THE OA PROMISES ASK MS.€¦ · September 26-28, 2014 OA FALL RETREAT “Came to Believe”...
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THE OA PROMISES The September 2014 Newsletter of Overeaters Anonymous for Chicago Western Intergroup Far-Out CHI-WIF. http://www.chiwifoa.org This literature has been locally produced by CHI-WIF IG. The content reflects the experience, strength and hope of our local members. It is not OA Conference- or board-approved and does not represent OA as a whole. Suggested Donation: 50 cents CHI-WIF Officers Chair ~ CJ M 708-218-1904 Vice Chair ~ Belle S 630-747-7669 Secretary ~ Gerri M 630-833-6942 Treasurer ~ Vickie L 630-618-8730 Editor ~ Gerri M 630-833-6942 Does your meeting have an IG rep? Come and join us! Upcoming IG Meeting September 20 , 2014 10-11:30AM Good Samaritan Hospital Downers Grove, IL 60515 CAFETERIA OAK ROOMS Editorial Statement Certain material contained in this newsletter is protected by copyright; please observe all copyright regulations. Items submitted for publication cannot be returned, may be edited, and may be reprinted by other anonymous groups without permission. The opinions expressed here are those of the writers and not necessarily of OA as a whole. The steps and traditions are reprinted by permission of Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. from The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, ©1990 by Overeaters Anonymous, Inc.; the concepts of service are reprinted by permission of Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. from Twelve Concepts of OA Service, ©1994 by Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Overeaters Anonymous has reversed the focus of my life from inward to outward. All I ever thought about was me, what I could eat, where I could get more food, how could I isolate with my precious stash of food. I was insane but I thought I was just “FINE!!” I did not care about you or what you needed or what I could do to help you. It really did not interest me. It’s not that I actively wished you badly, I just did not care. It’s sort of shocking to me now after many years of working my program. I do not work a perfect program. My program is “just good enough” to get me through today. My point of view has changed dramatically since being given the gift of abstinence and experiencing recovery, which to me means, having several day of consistent abstinence AND applying the Steps and Principles to “all my affairs” as best I can. My outlook is now outward. I have a genuine, loving concern for others, especially the newcomers to OA who are living in the misery of compulsive eating. How well I remember the pain of those first MANY years of dieting and ignoring the Steps. I wasted a lot of time, but I guess I was not ready to accept the gifts of my HP. Now I realize the priceless necessity of service. I cannot maintain or grow in my program unless I help others. It’s a two way relationship with others. But I do find that I FEEL I receive so much more than those I help. Service is ASK MS. BUTTERFLYER QUESTION: At a session during the World Service Business Conference, there was a request for non-OA members (spouse, relative or friend) at the Conference who might want to volunteer to help. What are the Conference and OA views on this as a violation of the Seventh Tradition of being self-supporting? ANSWER: While certainly many of our spouses, relatives or friends support our program in various ways, the Seventh Tradition does speak to being fully self-supporting, both financially and in giving service. This applies to all levels, WSBC included. At future WSB Conferences, it will be clearly stated: “If you have brought a spouse, relative or friend with you who is an OA member but not a delegate, and they would like to volunteer their time during the Conference, send them to the Conference Support Committee desk and ask for the volunteer coordinator, who will put them to work if we have a need.” Do you have a question for Ms. Butterflyer? October Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. November We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us
Transcript of THE OA PROMISES ASK MS.€¦ · September 26-28, 2014 OA FALL RETREAT “Came to Believe”...
THE OA PROMISES
The September 2014 Newsletter of Overeaters Anonymous for Chicago Western Intergroup Far-Out CHI-WIF. http://www.chiwifoa.org This literature has been locally produced by CHI-WIF IG. The content reflects the experience, strength and hope of our local members. It is not OA Conference- or board-approved and does not represent OA as a whole. Suggested Donation: 50 cents
CHI-WIF Officers Chair ~ CJ M 708-218-1904 Vice Chair ~ Belle S 630-747-7669 Secretary ~ Gerri M 630-833-6942 Treasurer ~ Vickie L 630-618-8730 Editor ~ Gerri M 630-833-6942
Does your meeting have an IG rep?
Come and join us! Upcoming IG Meeting
September 20 , 2014 10-11:30AM
Good Samaritan Hospital Downers Grove, IL 60515
CAFETERIA OAK ROOMS
Editorial Statement Certain material contained in this newsletter is protected by copyright; please observe all copyright regulations. Items submitted for publication cannot be returned, may be edited, and may be reprinted by other anonymous groups without permission. The opinions expressed here are those of the writers and not necessarily of OA as a whole. The steps and traditions are reprinted by permission of Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. from The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, ©1990 by Overeaters Anonymous, Inc.; the concepts of service are reprinted by permission of Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. from Twelve Concepts of OA Service, ©1994 by Overeaters Anonymous, Inc.
Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.
Overeaters Anonymous has reversed the focus of my life from inward
to outward. All I ever thought about was me, what I could eat, where I
could get more food, how could I isolate with my precious stash of
food. I was insane but I thought I was just “FINE!!” I did not care about
you or what you needed or what I could do to help you. It really did
not interest me. It’s not that I actively wished you badly, I just did not
care. It’s sort of shocking to me now after many years of working my
program.
I do not work a perfect program. My program is “just good enough” to
get me through today. My point of view has changed dramatically
since being given the gift of abstinence and experiencing recovery,
which to me means, having several day of consistent abstinence AND
applying the Steps and Principles to “all my affairs” as best I can.
My outlook is now outward. I have a genuine, loving concern for
others, especially the newcomers to OA who are living in the misery of
compulsive eating. How well I remember the pain of those first MANY
years of dieting and ignoring the Steps. I wasted a lot of time, but I
guess I was not ready to accept the gifts of my HP. Now I realize the
priceless necessity of service. I cannot maintain or grow in my
program unless I help others. It’s a two way relationship with others. But
I do find that I FEEL I receive so much more than those I help. Service is
September Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.
October Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.
ASK MS.
BUTTERFLYER
QUESTION: At a
session during the World Service Business Conference, there was a request for non-OA members (spouse, relative or friend) at the Conference who might want to volunteer to help. What are the Conference and OA views on this as a violation of the Seventh Tradition of being self-supporting?
ANSWER: While certainly many of our spouses, relatives or friends support our program in various ways, the Seventh Tradition does speak to being fully self-supporting, both financially and in giving service. This applies to all levels, WSBC included.
At future WSB Conferences, it will be clearly stated: “If you have brought a spouse, relative or friend with you who is an OA member but not a delegate, and they would like to volunteer their time during the Conference, send them to the Conference Support Committee desk and ask for the volunteer coordinator, who will put them to work if we have a need.”
Do you have a question for Ms. Butterflyer?
October Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.
November We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us
IMPORTANT CONTACT INFO: OA World Service Office (505) 891-2664 Region V Website www.region5oa.org OA Website www.oa.org Chi-Wif Website www.chiwifoa.org Addresses CHI-WIF—PO Box 4419, Lisle, IL 60532 REGION 5 — PO Box 428, Medinah, IL 60157
An OA member recently asked my thoughts on relapse and what I would do for someone retreating back into the food after losing a large amount of weight. It is very difficult watching people we care about hurting themselves with food. Although I’ve never weighed 300 or 400 pounds, I know the emotional turmoil and physical drain on the mind and body of doing something I don’t want to do, and when I start, being unable to stop. Life is hard. Sometimes, it stinks. You know – the manure that gets piled on us for character building and fruitful, useful living. It is easy to skip meal planning, journaling or a meeting with the demands of family and profession; however, those are my tools for coping with life with-out food obsession. The Overeaters Anonymous Tool Box is my safety net, my protection from myself. I learned at my first OA meeting I had a disease, and there was an antidote in the pages of Alcoholics Anonymous. Bill W. writes on p. 85 that we cannot rely on past achievements to stay spiritually fit. He warns us that alcohol is a “subtle foe” and that difficulty lies ahead when the “vision of God’s will” is neglected. When the food is calling, I look at it as God knocking on my food door. He is calling me closer to learn something and share it with others. God fills me in every way. I just need to stay close. When I pause and ask for the next right action, the inspiration, direction, and strength will come. The only sure thing I have to offer the still suffering Compulsive Eater is my experience and the hope of living well despite the circumstances. If you or someone you love is struggling, study the pages of “The Doctor’s Opinion” and “More on Alcoholism.”
If you are interested in using the tools of writing and service by contributing an article on the monthly topic, an anecdote, a poem or just simply how program has helped & is helping to improve your quality of life, please email me at: [email protected] or send by regular mail to: CHI-WIF IG PO Box 4419 Articles should be received by the third week of the month. Gerri M, Editor
The Butterflyer is only available via email. If you are interested in receiving this free monthly newsletter electronically or if you did not receive your electronic subscription please send an email with the word “SUBSCRIBE” in the subject box to: [email protected]
THE LITERATURE CORNER HANDY LINKS HOW TO FIND AN EMAIL LOOP At WSBC 2014, the delegates passed a policy on courtesy listing email loops. You can now locate that information and the listing form on the OA website at http://www.oa.org/email-loops/. There are three basic types of loops:
1. Discussion loops, which are similar to “the meeting after the meeting” where members discuss topics together, often with crosstalk and advice giving and sometimes going off topic.
2. Loops that are fashioned after OA meetings where members share once on a specified topic with no feedback from the other members.
3. Business loops that are used to facilitate the OA business for groups and service bodies, both face-to-face and virtual.
“If God Spoke to OA” A gift of healing #180
This simple tri-fold pamphlet is amazing. It begins
with quotation marks and ends with quotation
marks. It is formatted as a monologue by God, as you
understand Him. He tells the reader that “you were
selected because you have an understanding heart.”
None of us were given this disease as a punishment, it
is, in my life, a gift which has enabled me to live an
unexpected number of valuable years. He ‘says’ that
“the help which has been keeping you normal will
keep you so, just as long as you live this program.”
The success of this organization comes “from the
union of mutual liabilities.” This pamphlet is very
enlightening and quite relevant for all working the
OA Program.
SHARING IS CARING NJ
Friday, September 19— Sunday, September 21
MILWAUKEE AREA INTERGROUP “Getting the Word Out…” Celebrating 75 years of Big Book Recovery! Sienna Retreat Center Racine, WI Contact Paula 262.955-4564 Click Here
September 26-28, 2014
OA FALL RETREAT “Came to Believe” Portiuncula Center for Prayer, 9263 W. St. Francis Road, Frankfort, IL Contacts: Carisa B. 708-606-6208 or Margaret K. 708-870-7125 Click Here
Saturday, October 4 1:00 pm—4:00pm
RECOVERY EVENT Suburban North Intergroup Vernon Township 2900 N. Main Street, Buffalo Grove, IL Contact: Carolyn F. [email protected] Click Here
Saturday, October 25 1:00 pm—4:00pm
STEPPING INTO RECOVERY, STEPS –1-3 Hosted by Saturday River Forest Meeting The (new) Elmhurst Hospital 155 E. Brush Hill Road, Elmhurst Green Parking Lot, Go to Lower Level Oak Room
Friday, November 7—Saturday, November 8
REGION 5 ASSEMBLY Merrillville, IN Visitors & Volunteers are encouraged: All Region Chairs will meet at this assembly Click Here
Saturday, November 8 1:00 pm—4:00pm
COPING WITH THE HOLIDAYS Hosted by Saturday Burr Ridge Meeting Elmhurst Hospital 155 E. Brush Hill Road, Elmhurst, Green Parking Lot, Lower Level Oak Room Click Here
WANT TO SEE YOUR GROUP’S EVENT LISTED HERE? SEND YOUR FLYER OR INFORMATION TO [email protected]
NEED A QUICK PICK ME UP? Follow daily twitter OA meditations . Click Here
Visit us at www.chiwifoa.org
OUR WHOLE ATTITUDE AND OUTLOOK UPON LIFE WILL CHANGE This promise came true for me and I pray it comes true for all of us. Living in the steps has helped me to learn to take the focus off of myself and to begin seeking to be of service to others. That was not the case before OA. Before OA I was selfish and self-centered. I spent a great deal of time during the day wondering “What about ME?” As is probably the case with many of us, no one else was nearly as focused on making me happy as I was. I think I was a nice enough person. People liked me and I did try to be of service to others, but in my head, it was still always about me. Thankfully, the steps helped me to look at my character defects and to begin the process of allowing God to remove my defects. It does not end with the willingness to ask God to remove my defects. It is a process to allow God to reveal my defects and to ask God to help me to not practice my defects. I often share a meal with my fellows and I am constantly amazed at the difference between sharing a meal with a group of people in recovery and sharing a meal with people who are not in a 12 Step Program. For the most part, when members of OA get together, we are concerned with each other more than we are with ourselves. We want to be of service to our fellows and we are less critical in most situations. Our attitude and outlook upon life has changed. The gifts of recovery are many. Our whole attitude is changed. We KNOW that God is always with us and that we are not in control. Our outlook upon life is changed. We KNOW that we need to be of maximum service to our fellows and in doing so; we ourselves are strengthened and encouraged. We KNOW that all we need to be concerned with is today. We KNOW that we are never alone in the battle against our addiction because we are surrounded by people who understand us and love us where we are. For today I will live in the blessings of recovery and remember to have an attitude of gratitude and take the focus off of myself and seek to serve others who suffer as I do.
FROM OUR READERS
Really? Worldwide? YES! The Region Chairs Committee will be visiting our Assembly November 7 & 8 in
Merrillville, IN. The Chairs and Trustee Co-Chair travel to an Assembly annually to meet as a committee,
observe the business assembly, get ideas to take back to their Regions, and most importantly, share their
experience, strength and hope with the local Fellowship. What does this mean to YOU? YOU have the opportunity (the "once-every-10-years" opportunity) to hear
worldwide recovery - our Region Chairs come from all over the US as well as Israel and New Zealand...how
awesome is that!! Beginning Friday evening, November 7, the Region Chairs and Trustee Co-Chair will share their stories with
you. The sharing continues on Saturday, November 8 at lunch and in the evening open OA meeting. While at the
Assembly, YOU also have the opportunity to observe your Fellowship in action - making decisions that affect
YOU for the next year (budget, election of trusted servants, etc.). YOU can attend the Region 5 Assembly FREE as a VISITOR. If you would like to join us for lunch on Saturday
(sugar and white flour-free), there is a cost...listening to the speaker(s) is free. Registration for Assembly
(including hotel info) will be available mid-September; your Region Reps will forward all registration material to
you as it becomes available. Until then, mark these dates on your calendar and plan to join us in Merrillville! I look forward to seeing
YOU in November! :) In grateful recovery today,
Denise O., Region 5 Chair
When City Where Type of Meeting Contact Group #
Sunday 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Batavia Fox Valley Unity Church— 230 Webster Street at Van Buren St
Literature Meeting Vicki (630) 618-8730
(013-30514)
Sunday 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Glen Ellyn St. Thomas United Methodist Church— 2S511 Rt. 53 just north of Butterfield Road
Format Varies Open Mtg on the 4th Sun.
Karol
(630) 329-1921 (013-45132)
Sunday 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
LaGrange
First Congregational Church— 100 South 6th Avenue at Cossitt
Big Book Study
Sheila S.
(630) 747-1001 (013-50044)
Monday 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
DeKalb Senior Center 409 S Grove
Format Varies Joan
(815) 899-8960 (013-45133)
Monday - 7:00 PM-8:00 PM
Yorkville Yorkville Congregational United Church of Christ—409 Center Parkway
Format Varies Bonnie (815) 498-4431
(013-00777)
Monday 7pm-8pm
Wheaton St Paul Church 515 South Wheaton Ave
OA Literature Kim (630) 858-6295
(013-50466)
Monday 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Naperville New Covenant Church — 75th Street & Washington Street
Format Varies Open Mtg on the 3rd Mon.
Susan M. (630) 852-3771
(013-04500)
Tuesday Noon - 1:00 PM
Naperville Compass Church, 1551 Hobson Road at College/Wehrli Room 3101
Varies— Open Mtg on the 5th Tues.
Peggy K. (630) 369-1753
(013-39620)
Tuesday 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
Darien
Lord of Life Lutheran Church 725 75th St.
OA 12 & 12
Sindee (630) 968-6328
(013-35752)
Tuesday 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Darien
Lord of Life Lutheran Church 725 75th St.
Open to All Back to Basics
Belle S. (630) 747-7669
(013-51048)
Tuesday 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Forest Park United Church of Christ Harvard & Elgin
Format Varies Open to All
Kathleen (773) 458-6137
(013-52223)
Tuesday 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
St. Charles Hosanna Lutheran Church Red Gate Rd & Randall Rd
Format Varies Meghan Rivard (586)383-0880
(013-21464)
Wednesday 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Aurora Our Lady of Good Counsel St. Francis Center, 620 S. Fifth Street Format Varies
Linda V. (630)244-2416
(013-08909)
Wednesday 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Geneva
St. Mark’s Church 320 Franklin—Room 7
Big Book Study
Kelly J. (630) 485-9705
(013-50083)
Thursday 10:00 - 11:00 AM
Wheaton St. Paul Lutheran Church 515 S Wheaton Avenue at Evergreen Street
Format Varies Kim S. at (630) 858-6295
(013-00804)
Thursday Noon - 1:00 PM
Downers Grove
St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church 3910 Highland Avenue at 39th Street
OA 12 & 12 Babysitting Cancelled.
Susan S. (630) 841-6517
(013-47257)
Thursday 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Aurora Mercy Center Hospital, McDermott Room 1325 N Highland, Aurora
Format Varies Cherie at (630) 442-9646 or
(013-35368)
Thursday 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Oswego Wheatland Salem Church 1217 Wolf Road, Oswego Needs Support
Format Varies Barbara H. (630) 674-9341
(013-51364)
Thursday 6:45 PM - 7:15 PM
Downers Grove
St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church 3910 Highland Avenue at 39th Street
Newcomers/Information Session Open to All
Evelyn at (630) 653-8608
Thursday 7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Downers Grove
St. Luke’s Presbyterian Church 3910 Highland Avenue at 39th Street Needs Support
Format Varies—Open Mtg on the 5th Thursday.
Susan S. (630) 841-6517
(013-04530)
Friday 7:00AM - 8:00AM
Oak Park Good Shepherd Lutheran Church—Back Door 611 Randolph (3 blocks E of Oak Park Ave)
Format Varies Needs Support
Mary Lou (708) 343-8360
(013-46432)
Friday 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
LaGrange First Congregational Church 100 South 6th Avenue at Cossitt
Format Varies Jane K. at (708) 579-1785
(013-20655)
Friday 5:30 PM-6:30 PM
Darien Lord of Life Lutheran Church 725 75th St.
Big Book
Sindee (630) 968-6328 (013-00937)
Friday 7:00PM—8:00PM
Bartlett Living Lord Lutheran Church 1044 Congress Drive Needs Support
Format Varies Dwayne G (630) 433-0656 (013-53121)
= needs support Chi-WIF Meeting List (013-09168) Last Updated 05/2014 = babysitting
Saturday 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
DeKalb/Sycamore South end of Lagoon parking lot— Lincoln Hwy & Castle Drive. Meet in Castle Drive Parking Lot. April—October Nov.– March @ Federated Church 612 W. State in Sycamore IL.
Walk ‘N Talk Indoors
Kim (815) 529-3749
(013-40820)
Saturday 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Burr Ridge Burr Ridge United Church of Christ NW Corner of County Line & Plainfield Roads
Format varies Babysitting no longer available
Terri N. (630) 688-7841
(013-38938)
Saturday 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Roselle Trinity Lutheran Church 405 W Rush Street,Conference Room 119
Big Book, Steps Becky at (847) 524-0356
(013-36157)
Saturday 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Winfield Central DuPage Hospital Behavioral Health Services, Room 131 27W350 High Lake Road
Format Varies Dan V. (630) 244-2415
(013-39585)
Saturday 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
River Forest Grace Lutheran Church 7401 West Division (Learning Center)
OA 12 & 12 Kathleen (708) 408-5702
(013-35325)
Saturday 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Darien
Lord of Life Lutheran Church 725 75th Street
Format Varies— Open Mtg on the 5th Sat.
Joann B.
(630) 515-8329
(013-24782)
Saturday 10:15 AM - 11:30 AM
Elmhurst Epiphany Evangelical Lutheran Church 314 W Vallette St (Spring & Vallette) In the library
Format Varies— Open Mtg on the 5th Sat.
Maryann (630) 530-2484
(013-32222)
When City Where Type of Meeting Contact Group #
= needs support Chi-WIF Meeting List (013-09168) Last Updated 05/2014 = babysitting
Percent Service Body Address
60% Intergroup CHI-WIF Treasurer CHI-WIF CONTRIBUTION FORM PO Box 4419 Click Here Lisle, IL 60532
30%
World Service*
World Service Office WORLD SERVICE CONTRIBUTION FORM PO Box 44020 Click Here for mail in form Rio Rancho, NM 87174-4020 Click Here for on-line contribution
10%
Region* Region V Treasurer REGION V CONTRIBUTION FORM PO Box 428 Click Here for mail in form Medinah, IL 60157
*Include full meeting information with your payment
7th Tradition Support OA the 60/30/10 Way!
PLEASE HELP OUR REGION 5 TREASURY Because our region conventions are the region’s primary source of income, we are asking groups to make sure to donate to Region 5 regularly in the coming months. There is an 18 month gap between the 2013 and 2014 conventions and it is important for us to keep a steady cash flow into our Region so they can continue their day-to-day activities.
September 11, 2001 September 1—Labor Day September 23, 2014—International Peace Day
