Taking an occasional look at my role in my home group can help me carry the Al‑Anon message clearly and consistently. How often am I of service by opening and closing the meeting? In what ways do I encourage group members to share? How do I encourage service participation in my group? When have I been a good example of recovery? In what ways does my group participate in carrying the message of help and hope—both within and outside the meetings? How frequently does my group study and apply the spiritual principles of our Three Legacies—the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and Twelve Concepts of Service? How does my group support Al‑Anon’s service arms? Does my group support Alateen? In what ways are we connected to the links of service?
When my group takes an inventory, members practice talking to each other and reasoning things out in a safe and serene setting. Far removed from the chaos of alcoholism, taking a group inventory keeps the group healthy and aware of issues before disharmony arises. Using the Taking a Group Inventory (G-8 a and b) Guideline can also help lead us to find fearless answers.
By Christa A., Group Services Specialist
The Forum, December 2019
Good stuff, thanks…
My group takes a group inventory about every 4-5 years. Many positive changes have come about as a result of that. We started a beginner meeting, we go around in a circle during the business meetings so that all voices can be heard equally, and we paid more attention to welcoming newcomers. We elected to use some of the questions from Guideline G-8, not all of them. In another group I attend we changed topics during our meeting because of a group inventory. When I was an Alateen sponsor, we held very simple group inventories that were 2 questions: what… Read more »