Intergrouper January 2017

Office Hours Central Florida Intergroup Services, Inc. P (407) 260-5822 9-4 M-F 283 Live Oaks Boulevard, Building 6 F (407) 260-5604 10-2 Saturday Casselberry FL 32707 Closed Sunday email: cfi@embarqmail.com 24 Hour Hotline web: http://www.cflintergroup.org (407) 260-5408

To thine own self be true. This is an important principle of my program. As a Jew and non-believer, I avoided AA for two years. I hadn’t met my bottom yet, but I knew I was powerless over alcohol. When alcohol-induced depression led to a drunken-induced suicide attempt, my lowest point had arrived. Something had to change. I wanted to get better. Fortunately, I knew about an agnostic AA approved meeting not far from where I live. No doubt, this group of drunks saved my life.

Coming out as gay has been an ongoing process throughout my life. In a sense, I have always been different. It is the same with my Jewish identity, especially here in Florida. Originally from NYC, where the largest population of Jews live in this country, I have learned what it feels like to be a minority for the first time. As an atheist in AA, I have had to face yet another difference and yet another set of judgements.

I have heard comments that without God one cannot stay sober. I have been sober for over two years and maintain a strong program of recovery. I regularly attend traditional meetings and like to think I offer hope to those who share my non-beliefs.

Even Bill Wilson understood that he had overdone the “God bit” in the early years of AA. Two decades after the Big Book was published he wrote:

“In AA’s first years I all but ruined the whole undertaking… God as I understood Him had to be for everybody. Sometimes my aggression was subtle and sometimes it was crude. But either way it was damaging – perhaps fatally so – to numbers of non-believers.” ~ The Grapevine, April 1961, Vol. 17, No. 11 “The Dilemma of No Faith” by Bill Wilson

It is my hope that I and others like me will find wider acceptance in the rooms of AA. Our getting and staying sober may depend on it.

In Unity,Jennifer B.

TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE

Happy Anniversary!

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Altamonte SpringsTom P - 52Dave M - 26Charles C - 7Matt J - 3

Central OrlandoGordon R - 30Jeff R - 18Robin L - 15Kelly L - 12Christine S - 11Charlene S - 6Steve M - 6Lynette C - 4Tim M - 4Wendy C - 3Clayton A - 3Brigitte K - 3Scott B - 3Di B - 2Eric H - 2Heather C - 1

Clean AirDoris V - 26Lou W - 23Phil T - 17Martiza A - 16Kristen J - 7Tim L - 7Kevin D - 6Steve J - 6Tatia J - 6George M - 3Ron H - 2

Dr. PhillipsKevin M - 35Dennis P - 26Jill H - 20Deb W - 11Frank D - 7Tommy H - 5Sara G - 2Mike L - 2Tony S - 1Terry S - 1Zach O - 1

Fortunate FewFrank F - 11

Friendship GroupKen J - 46

From the Heart GroupCheryl Y - 19Amy T - 15Cathy McC - 12Karen D - 10Brooke M - 4Wendy C - 3

Founders MobLou T - 24Tom M - 5Andre V - 2

Greenhouse GroupGigi S - 30Marlene S - 29Gayle H - 27Christine S - 27Ricky - 20Sue D - 14Joe C - 9Lynn P - 8TL Burch- 1

Happy HourScott W - 40Paul McC - 22Art - 15Mindy - 12Dylan - 1

High Noon Jackie C - 44Bob R - 42Ralph L - 42Elizabeth J - 30Gary R - 29Steve O - 24Wendy L - 22Laura N - 22Rick B - 20Bill C - 10Cheryl C - 9Nicole S - 7Norma K - 5Kris P - 3Rashida M - 3Barbara F - 2Mark M - 2Art B - 1Eric S - 1Sophia M - 1

JaywalkersGee - 30Ryan F - 14Kelly L - 11Marianne S - 11

Dennis A - 10Anita K - 7Jerry A - 1

Just Do ItRoy J - 20Wade E - 10

Living SoberBrenda M - 8Cyndi D - 7Mark I - 2Darryl R - 1

Miracles HappenWalter C - 27

Made a BeginningAnn S - 1

Oviedo GroupSusan G - 36Dave K - 29David A - 17Tim G - 14Frank F - 12Maria G - 11Cathy E - 10Mike L - 10John M - 9Melanie G - 9Bob M - 8Ron C - 7Chuck C - 7David D - 6Cathy B - 5Zoe M - 5Kim B - 4Peter M - 3Alex K - 2Michelle C - 2James G - 1Bob H - 1Elizabetty C - 1

Oviedo Women’sMichelle D - 6

Pass It OnBarbara H -30Spider D - 20Holly K- 19Walter H - 16Wade E - 10Ken H - 8Chuck C - 7Kevin D - 6Shellie S - 4Greg G - 3

Susie I - 3Otis B - 2Konnie K - 2Jen F - 1

Pine Hills GraceCataleno - 29Kelly D - 20Ron K - 16George W - 11Willie S - 7Wilhelmina W - 5JR - 3Patricia M - 3Tom F - 3Jeff McD - 2Jerias S - 2Kevin W - 2Larry W - 2Rashanda - 2Robert G - 2Joel Z - 1Mike L - 1Toya A - 1Van - 1

SeagullsLarry M - 41Walt L - 32

South SanfordDorothy A - 31Gary R - 29Jacquie - 29Gary Y - 14Richard R - 4Ken F - 3Joe P - 2Chad B - 2

The Herd InstinctStephan G - 8Tommy M - 6Kat M - 3

The Home GroupDorey W - 32Anita K - 7Christine M - 6

Wekiva BasicsHolly K - 19Greg V - 2

West LakeSteve - 7

Winter ParkLinda D - 44Larry M - 41Charlie R - 39Gee L - 30Cory M - 27Lou W - 23Tom M - 21Mark H - 15Meghan F - 13Robby C - 13Kelly M - 11Bill S - 9Beth M - 9Ray S - 8Cindy D - 8Ken H - 8Laura V - 7Lisa F - 6Jeremy H - 6Bobo - 5Melissa - 5Chatelle Y - 5Christie F - 4Tom C - 4Tim M - 4Suzanne F - 4Patricia B - 4Zach M - 4Ross A - 4Peter K - 3Anne - 2Philip C - 3Juan - 2Michael G - 2

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SLIPS AND HUMAN NATURE By William Duncan Silkworth, M.D.

The mystery of slips is not so deep as it may appear. While it does seem odd that an alcoholic, who has re-stored himself to a dignified place among his fellowmen and continues dry for years, should suddenly throw all his happiness overboard and find himself again in mortal peril of drowning in liquor, often the reason is simple.People are inclined to say, “there is something peculiar about alcoholics. They seem to be well, yet at any moment they may turn back to their old ways. You can never be sure.” This is largely twaddle. The alcohol-ic is a sick person. Under the technique of Alcoholics Anonymous he gets well -- that is to say, his disease is arrested. There is nothing unpredictable about him any more than there is anything weird about a person who has arrested diabetes.

Let’s get it clear, once and for all, that alcoholics are human beings. Then we can safeguard ourselves intelligently against most slips. In both professional and lay circles, there is a tendency to label everything that an alcoholic may do as “alcoholic behav-ior.” The truth is, it is simple human nature.It is very wrong to consider any of the personality traits observed in liquor addicts as peculiar to the alcoholic. Emotional and mental quirks are classified as symptoms of alcoholism merely because alcoholics have them, yet those same quirks can be found among non-alcoholics too. Actually they are symptoms of mankind! Of course, the alcoholic himself tends to think of himself as different, somebody special, with unique tendencies and reactions.Many psychiatrists, doctors, and therapists carry the same idea to extremes in their analyses and treatment of alcoholics. Sometimes they make a complicated mystery of a condition which is found in all human beings, whether they drink whiskey or buttermilk. To be sure, alcoholism, like every other disease, does manifest itself in some unique ways. It does have a number of baffling peculiarities which differ from those of all other diseases. At the same time, any of the symptoms and much of the behavior of alcoholism are closely paralleled and even duplicated in other diseases.The slip is a relapse! It is a relapse that occurs after the alcoholic has stopped drinking and started on the A.A. program of recovery. Slips usually occur in the early states of the alcoholic’s A.A. indoctrination, before he has had time to learn enough of the A.A. techniques and A.A. philosophy to give him a solid footing. But slips may also occur after an alcoholic has been a mem-ber of A.A. for many months or even several years, and it is in this kind, above all, that often finds a marked similarity between the alcoholic’s behavior and that of “normal” victims of other diseases.No one is startled by the fact that relapses are not uncommon among arrested tubercular patients. But here is a startling fact -- the cause is often the same as the cause which leads to slips for the alcoholic. It happens this way: When a tubercular patient recovers sufficiently to be released from the sanitarium, the doctor gives him careful instructions for the way he is to live when he gets home. He must drink plenty of milk. He must refrain from smoking. He must obey other stringent rules. For the first several months, perhaps for several years, the patient follows directions. But as his strength increases and he feels fully recovered, he be-comes slack. There may come the night when he decides he can stay up until ten o’clock. When he does this, nothing untoward happens. Soon he is disregarding the directions given him when he left the sanitarium. Eventually he has a relapse.The same tragedy can be found in cardiac cases. After the heart attack, the patient is put on a strict rests schedule. Frightened, he naturally follows directions obediently for a long time. He, too, goes to bed early, avoids exercise such as walking upstairs, quits smoking, and leads a Spartan life. Eventually, though there comes a day, after he has been feeling good for months or sev-eral years, when he feels he has regained his strength, and has also recovered from his fright. If the elevator is out of repair one day, he walks up the three flights of stairs. Or he decides to go to a party -- or do just a little smoking -- or take a cocktail or two. If no serious aftereffects follow the first departure from the rigorous schedule prescribed, he may try it again, until he suffers a relapse. In both cardiac and tubercular cases, the acts which led to the relapses were preceded by wrong thinking. The patient in each case rationalized himself out of a sense of his own perilous reality. He deliberately turned away from his knowledge of the fact that he had been the victim of a serious disease. He grew overconfident. He decided he didn’t have to follow directions.Now that is precisely what happens with the alcoholic -- the arrested alcoholic, or the alcoholic in A.A. who has a slip. Obvious-ly, he decides to take a drink again some time before he actually takes it. He starts thinking wrong before he actually embarks on the course that leads to a slip. There is no reason to charge the slip to alcoholic behavior or a second heart attack to cardiac behavior. The alcoholic slip is not a symptom of a psychotic condition. There’s nothing screwy about it at all. The patient simply didn’t follow directions.For the alcoholic, A.A. offers the directions. A vital factor, or ingredient of the preventive, especially for the alcoholic, is sus-tained emotion. The alcoholic who learns some of the techniques or the mechanics of A.A. but misses the philosophy or the spirit may get tired off following directions -- not because he is alcoholic, but because he is human. Rules and regulations irk al-most anyone, because they are restraining, prohibitive, negative. The philosophy of A.A. however, is positive and provides ample sustained emotion -- a sustained desire to follow directions voluntarily.In any event, the psychology of the alcoholic is not as different as some people try to make it. The disease has certain physical differences, yes, and the alcoholic has problems peculiar to him, perhaps, in that he has been put on the defensive and conse-quently has developed frustrations. But in many instances, there is no more reason to be talking about “the alcoholic mind” than there is to try to describe something called “the cardiac mind” or the “TB mind.”I think we’ll help the alcoholic more if we can first recognize that he is primarily a human being -- afflicted with human nature.

History’s Corner January 2017 Vic L., Decisions Group, Winter Springs FL_____________________________________________________________________________________________

The Central Orlando Group Presents

A Workshop on the 4th STEP

a ‘Searching and Fearless Moral Inventory’ I’m resentful at: The Cause Affects my: Mr. Brown

His attention to my

wife.

Sex relations Self-esteem (fear)

Told my wife of my mistress

Sex relations Self-esteem (fear)

“We went back through our lives. Nothing counted but thoroughness and honesty. When we were finished we

considered it carefully.” Big Book p. 65

Saturday, January 21, 2017 2PM-5PM

AlcoAn Clubhouse (Central Group) 310 East Colonial Drive

Orlando, FL 32801 (407-420-9008)

THE STEPS WE TAKE CARRYING THE MESSAGE THROUGH SPONSORSHIP & SERVICE

CHRIS R., INGRAM, TX REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH 3377 ALOMA AVE WINTER PARK, FL 32792 REGISTRATION-EARLY BIRD: $20 BY MARCH 1, 2017 REGISTRATION AT DOOR: $25 CONTACT CENTRAL FLORIDA INTERGROUP FOR REGISTRATION CONTACT INFO. SPONSORED BY DISTRICT 18

MARCH 24, 2017 FRIDAY 7:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M. MARCH 25, 2017 SATURDAY 9:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M.

North Florida Area ConferenceArea Assembly

Not Just for GSRs

Come One Come all

Workshops - Fellowship

Got Questions - get themanswered here.

Wyndham Gardens Gainesville2900 S W 13th StGainesville FL 32608352-377-4000 aanorthflorida.org

January 13-15, 2017

Saturday - 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

Friday - 8:00 PM Discussion MeetingSaturday - 8:00 PM Speaker MeetingSunday - 9:00 AM Business Meeting

Traditions / Las TradicionesConcepts / ConceptosService Manual / Manual de Servicio

Albunos tallerestraducidos en espanol

Workshops:ArchivesAccessibilitiesCooperation with

Professional CommunityCorrectionsGrapevineIntergroupLiteraturePublic InformationTreatment

WHAT: We have added a meeting for anyone looking for a late afternoon pre-evening meeting.

WHEN: The first meet-ing will start Wednesday January 10th at 4 pm. It will continue every Wednesday at 4 pm thereafter.

HOW: The format will be based on the Personal Stories in the back of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous (3rd and 4th editions). WHERE: In Live Oak Center - 2 doors down from the Intergroup office. 299 Live Oaks Blvd. Casselberry

The

HappyHourGroup

4

from the Grapevine 1998

Documenting our history, H ow important is it ?

7:30pm Meetings at TheGreenhouse

Tuesday – By the Book Wednesday's- Big Book

Thursday- Step 10

Please join us for these Closed meetings, Lake GemApartments, Maitland, Fl.

!

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY Growing Thru the Grapevine

Group!Group Anniversary Potluck Dinner/

Meeting and

GRAPEVINE MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION GIVEAWAY

!

Where: 1320 S. Chickasaw Trail (United Church of the Nazarene fellowship hall) Orlando, FL 32825

When: Thursday, Jan 26, 2017 6:30 -- 7:00 Pot Luck* 7:00 -- 8:00 Grapevine reading followed by open discussion

*Bring a covered dish to share

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Apopka Big Book Speakers 261 McGee Ave, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Apopka 32703Jan. 5 - Randy M, Stepping StonesJan. 12 - Mary P, College Park TriangleJan. 19 - Phil E, The Herd InstinctJan. 26 - Sherwin A, Lantana Group_____________________________

Volunteer/s needed to bring meetings into: University Behavioral Center 2500 Discovery Drive Orlando, FL 32826

Times and days are flexible but they would prefer: Evenings 4:45-5:45p or 7-8p 2 times a week * They would like to just get something going so whatever someone is willing to offer and commit to they will take.Please contact Intergroup for Information.

Alice A - 30unknown group

Thank you

Make sure your group’s nameis included with your list.

Please don’t send photos of names on a chalkboard. Hand-writing is easy to misread.

Type your list in numerical order.

sure just send meyour list in anyorder - what’s the difference?we can figue it out easily .....

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Intergroup Abbreviated Profit & Loss StatementJan-Nov Actual

Jan-Nov Budget

$ Over/Under

Gross Revenue $102,844 $95,370 $7,474Cost of Goods Sold $37,134 $38,500 ($1,366)Gross Profit $65,710 $56,870 $8,840Total Expense $68,805 $75,571 ($6,765)Net Ordinary Income ($3,095) ($18,701) $15,605Net Fundraising/Activities

$30,812 $10,700 $ 20,112

Net Income ** $27,717 ($8,001) $35,717

** Note: Due to the timing of the Gratitude Banquet, charges for the venue were not received until after the end of November, and will be included in the December financials.

NOVEMBER 2016 CONTRIBUTIONSAA Way of Life ............................................. $100.00Actions of Recovery .......................................... 20.00Apopka Big Book .............................................. 40.00College Park Group......................................... 250.00Decisions ......................................................... 100.00East Orange .................................................... 100.00First Things First ............................................. 181.00Fortunate Few .................................................. 200.00Happy Hour ...................................................... 75.00High Noon ...................................................... 200.00Maitland Beginners ......................................... 150.00Miracles Happen ............................................. 100.00Oveido Womens ................................................ 90.90The Hope Group .............................................. 99.78

TOTAL GROUPCONTRIBUTIONS ....................... $1,706.68

INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTIONS:Anonymous ........................................................ 5.00Anonymous ...................................................... 18.00

TOTAL INDIVIDUALCONTRIBUTIONS: .......................... $23.00

TOTAL MONTHY CONTRIBUTIONS ....................... $1,729.68

AA’s Twelve Steps are principles for personal recov-ery. The Twelve Traditions ensure the unity of the Fellowship. The Twelve Concepts for World Service provide a group of related principles to help ensure that various elements of A.A’s service structure re-main responsive and responsible to those they serve. Step One: “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol that our lives had become unmanageable.” Tradition One: “Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity.” Concept One: “The final responsibility and the ultimate authority for A.A. World services should always reside in the collective conscience of our whole Fellowship.”

WOW! Another Gratitude Banquet has come and gone, and what a Banquet it was! November is Gratitude Month, and we in Central Florida enjoy an evening where hundreds of AA members come together for an elegant evening of fellowship. For so many of us, it is an event not to be missed. For Central Florida Intergroup Services, it is the one and only annual fundraiser, and the silent auction this year was just awesome. Hundreds of donated items were professionally and beautifully displayed.

After a wonderful meal and the sobriety count-down, guest speaker Herb K. shared his story. His experience strength and hope was powerful and nothing short of inspirational. And hats off to the volunteers who made this evening possible. It represents endless hours of service and to those individuals, please accept our heartfelt apprecia-tion on a phenomenal banquet. On behalf of each and every one of us who benefit from Alcoholics Anonymous and the service of others, to all those who donated, worked and attended, thank you for a fantastic event and supporting our Intergroup.

Thank You

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** indicates the details of the event are available in the announcement pages of the current newsletter.

Save the Date: ** February 18, 2017 - Third Annual Archives Workshop, Winter Park ** The Steps We Took sponsored by District 18, March 25th

I am responsible. When anyone, anywhere reaches out for help, I want the hand of AA always to be there.

cde JANUARY 2017 cde

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 2 2 2 6 7

8 9 10District 18Longwood

11 12 13North Florida Area ConferenceGainesville

14North Florida Area ConferenceGainesville

15North Florida Area ConferenceGainesville

16District 11Orlando

17 18Service Com-mittee, CFI

19 20 214th Step Work-shop **

22 23 24District 9 Orlando

25 26 Growing thruthe GrapevineAnniversary**

27 28

29Delegates Meeting Orlando

30District 10Winter Park

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About the Newsletter

The Intergrouper’s primary purpose is to connect alcoholics to local AA resources, specifically to give priority to office news and events, group information, committees served by Intergroup, highlights of the Service Committee minutes and financial statements. The trustees and the editor have editorial authority over all newsletter content. Submissions for publication in the Intergrouper and encouraged and appreciated. Submissions may be edited for clarity and grammar. Reasonable efforts may be made to contact the author in the event substantial changes need to be made. Please email submissions by the 10th of the month before publication to cfi@embarqmail.com.