Group Service Commitment Descriptions

GROUP SERVICE COMMITMENT DESCRIPTIONS
(Last Updated: October 23rd, 2020)

Group service — from greeter to secretary, treasurer, or chairperson — is usually the way members first experience the joy and the growth that can be derived from A.A. service. (The pamphlet “P-16 The A.A. Group” provides extensive information on group organization and opportunities for service.) These descriptions have been pulled directly from the “BM-31 A.A. Service Manual”, the Workbooks for the respective positions and the pamphlet, “P-16 The A.A. Group” and have been added to meet to the needs of the group.

Group Officers / Steering Committee

  • Group Chair:
    • The chairperson coordinates activities with other group officers — and with those members who assume the responsibility for all other positions such as literature, hospitality, programming individual meetings and special events within the group, as well as other vital functions
    • Required to attend all group business meetings and group steering committee meetings.
    • Creates business meeting agenda and facilitates the meeting
    • Abstains from making motions
    • Abstains from voting unless there is a tie
  • Secretary:
    • This position’s duties are to announce and/or mail information about important A.A. activities and events
    • Maintain minutes of business meetings
    • Maintain a bulletin board for posting A.A. announcements, bulletins and newsletters
    • Make certain that the General Service Office and other service entities are informed, in writing, of any changes of address, meeting place or group officers
    • Accept and assign calls for Twelfth Step help (unless there is a Twelfth Step chairperson for this task)
    • Share with group members the mail from other groups and the intergroup (central office), unless this is done by the Intergroup representative
    • Required to attend all group business meetings and group steering committee meetings.
  • Treasurer:
    • This position is responsible maintaining a clear, concise financial record, maintaining a group bank account
    • For receiving, dispersing and reporting on funds for the group (These revenues are generated by group 7th Tradition collections and donations from members)
    • Funds are dispersed as directed by the group conscience
    • Required to attend all group business meetings and group steering committee meetings.
  • Webmaster:
    • The webmaster will be responsible for managing/updating the group’s website at minimum, twice monthly (more if needed), ensuring all parts of the website contain current/fresh information (e.g., meetings schedules, group information updates)
    • Will make changes to the website that reflect modifications to the group conscience master, posts District/Area updates, posts other A.A. related event information
    • Webmaster will ensure all links from the group website are current and in active working order and will add new meetings/events to the website calendar (if applicable)
    • Responsible for ensuring that the website agrees with all of the 12 Traditions and will secure group conscience approval before adding any new sections to the website
    • Required to attend all group business meetings and is suggested group steering committee meetings
  • General Service Representative (G.S.R.):
    • Working with and attending all the District meetings and Area Assembly, the G.S.R. is the group’s link with the General Service Conference, through which U.S. and Canadian groups share their experience and voice A.A.’s collective conscience
    • G.S.R. represents the voice of the group conscience, reporting the group’s thoughts to the District Committee Member (D.C.M.) and Delegate, who pass them on to the Conference
    • G.S.R. will serve as the mail contact with the General Service Office, and they are listed in the A.A. directories as contacts for their groups
    • G.S.R will receive the G.S.O. bulletin Box 4-5-9, and keep their groups abreast of A.A. activities all over the world
    • This position required the G.S.R. to be knowledgeable about material available from G.S.O. — new literature, guidelines, bulletins, videos, tapes, kits, etc. — and they are responsible for passing such information on to the group
    • G.S.R. should be willing to learn everything they can about the Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts and are familiar with this manual, the books Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions and A.A. Comes of Age, Twelve Concepts for World Service, and the pamphlets “The A.A. Group,” “A.A. Tradition – How It Developed,” “The Twelve Traditions Illustrated,” and “The Twelve Concepts Illustrated”
    • Our group provides financial support for our G.S.R. (and Alt. G.S.R. when necessary) to attend Area & Regional service functions
    • Required to attend all group business meetings and group steering committee meetings.

Group Trusted Servants

  • Alternate General Service Representative (A.G.S.R.):
    • Same as G.S.R. and will be a voting member of District and Area committees when the G.S.R. is unable to attend and vote on the group’s behalf
    • A.G.S.R. will assume the responsibilities of the G.S.R. at the group level when the G.S.R. is unable to participate or attend
    • It is the intent that the A.G.S.R. will shadow the G.S.R. during their term so that they may be prepared to step into the role of G.S.R. in the next Area panel rotation, should they wish to and should the group elect them to the G.S.R. position
    • Required to attend all group business meetings and it is suggested to attend group steering committee meetings.
  • Intergroup Representative (I.G.R):
    • The Intergroup Representative is a voting member of the group trusted servant committee and thus, their duties also include those outlined for committee members
    • I.G.R tries to keep the group well-informed about what the local Intergroup is doing and any activities coming up or Committees that may need assistance
    • I.G.R. must be willing to attend all Intergroup Representative meetings
    • Meetings are held on the 1st Saturday of each month at the Gateway (555 Stockton St.) at 9:45am. Required to attend all group business meetings and it is suggested to attend group steering committee meetings.
  • Alternate Intergroup Representative (A.I.G.R.):
    • Same as I.G.R. and will be a voting member of District and Area committees when the I.G.R. is unable to attend and vote on the group’s behalf
    • A.I.G.R. will assume the responsibilities of the I.G.R. at the group level when the I.G.R. is unable to participate or attend
    • It is the intent that the A.I.G.R. will shadow the I.G.R. during their term so that they may be prepared to step into the role of I.G.R. in the next group rotation, should they wish to and should the group elect them to the I.G.R. position
    • Required to attend all group business meetings and it is suggested to attend group steering committee meetings.
  • Grapevine / La Vina Representative (G.L.V.R.):
    • The job of the GVR and RLV is to familiarize members with the Fellowship’s international journal, A.A. Grapevine, and its bimonthly Spanish-language magazine La Viña, and the enhancements to sobriety the magazines offer
    • The magazines contain articles written by A.A. members based upon their personal experiences; discussion topics; regular features; and a calendar of special A.A. events
    • G.L.V.R. participates in the activities of their area’s Grapevine committee, announce the arrival of new magazines at the group each month, encourage members to submit articles and illustrations, and explain how members can order their own subscriptions
    • G.L.V.R. will serve on the Intergroup Committee as a voting member
    • Encouraged to attend all group business meetings and group steering committee meetings
  • Literature Representative (L.R.):
    • The group’s literature representative makes certain that A.A. Conference-Approved literature is used in Group meetings
    • Will assume the responsibility of deciding what to place in the poll after each pamphlet is completed
    • Maintains Group literature reading list on Google Drive link
    • Encouraged to attend Intergroup Literature committee meetings.
    • Encouraged to attend all group business meetings and group steering committee meetings.
  • Corrections Representative (C.R.):
    • Corrections Representative keeps the group informed about local Twelfth-Step activities in nearby institutions and encourage group Corrections committee members (and other group members) to participate
    • C.R. is encouraged to take A.A. meetings into prisons and jails, where permitted by the correctional facility, to help alcoholic inmates recover and prepare for sober, fulfilling lives after release
    • As part of the temporary contact program known in some areas as Bridging the Gap, they may also serve as correspondents and as A.A. contacts when the inmates are released
    • The pamphlet “A.A. in Correctional Facilities” and the Corrections Workbook can be of help to A.A.s in corrections service work
    • Required to attend and report to the group their activities at all group business meetings
    • C.R. will serve on the Intergroup Committee as a voting member and help to involve group members in Corrections efforts in the Area
  • Treatment Representative (T.R.):
    • The Treatment Representative keeps the group informed about local Twelfth-Step activities in nearby institutions and encourage group Treatment committee members (and other group members) to participate
    • T.R. is encouraged to take A.A. meetings into treatment center and halfway houses, where permitted by the facility, to help alcoholics recover and prepare for sober, fulfilling lives after leaving
    • As part of the temporary contact program known in some areas as Bridging the Gap, they may also serve as correspondents and as A.A. contacts when the inmates are released. The pamphlet “A.A. in Treatment Settings” and the Treatment Workbook can be of help to A.A.s in treatment service work. Required to attend and report to the group their activities at all group business meetings. The T.R. will serve on the Intergroup Committee as a voting member and help to involve group members in Treatment efforts in the Area.
  • C.P.C./P.I. Representative:
    • Group Cooperation with the Professional Community (C.P.C.) / Public Information (P.I.) works with the local Intergroup (District and Area when necessary) to carry the A.A. message locally
    • In this area the C.P.C. and P.I. are contained in the same Committee, but the duties for both are contained in this description, as many of them overlap. C.P.C. Representative informs the group of local activity with professionals in the community — educators, physicians, the clergy, court officials and others who often are in contact with active alcoholics and may arrange for group volunteers to join together in carrying the A.A. message at professional meetings, seminars, and more
    • The C.P.C. Workbook and the pamphlets “If You Are a Professional, Alcoholics Anonymous Wants to Work with You,” “Members of the Clergy Ask About A.A.” and other pertinent literature can be of assistance to C.P.C. representatives in reaching out to professionals
    • P.I. Representative informs the group of local activity with the public and may arrange for group volunteers to participate in P.I. programs requested by schools, businesses, law enforcement agencies and other organizations interested in the A.A. approach to recovery from alcoholism
    • Using many suggested methods ranging from personal contact to public service announcements (P.S.A.’s) on radio and TV, groups and their members reach out, working within the framework of Tradition Eleven
    • The Public Information Workbook offers suggested guidelines in furthering this vital group-service activity
    • Required to attend and report to the group their activities at all group business meetings
    • The C.P.C./P.I. Representative will serve on the Intergroup Committee as a voting member.
  • Archives Representative (A.R.):
    • Group Archives Representative will keep detailed records and is the focal point of the collection, determining on one hand what to include in the collection, and on the other hand working towards making the collected material available to the greatest extent possible to members of our Fellowship and those in the public realm with a valid interest in A.A. The archivist collects, organizes and preserves material of historical interest
    • Typically, the archivist selects a representative sample of the collection and arranges those into a displayable format
    • The archivist is responsible for both the physical and the intellectual integrity of the collection
    • It is important to ensure the privacy and protect the anonymity of members whose names are included in the collected documents
    • The archivist is also responsible to report regularly to the Intergroup Committee or, if it exists, the Area Archives Committee, about new material received and to give updates about ongoing projects at the archives
    • Required to attend and report to the group their activities at all group business meetings
    • The A.R. will serve on the Intergroup Committee as a voting member
  • Dictionary Steward:
    • During group A.A. meetings, this position will look up definitions to words for any member or attendee who needs a word defined for them
    • They will look up the definition, then go back and re-read the sentence the word in question was from – with the word replaced by the definition, sharing the information on the screen
    • Encouraged to attend all group business meetings and group steering committee meetings
  • Phone/Reading List:
    • This position’s duties are to maintain the Group’s excel sheet of members and readings
    • Maintain and update a strictly confidential file of names, addresses and telephone numbers of group members (subject to each member’s approval) and know which members are available to visit still suffering alcoholics (Twelfth Step calls)
    • Keep a record of members’ sobriety dates, if the Group so wishes
    • Reaches out to members on the list we haven’t seen in a while

Meeting Servants

Meeting Chairperson:

Meeting Co-Chairperson:

Handles the timekeeping responsibilities. Help to keep folks on point and stay within the 2-3 minute time limit. Co-Host will give a 30-second verbal warning.