Gratitude Gazette
January 2000

Contents

An Editorial Comment.....

It is the time of year again, when we at the Eastern Missouri Area Assembly are asked to look at the Budget for the coming Fiscal Year- 2000- 2001. The budget will be presented by the Area Treasurer at this, the January Assembly, and a vote taken on the budget in March.

I ask that as a voting member of this Assembly, you please try to remember several things. They are:

1. A group of trusted servants got together and discussed each expenditure that will be put to vote. It seems to be the primary misconception that the Area Committee seems to draw numbers from a hat. Careful consideration is given to each Area Committee, where the Committee Chair resides, and how the monies from the previous years where spent.
2. Contributions are, also, a factor as the projected budget usually does not spend more money then is received.
3. THIS IS ONLY A PROJECTED BUDGET!!! If certain Committees need to have more to spend for a project, they can come before the Area Assembly and ask for it. I have never seen any Committee Chairperson refused funds for a special project. On the other hand Committees have also been asked to tighten their belts in years past to reimburse the Prudent Reserve.

We in the Eastern Area are fortunate that our groups contribute funds in the manner that they do. In the past year the excess of funds has enabled the Eastern Area to expand its office, purchase new computer equipment and in the near future establish a web page. We need to remember that just because there is money in the till, the Eastern Area does not need to spend its funds unintelligently.

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GRAPEVINE NOTES—

The Slogans

As a newcomer to Alcoholics Anonymous I heard members saying "Easy Does It", " Think, Think, Think", "First Things First", "But For The Grace of God." In some meeting rooms these five slogans were framed and hanging on the walls. I have been told that nothing is really new in A.A. and it seems to be true about these five slogans. I looked these up in the "AA GRAPEVINE WORKBOOK’’ which states they first appeared in the magazine in late 1956 and early 1957. Someone had hand-lettered these five slogans from the workbook which the Grapevine Staff reproduced printed on the back inside cover of the magazine. As the Slogans were printed in the Grapevine, a brief interpretation accompanied each slogan. Our Missouri Eastern Area Archives has a collection of Grapevine issues, including those from 1956 - 1957. What other historical information can be found concerning these five SLOGANS?

My sponsors have taught me to go to our A.A. literature and so I went through several books finding nothing. Not to be discouraged I next went to Bill’s biography "Pass It On’. On page 220 in the top paragraph it refers to some "A.A. saws’ being used as long ago as the late 1930s. Now here was something to sink my teeth into! Three of the slogans were mentioned in the BIG BOOK: "First Things First", "Easy does It",and "Live and Let Live." References to the other two slogans, "Think"and "But For The Grace of God" were used by AA members in their articles to the Grapevine.

I am not a newcomer anymore and the longer I stay sober these "Handrails to the Steps" have change in significance to me. If you have something you would like to share about the history of the Slogans, please contact the Missouri Eastern Area Grapevine Committee and the Gratitude Gazette.

Alvina S.

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Eastern Missouri Area Assembly Dates for 2000

March 25,2000
Budget Approval, Proposed Changes to the Procedures Manual and Election of State Convention Committee Members

June 17, 2000
Conference Report, Vote on C Changes to the Procedures Manual

>October 7 - 8, 2000
Election of Area Officers

All Assemblies will be held at the Holiday Inn, Wentzville, Missouri (636) 327-7001

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From the Chairman

Welcome to the first assembly of the year 2000! If mother nature has been kind, the weather has not been a deterrent to you attending today. I hope the recently concluded holiday season brought joy, peace and serenity to each one of you and your families.

Most of us are now a little over midway through our terms in our service assignments. Let us take a quick look back on the year 1999 and see how far we have come. One year ago we had all new servants starting out in their assignments. As the year progressed we had numerous assembly sessions where we discussed our finances, and what we could do to maximize and increase the effectiveness of our primary purpose. That dialogue will continue. We also had several sessions on topics as they relate to the general service conference. That too will continue. We also improved the functionality and efficiency of our office, making the exchange of information with the general service office a model for other conference areas to duplicate.

There is still much, much more that needs to be done. We need to work on ways to improve communication within the area - between groups, districts and the area. We need to continue to find ways to educate each other on our responsibilities as members of Alcoholics Anonymous so that a true group conscience can be developed and sustained. It was told to me many years ago by one of our older members that ‘communication and education = participation.’

Finally, there is one thing that all of us should bear in mind. As we enter the final year of the conference term. In a short nine months eastern Missouri will be conducting its biennial elections. We need to start now to be looking for those members that are able and willing to become a part of the service structure the rest of us will be rotating on to another role. Bring a group member with you to your district and area meetings, encourage past servants to reacquaint themselves with the service structure. Educate the beginners you work with on all of the legacies of Acoholics Anonymous. In this way we will ensure that what was available to us when we walked through the door will be available to the next man or woman who needs us.

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BULLETIN BOARD

19th Annual Five Corners Convention

February 25 - 26, 2000

Ramada Inn I-55 and Highway 62 Intersection Sikeston, Missouri
(573) 471-4700
Registration starts at 3:00 p.m.
First Speaker at 7:00 p.m. Friday evening

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