The Season for Gratitude and Service
November/December 2023
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As autumn leaves give way to the first hints of winter, November and December emerge as a season of reflection and warmth, not just in terms of weather but also in the hearts of individuals coming together to embrace the principles of spiritual awareness, gratitude, and service.
We invite you to join us in the fellowship of Overeaters Anonymous, where many of us find strength through gratitude and purpose in serving others. We hope this newsletter offers you support and inspiration as we navigate the challenges and opportunities this season presents.
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We have 23 active meetings each week in our area. Fifteen on Zoom, one on the phone only, and seven in-person meetings (including one hybrid/in-person. We invite you to try a new-to-you meeting and explore the different formats. All meeting details can be found on our website.
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Happenings Around Connecticut |
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New Zoom Meeting - Recovery From Relapse |
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Saturdays at 6:00 pm Eastern time
Zoom: 874 305 1352, Password: recovery
For info: Sandy G, 860-391-7092
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Back to Basics: Building and Maintaining a Strong OA Foundation (Flyer below) |
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November 4 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm EDT
Unity Hill Church, 364 White Plains Road, Trumbull, CT
Join us for an inspiring afternoon of speakers, fellowship, and fun!
Presented by Southwest Connecticut Intergroup SWCTOA.
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Step 11 Two-Way Prayer Writing Workshop (Flyer below) |
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Sunday, November 5, 2023, 1 to 2:30 pm ET* / 6 to 7:30 pm UTC
Seeking to improve our conscious contact with our Higher Power through prayer and meditation.
Zoom info in the flyer.
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Workshop: Breaking Out of Relapse (Flyer below) |
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Sunday, November 19, 2023, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Saint John's Episcopal Church
679 Farmington Ave, West Hartford, CT
Three (3) Speaker Panel, Q&A
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Marathon: Happy 64th Birthday OA! (Flyer Below) |
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Hosted by the Danielson OA Group
January 13, 2024 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm EST
Danielson, CT, and on Zoom
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Save the Date: Virtual Workshop - Wisdom of the Big Book (Flyer Below) |
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Sunday, December 17, 2023, 2 p.m - 4 p.m.
Three Speaker Panel and Q&A
On Zoom - Zoom details will be available soon on our website; check our website for updates.
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November & December Step Highlight: Steps 11 & 12 |
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Step 11
Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
Step 12
Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to compulsive overeaters and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
"The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, 2nd edition, copyright Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All rights reserved.”
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Steps 11 & 12 Traditions
Tradition Eleven: Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need to always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, films, television, and other public media of communication.
How do we practice the Eleventh Tradition?
- How does our group make its meeting place and time known to compulsive eaters who might want to attend?
- How does our group inform the public—or support our service bodies in informing the public—about the OA program?
- Is our OA recovery attractive enough to draw other compulsive eaters to OA?
- Do we talk about OA so fanatically or so often that we make it unattractive to the people in our lives?
- Are we careful to keep members’ faces and names out of the story when we discuss OA with reporters or write about it ourselves?
- Does our group or service body provide information about our Eleventh Tradition to the news media in our area? Do we ask them to keep all members anonymous in news stories about OA?
Tradition Twelve: Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all these Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities
In what ways do we act “to place principles before personalities”?
- Does our group always inform newcomers and remind all who attend about the meaning and importance of anonymity in OA?
- Are we careful not to mention OA members’ names to impress others, even within the Fellowship?
- Do we ever repeat anything personal we have heard at meetings or from other members?
- Do we value all OA members equally, or do we give some individuals special status?
Excerpts from "The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, 2nd edition, copyright Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. All rights reserved.”
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Living the Step Principles
Step 11. Spiritual Awareness: "Spiritual awareness. I came to understand that God is with us always. Spiritual awakening is having a living God in my life; I am taken care of and will get what I need. We are enough and are loved for who we are. I experience God in my connecting with God in others. Connection with God requires work and practice. To hear and understand God’s will, I need to clear my mind." -Lifeline, April 2015
Step 12. Service: We asked some of our Intergroup reps what they like about doing service at Intergroup and how they share their experience, strength, and hope with others through service.
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"I like coming to Intergroup because it is a WE program, not a THEY program, and I get to do my part to keep OA going - SERVICE is not optional for me" - Donna.
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"I enjoy being an Intergroup Rep so that I may serve as a useful resource to my fellows at the in-person meeting I represent." - Rachel.
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"I'm so grateful for the strong recovery in this area... CT Intergroup works hard to support compulsive Overeaters, and I love being a part of "carrying the message." -Yvette.
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"What interested me in joining Intergroup was certainly the opportunity to do service but also the ability to expand my OA contacts." -Michelle F.
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"OA is the only place I feel like I truly belong and am accepted. I feel like doing service at Intergroup might give someone else a chance to feel the same way." -Anonymous.
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"As a part of CTIG, the service work strengths and enhances my recovery. My goal as part of the CTIG committee is to offer/educate professionals, newcomers, as well as those returning to OA." - Anna.
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"I owe a debt to the OA members who were around to carry the message of recovery to me when I was a newcomer, and doing service above the group level is one way I can pay it forward. A bonus is that I’ve met some wonderful people who love doing service – and we all get to stay in recovery - a day at a time - together!" -Kimberly.
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"Service can be one of those paradoxes that might initially appear as inconvenient, altruistic, or even boring. Once I gave it a fair hearing, I was pleasantly surprised. My network expanded. I got to be connected with some very dedicated members. I learned more about effective communication. Most of all, it helped further solidify my recovery." -Submitted by the 7 pm Sunday Unionville Rep.
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"Being an intergroup rep for the past 13 months has taught me much about the structure above the group level in OA.... What I like about being a representative is hearing more about the diversity of ideas, experiences, recovery, and talents my fellows possess across the state. I'm inspired by so many of their tireless, humble actions toward the betterment of the collective in our program." -Jacki.
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Stories of Service
We want to share an excellent booklet from Region 7 of Overeaters Anonymous about members sharing their thoughts on what they gain from doing service.. We hope you enjoy reading this powerful booklet. Click on the cover to view online or download a copy once the online viewer is open.
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Meditation and Prayer Corner |
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A Prayer
“God. please help me do the next right thing. Please help me keep light in my heart, the present in my mind, willingness, diligence in my actions, and the purest intentions for the highest and greatest good of all. Thank you, and I love you for my blessings. I’m ready to be of service —-“ Jacki.
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HOW TO REACH US
We would LOVE to hear from YOU!
If you have a brief story to tell,
SUBMIT to:
secretaryctig@gmail.com
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