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Groups’ and Members’
Corner!
This page has Al-Anon materials that may be of
particular interest to Al-Anon groups and Al-Anon members.
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Groups’ and Members’
Corner |
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Groups’ Corner |
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Members’ Corner |
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For fun: Al-Anon
recovery calculator! |
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Please note: Some documents linked
on this page are in PDF files that can only be viewed with |
The Twelve
Steps, Twelve Traditions, Twelve Concepts, and General Warranties of
Al-Anon
The Three Legacies: The Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and Twelve
Concepts of Service together provide principles that guide the Al-Anon program.
These are referred to as our “Three Legacies.” These Legacies were adapted from Alcoholics
Anonymous. There
is more information about the Three Legacies on our Al-Anon structure
page.
The Twelve Steps of Al-Anon are a practical tool for change for Al-Anon members. The
Twelve Steps help us find answers to our questions and solutions to our
problems. They help us to make peace with the past and live productively in the
present.
Al-Anon’s Twelve Steps, copyright 1996 by
Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc.
Reprinted
with permission of Al-Anon
Family Group Headquarters, Inc.
The Twelve Traditions of
Al-Anon is a set of guidelines for the Al-Anon program.
The Traditions help us to maintain unity.
Al-Anon’s
Twelve Traditions, copyright 1996 by Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters,
Inc.
Reprinted
with permission of Al-Anon
Family Group Headquarters, Inc.
The Twelve Concepts of Service Al-Anon are a guide for broad-scale service within the
Al-Anon program. They provide guidelines for spreading Al-Anon’s message
world-wide.
Al-Anon’s
Twelve Concepts of Service, copyright 1996 by Al-Anon Family Group
Headquarters, Inc.
Reprinted
with permission of Al-Anon Family
Group Headquarters, Inc.
The General
Warranties of Al-Anon provide guidelines for the proceedings of the
World Service Conferences of Al-Anon.
The General
Warranties of Al-Anon are reprinted with permission of ©Al-Anon Family Group
Headquarters, Inc.,
The Serenity
Prayer
The
Serenity Prayer has been an integral part of A.A. since 1939, and was embraced as
well by Al-Anon. There are many stories as to the origin of the Serenity
Prayer; most credit Dr. Reinhold Niebuhr, of the Union Theological Seminary in
NYC, for composing it in 1932. Another story states that Dr. Niebuhr credited
the roots of the Serenity Prayer to Friedrich Oetinger, an 18th century
theologian. A.A.’s co-founder, Bill W., wrote in “A.A. Comes of Age” that a New
York A.A. member noticed the prayer in an obituary in the New York Herald
Tribune and brought the power and wisdom contained in the prayer's thoughts to
other member’s attention. Bill W. wrote, “Never had we seen so much A.A. in so
few words,” and the Serenity Prayer began appearing on printed cards and in
A.A. printed materials. Over the years, the Serenity Prayer has been translated
and used by thousands of A.A. and Al-Anon members worldwide. Many Al-Anon
meetings begin and/or end with the Serenity Prayer. Al-Anon suggests the words
of the Serenity prayer can help us
gain perspective, sort out what we can and can not do, and know when to act and
when to let go.
The first verse is the most commonly
recited; this “short version” of the Serenity Prayer states,
SERENITY PRAYER
God grant me
the serenity
To accept the things
I cannot change,
Courage to
change the things I can,
And wisdom to
know the difference.
There is a longer version of the
Serenity Prayer that states,
SERENITY PRAYER
God grant me
the serenity to Accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can; and Wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting
hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He
did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him
forever in the next. Amen
Click
here for a PDF document of the short
version of the Serenity prayer.
Click
here for a PDF document of
the long version of the Serenity prayer.
Click here for printable wallet-sized Serenity Prayer cards.
Bookmarkers:
Click here for printable
Serenity Prayer bookmakers (quarter page size)
- and here
for printable Serenity Prayer bookmakers (1/6 page size)
The Al-Anon “slogans” include: “Keep It Simple,”
“But For The Grace Of God,” “Easy Does It,” “First Things First,” “Just For
Today,” “Let It Begin With Me,” “How Important Is It?” “Think,” “One Day At A
Time,” “Keep An Open Mind,” “Live And Let Live,” and “Let Go And Let God.” You
can read more about these slogans here.
District 5 has made printable wallet-sized cards
with the slogans and Serenity prayer. These can be used as reminders for your
personal recovery, stuck onto business card-sized magnets to display, handed to
newcomers (with your phone number on the back if you’d like to share your
number) or any other purpose you can think of. You can click on and print the PDF files of
your favorite slogans/Serenity prayer, then cut them out; or you can click on
the jpg files to make your own cards.
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JPG slogan card/Serenity prayer files |
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Al-Anon/Alateen is structured to provide a chain of communication
and input from the membership, to each group, to the district level, to the
area level and area assembly, to the World Services Conference, and back
through the same chain to the membership. Information about how Al-Anon is
organized can be found on our structure page.
Information about District 5 Al-Anon can be found on our business
page. The Al-Anon/Alateen Service
Manual posted on the Al-Anon World Service web site provides detailed
information.
Al-Anon/Alateen World Service Office
Resources for Members and Groups
The Al-Anon World Service Office web site has a special section for members. This area includes
useful information and publications that may not be accessible from other
sources. Newsletters published by the WSO are accessible
from the member’s area (click on “publications” then on “newsletters.”) Members
can reach the Al-Anon/Alateen member site at http://www.al-anon.org/members/.
You need to know the name of your registered “home group” or your district to
enter a password to access the member’s area. Follow the directions to enter a
password. This area has a wealth of information about group
services, publications related to Al-Anon service and organization, public outreach,
and World Service Office structure and function, and forms for group functions.
The Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual for
2010 – 2013 can be accessed and downloaded (in PDF form) from the
Al-Anon/Alateen member section of the Al-Anon web site (please see the information above to access the member’s area.) To access
the Service Manual, enter the member’s area, then click on publications, then
click on service manual. The Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual is available for sale from the Al-Anon District 5
literature distribution center and from the Al-Anon World Services publications
area (item number P-24/27.) It can also be accessed on line at the
Al-Anon/Alateen member site at http://www.al-anon.org/members/ - follow the directions above to access the member’s area, then click on
“publications” and then on “service manual.”
The Service Manual provides a wealth of information about
Al-Anon/Alateen’s history, structure, and operations; plus meeting ideas,
suggested group policies, and more.
The Al-Anon/Alateen “Groups At Work” booklet includes
a revised section of the Al-Anon/Alateen Service
Manual that includes the suggested Meeting Format, Group
Tips and Topics, how to register a group, the Preamble, the Suggested Opening,
the Suggested Closing, and additional information about groups. It’s a handy
booklet that every member should find valuable, available at low cost. A
“Groups At Work” booklet will be mailed to each registered Al-Anon and Alateen
group, and is available for order from the World Service Office. The
publication number is P-24. Please see our literature
page for information on obtaining this and other Al-Anon literature.
Al-Anon/Alateen Guidelines
for Members and Groups
The Al-Anon
World Service Office pooled shared experiences of Al-Anon and Alateen members
to developed guidelines for Al-Anon members and Al-Anon groups. The guidelines can be accessed from the table
below or from the Al-Anon/Alateen member’s site. (Please note: updates are often made to the
Guidelines. While we do our best to keep our site current, the most up-to-date
guidelines can always be found on the Al-Anon/Alateen member’s site.)
The
following guidelines are all reprinted with permission of Al-Anon Family Group
Headquarters, Inc.
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Suggestions for members who are
invited to speak at Al-Anon meetings and functions. |
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Suggestions for sharing experience,
strength and hope at a beginner’s meeting. |
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Guidelines for Al-Anon Information Services (AIS) (G-4) |
Al-Anon Information Services (A.I.A.)
are local service centers established by one or more groups or districts that
help their member groups to carry the Al-Anon message to others. (Please see our contact
us page to contact our District 5 A.I.S.) |
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Tips
for members interested in starting an Alateen meeting at a school. |
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Functions
of area literature coordinators. |
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Al-Anon/Alateen participation in an
area Alcoholics Anonymous convention (G-7) |
Suggestions
for Al-Anon participation in A.A. functions. |
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Taking Group Inventory (G-8) |
Suggestions
and a checklist for taking a group inventory. |
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Outreach to Institutions
(G-9) |
Guidelines
for bringing Al-Anon’s message to institutions (including but not limited to
treatment centers, hospitals, correctional facilities, group homes, halfway
houses, shelters, juvenile centers.) |
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Outreach to the public (G-10) |
Guidelines
for bringing Al-Anon information to the public through media and other means.
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Group Representative (G-11) |
Guidelines
for representing your group at the district and area assembly levels. |
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Starting an Al-Anon Group (G-12) |
Guidelines
for starting a new Al-Anon group, and how the World Service Office can help. |
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Describes
different types of meetings and resources available for meeting topics. |
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Guidelines
and resources for working with incarcerated individuals affected by another
person’s alcoholism. |
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District meetings (G-15) |
Describes
district meetings and offers suggestions for successful district meetings. |
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Alateen conferences (G-16) |
Describes
Alateen conference structure and offers suggestions for Alateen conferences. |
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How
Literature Distribution Centers work. |
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Starting an Alateen Group (G-19) |
Guidelines
for starting a new Alateen group. |
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Guidelines
for planning a convention. |
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Suggestions
for editing Al-Anon newsletters. |
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A meeting on wheels (G-22) |
Suggestions
for holding one-time “demonstration” meetings to introduce others at the site
to the Al-Anon program. Includes the Preamble and suggested opening and
closing. |
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Area Alateen coordinators (G-24) |
Coordinating
communication and fostering cooperation among district Alateen meetings. |
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The open Al-Anon meeting (G-27) |
Guidelines
for organizing open Al-Anon meetings. |
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Outreach to professionals (G-29) |
Suggestions
for informing professionals about Al-Anon/Alateen, and encourage referrals. |
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Area archives (G-30) |
Collecting
and preserving our Al-Anon heritage. |
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Ordering Literature (G-31) |
Suggestions
for how to order – and utilize – conference-approved literature ( |
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Area Forum coordinators (G-32) |
Suggestions
for encouraging subscription and submission to the Forum magazine. |
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Alateen Safety Guidelines
(G-34) |
Guidelines
for ensuring safety for Alateen members and sponsors. |
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Group records coordinator (G-36) |
Facilitating
communication between members, groups, and all levels of service structure
through to the World Service Office. |
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District representative (G-37) |
The
District Representative links the groups in an Al-Anon district with the
Al-Anon area assembly. |
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Guidelines
for coordinating outreach through media, professionals and institutions. |
This is the suggested
Al-Anon preamble to the Twelve Steps:
The Al-Anon Family Groups
are a fellowship of relatives and friends of alcoholics who share their
experience, strength, and hope in order to solve their common problems. We
believe alcoholism is a family illness and that changed attitudes can aid
recovery.
Al-Anon is not allied with
any sect, denomination, political entity, organization, or institution; does
not engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any cause. There
are no dues for membership. Al-Anon is self-supporting through its own
voluntary contributions.
Al-Anon has but one
purpose: to help families of alcoholics. We do this by practicing the Twelve
Steps, by welcoming and giving comfort to families of alcoholics, and by giving
understanding and encouragement to the alcoholic.
Suggested
Al-Anon Preamble to the Twelve Steps. 2005.
All Rights Reserved.
Reprinted
with permission of ©Al-Anon
Family Group Headquarters, Inc.,
Al-Anon Meeting Suggested Opening and Closing
The
World Service Office provides a suggested welcome/opening statement and closing
statement that groups can use or modify for use at their meetings. The opening
and closing statements can be found in the book, “How Al-Anon Works,” (the
opening is on page 8 and the closing is on page 380.) They can also be found in
the Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual, in the new “Al-Anon and Alateen Groups at Work” booklet (publication number P-24,) in
the Al-Anon pamphlet “This is Al-Anon” (P-32,) and in Al-Anon World Service
Guideline number G-22, available
in our WSO Guidelines section and on the Member’s Area of the World Service web site.
Al-Anon’s Declaration
states: Let
It Begin with Me. When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, let the hand
of Al-Anon and Alateen always be there, and – Let It Begin with Me.
Al-Anon’s Declaration is reprinted with
permission of Al-Anon Family
Group Headquarters, Inc.
Al-Anon and Alateen Congressional Recognition
On
September 19, 2006, in the second session of the 109th Congress,
Al-Anon and Alateen were recognized by Hon. Jim Ramstad of
This
conference-approved literature in bookmark form provides meditations and a
prayer to help us stay focused on what we can do, “Just For Today.” Click here for a PDF file of this Al-Anon publication.
“Just For Today” (M-12) is reprinted with permission of ©Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc.,
These affirmations were written and shared by
Al-Anon members at an Al-Anon workshop.
We would like to share them with you! Please click here.
Our Seventh Tradition states
that Al-Anon is a self-supporting program. We
are supported not only by member contributions, but by member service! Service is healthy and
healing for members - and member service sustains our Fellowship. Service
encompasses a broad range of opportunities at any level of Al-Anon. Here are
some examples; you may be able to think of others as well!
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Member to member: greet new members,
offer newcomers a literature packet, explain the program to newcomers, answer
newcomer’s questions, listen to others, share with others, offer your phone
number to newcomers and other members, accept phone calls, sponsor other
members, provide another member with the opportunity to sponsor you, contribute
as you can when the basket is passed. Live your own recovery as a model to
others. Do Twelfth Step work of any kind!
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Group level: attend meetings,
participate in group conscience and group decisions, share during the meeting,
listen during the meeting, chair a meeting, set up, clean up, help with
literature, accept group service jobs, help newcomers to feel welcome,
volunteer to speak at or assist with an institutions meeting or Al-Anon panel.
Consider becoming certified to sponsor an Alateen meeting or help with an
Alateen group or function.
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District level: attend District
meetings and events, provide input on District issues, help with District
events and activities, serve as a group representative or other District
officer, serve on a District committee, write your Al-Anon
recovery story for the District 5 web site, contact District 5
to provide other input or ideas for the web site.
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Beyond the District level: attend Area
or other conferences or events, serve on Area or other committees, help with
Area events and activities, read the Forum and Al-Anon Conference-Approved
Literature to learn about how Al-Anon works, write your story or a letter or
other contribution for the Forum, contribute to the World Service site “e-CAL”
area (go to http://www.al-anon.org/members/; sign in using the name of your home group; follow the links for
“e-CAL.”)
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Carry the message to others! Al-Anon’s Twelfth
Step states, “Having had a
spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this
message to others, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.” Twelfth Step work can be done at any level and in many ways. When
you share your experience, strength and hope; share information; share
literature; leave literature in places where others can access it; provide encouragement;
or reach out in other ways, you are helping to carry Al-Anon’s message of hope
to those who may benefit from it!
Al-Anon history and bios:
In 2007, help, hope and healing
are available at over 24,000 Al-Anon/Alateen meetings being held in 115
countries. Where – and how - did it all
begin? Click here to read an overview
of Al-Anon’s history, or click on the individual sections below:
- The roots:
Al-Anon’s early history intertwines with A.A.
- The beginning: Al-Anon Family Groups
come to be.
- Al-Anon groups grow and flourish.
- Alateen: Help, Hope and Recovery for teenage
children of alcoholics.
The stories of
our earliest members and founders reach through the years to provide hope
and inspiration to Al-Anon members today. There is much to learn from the
stories of those who paved the way for all who followed in Al-Anon. Who were these people, and what are their
stories? Click here to read
about Al-Anon’s pioneers and co-founders, or click on the individual sections
below:
- The Pioneers: a brief
introduction to those who paved the way to today’s Al-Anon fellowship.
- Anne S.: an early proponent of
practicing spiritual principles for family recovery.
- Lois W.: an Al-Anon co-founder.
- Anne B.: an Al-Anon co-founder.
Al-Anon recovery calculator:
How Long Have You Been In Recovery in Al-Anon?
In Al-Anon, recovery is
fun as well as serious work. We believe
in celebrating recovery, and one way to do so is to recognize and celebrate
Al-Anon anniversaries and milestones, whether they are measured in minutes,
hours, days, weeks, months, years, or decades.
How long have you been in recovery in Al-Anon? When is your next
milestone or anniversary? Check it out here,
and celebrate your progress! Congratulations!!!