ___________.
16. We open up the floor for discussion on this item.
17. Do we have a motion on this item?
9a. Do we have a second?
10b. Secretary please read the motion.
Ask if there is any further discussion before we vote.
11c. We now go to voting…
12d. All in flavor say “I” and state the order of “I’s” Like “I one” and then “I two” and so on.
13e. Any opposed? Say “nay one” and so on.
14f. Any abstentions? Say “abstaining one and so on.
15g. The motion is now carried or opposed with __#___in favor, ____#____opposed and _____#_____abstentions.
Are there any other things someone would like to add before closing?
Serenity Prayer
Meeting is now closed.