Miami
Literature Conference
at Miami, Florida
May 24-27, 2001
We opened at 9:00 a.m. in the "Our Rooms" Clubhouse on Bird Road. Thanks for the hospitality and warmth. We shared the Serentity Prayer and went to work. We passed around an attendance sheet and got the computer working.
Joe M. chaired the session and the group read through Chapter 16 - Relationships. Members made correction marks which were discussed and factored into the material. Next, the group worked on Chapter 6 - Recovery Process.
Two NA conventions met this weekend that may have affected us: the Gold Coast celebrated GCACNA 11 and the Coasta Rican Fellowship held a convention in San Jose.
Chapter 7 - Trust was trouble, so we moved on to Chapter 8 - Learning to Live. Chapter 7 will be revisited later this weekend if time permits. Chapter 8 was clear except for one typo.
Chapter 7 - Trust - Got some problems taken care of...
Chapter 9 - Personal Responsibility - Read and caught typos
Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - Read and caught typos
Chapter 11 - Loneliness and Reaching Out - Read and caught typos
Chapter 12 - Abuse and Neglect - much concern that the chapter reads like therapeutic material. Needs to be examined and edited to keep it reading like ‘NA’ material. Last paragraph should be moved to first paragraph position.
Chapter 13 - Bitter Ends - New Beginnings - Read and caught typos
Chapter 14 - When it gets Tough - needs more material
Chapter 15 - Life Threatening Illness - Read and caught typos
Chapter 16 - Relationships - Read and caught typos
Chapter 17 - Sex - Had to study and consider each paragraph in terms of main chapter and factor in content not covered.
Chapter 18 - Gender and our Message - talks about men violence and women nice. Needs to be examined.
Chapter 19 - Youth in Recovery - Read for typos and corrected.
Chapter 20 - Parenting - Corrected typos.
Chapter 21 - Employment- Read for typos and corrected
Chapter 22 - Compulsive Spending - Read for typos and corrected
Chapter 23 - Miracles
Chapter 24 - History and Origins
Chapter 25 - Service
Chapter 26 - Mid-Life Crisis
May 26, 2001
Saturday
The most interesting discussion during the Conference was over some of the ‘therapeutic’ language that had worked its way into the chapter on Abuse and Neglect as well as a few other chapters. As most members know, metropolitan recovery is a hodge podge of experience and learnings drawn from many diverse sources. This is not something we see as ‘bad’ in an of itself. The 12 Steps and 12 Traditions of NA give us great latitude and freedom to grow in any manner we see fit. Our concern is that we have a unique NA message of recovery and it is wrong for us to be denied our opportunity to state our common experience directly and without abridgement.
Only be repeatedly referring to our simple message than an addict, any addict, can get clean and stay clean through NA, can we insure that addicts today can find help. Outside issues, treatment trends, religion, psychiatry and other anonymous programs often confuse issues so badly, addicts wind up confused.
May 27, 2001
Opened Serentity Prayer at 9:00 am
Hector designed a beautiful logo and printed the labels for our Report Cover. The same design will be used to make tee shirts. We have some blank shirts in Atlanta donated by a member in Knoxville, Tennessee but may buy blank tees locally and have ironed on for supporting members.
Thanks to Jimmie and the crew at "Our Rooms"
Took up $37 collection from attending members so we can mail out minutes...
May 28, 2001
Opened at 9:00 with just three members sharing. Jack and Shirley came by and Joe came in later. We concentrated on visiting with one another since our goals were achieved and we had worked so hard. It was very special to have someone come in who has done so much for our Fellowship in constant faith and commitment to action as Jack W.
Set up machines and keyed in these minutes along with two chapters read in group last night.
Closed with Serenity Prayer. Thanks and God Bless to all.
In Loving Service,
Bo S.
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Victor Hugo Sewell, Jr.
NA Foundation Group
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nawol@nawol.org
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