Well I chaired my first f2f meeting !
One of our members had me off the topic hook for the first half of the meeting. :) They shared something which was great and took us to about the midway point.
I had something ready which Cilla had shared in a previous post, called Leaving the City of Regret.
http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=42727&subForumID=94433&action=viewTopic&commentID=5097731
I was a little stressed how to handle this since it's not CAL. So, here was my plan. This parable reminded me of so many instances of program. So I reread it a couple of times, wrote 'topics' that it brought to mind. I then went to the index of my C2C book and checked out quotes on those topics.
So at my meeting, I said I had something to share that was non CAL and asked if anyone would mind. Nobody did so we read it. Had anyone objected, my back up plan was to merely chose one of the topics it reminded me of and share a page in C2C.
Quite a few were able to tie into that and seemed to enjoy it. It even tied into today's C2C reading.
Thanks all, I don't think I would have even considered chairing a meeting 3 mo in program had it not been for the immersion of Alanon and fellowship one can gather here to supplement F2F.
Bob
just me said
Dec 30, 2005
Geez you were really prepared! I have chaired a few but ours are literature topic so we go in order of the index of C2C. No brainer! Good for you to be so organized!
Julia 16 months in program
kismetstrand said
Dec 30, 2005
Way cool Jumper Thumper!! Sounds like a home run hit!! Good job!
Cilla said
Dec 30, 2005
Afternoon Bob,
You are welcome... glad you were able to use the format. Guess I should of shared also how I was using that share to tie in to my meeting.... First I will be sharing the following as an introduction to the meeting:
As we look forward to the New Year ahead many people tend to set new goals and traditions, resolutions as they are called.
I have found that, although these thoughts and ideas can be very good things for us, many of us have a difficult time moving toward these new hopes. Instead we tend to allow the regrets of the past to keep a hold on us, preventing the ability within us to freely seek out new things in our lives, at least until we have the opportunity to unearth what it is we are holding on to.
Tonight's topic is titled: Leaving the City of Regret
Within this topic we will take a look at how we can move past guilt trips, pity parties, missed and lost opportunities, the should of, would of and could ofs in our lives, along with the if only I had done or said shackles, shattered dreams, and least but not last the blaming them, the blaming ourselves and the justifying our actions that have a tendency to roam around in the neighborhood of our minds.
Only until we move beyond these obstacles in our lives can we then be prepared to move into new places; such as "I forgive myself and "starting again".
Tonight, inside your envelopes is a copy of a letter, written by Larry Harp... please take it out and join me as I read this very cleverly written piece.
The second item in your envelop is your "plane ticket"... On them you will find either quotations, questions or a reading from ODAT, CTC or HFT to be shared.
Please share your experience, strength and hope tonight in what you have done to move beyond these areas or how you might do so this coming year.
(Note: The "plane ticket reads: Al-Anon Airways, Boarding Pass# 01/01/2006, Departure Date 01/01/2006, Departing From: The City of Regret, Arriving To: New Hope For Tomorrow - Then on the back is the reading information)
At the end of the meeting I will explain that there are two pieces of blank paper left in the envelope, one is to write on their name and place in a basket that is being passed around for a drawing of something I found that goes well with the meeting topic, the other piece is for them to write down an area of their past that they are willing to "let go and let God" that they are to take home and burn in their back yard.
Thanks Bob for letting me know that the meeting went well for you. I have found it helps to sometimes use some creative flares that sparks our fun sides. A recent workshop that I had the opportunity to attend also had a neat play that ended at a place named "Senerity Circle", some great creative writing when into that as well. Sounds like you did great to pull in the important topics that sprung forth from the writing as well.
Have a Happy New Year and hope to see you online in meetings this weekend sometime.
Cilla
bobump said
Dec 30, 2005
Wow Cilla,
That wasn't a topic, it was a theme ! LOL
Funny how I did something similiar w/ the quotes from literature. Not as creative though. Well if I did a meeting like that as my first, what would I don for an encore?
I'm just happy that I got past my first. Thanks for the material !
Geez you were really prepared! I have chaired a few but ours are literature topic so we go in order of the index of C2C. No brainer! Good for you to be so organized!
Julia 16 months in program
Afternoon Bob,
You are welcome... glad you were able to use the format. Guess I should of shared also how I was using that share to tie in to my meeting.... First I will be sharing the following as an introduction to the meeting:
As we look forward to the New Year ahead many people tend to set new goals and traditions, resolutions as they are called.
I have found that, although these thoughts and ideas can be very good things for us, many of us have a difficult time moving toward these new hopes. Instead we tend to allow the regrets of the past to keep a hold on us, preventing the ability within us to freely seek out new things in our lives, at least until we have the opportunity to unearth what it is we are holding on to.
Tonight's topic is titled: Leaving the City of Regret
Within this topic we will take a look at how we can move past guilt trips, pity parties, missed and lost opportunities, the should of, would of and could ofs in our lives, along with the if only I had done or said shackles, shattered dreams, and least but not last the blaming them, the blaming ourselves and the justifying our actions that have a tendency to roam around in the neighborhood of our minds.
Only until we move beyond these obstacles in our lives can we then be prepared to move into new places; such as "I forgive myself and "starting again".
Tonight, inside your envelopes is a copy of a letter, written by Larry Harp... please take it out and join me as I read this very cleverly written piece.
The second item in your envelop is your "plane ticket"... On them you will find either quotations, questions or a reading from ODAT, CTC or HFT to be shared.
Please share your experience, strength and hope tonight in what you have done to move beyond these areas or how you might do so this coming year.
(Note: The "plane ticket reads: Al-Anon Airways, Boarding Pass# 01/01/2006, Departure Date 01/01/2006, Departing From: The City of Regret, Arriving To: New Hope For Tomorrow - Then on the back is the reading information)
At the end of the meeting I will explain that there are two pieces of blank paper left in the envelope, one is to write on their name and place in a basket that is being passed around for a drawing of something I found that goes well with the meeting topic, the other piece is for them to write down an area of their past that they are willing to "let go and let God" that they are to take home and burn in their back yard.
Thanks Bob for letting me know that the meeting went well for you. I have found it helps to sometimes use some creative flares that sparks our fun sides. A recent workshop that I had the opportunity to attend also had a neat play that ended at a place named "Senerity Circle", some great creative writing when into that as well. Sounds like you did great to pull in the important topics that sprung forth from the writing as well.
Have a Happy New Year and hope to see you online in meetings this weekend sometime.
Cilla
Wow Cilla,
That wasn't a topic, it was a theme ! LOL
Funny how I did something similiar w/ the quotes from literature. Not as creative though. Well if I did a meeting like that as my first, what would I don for an encore?
I'm just happy that I got past my first. Thanks for the material !
Bob