This website provides information about AA activities, workshops, events, district meetings, and AA meetings in the Fishtown, Port Richmond, and Kensington areas of Philadelphia, PA. If you have any information to add or corrections to make, please contact the webmaster.
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership. We are self-supporting through our own contributions. AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization, or institution, does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither supports nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.
In accordance with Tradition 7 that AA shall be self-supporting, District 60 only accepts donations from District 60 AA groups. But we do need your donations. Donations to GSO, Intergroup, and Area do not transfer to District. You need to contribute to each entity separately. To donate to District 60, use @Julia-Rainer on Venmo. Make sure that you type D60 in the note section. Or you can bring a check or cash to the monthly business meeting - usually the third Sunday at 1:00 PM (unless rescheduled to accomodate DCM obligations) - at St. Michael's Episcopal Church at Trenton Ave. and Cumberland St., Philadelphia, PA.
I, Ruth D., webmaster and previous DCM, attended the Preconference Sharing Session last week in Cornwall Borough, PA. Members from the Area presented ten proposed agenda items (PIAs) that will be discussed during the week-long General Service Conference in New York starting on April 26 of this year. These are not the only PIAs but they are the one most likely to become advisory actions. Our Delegate, Dan B., will be attending as a representative of our Area. This session was a way to inform him on our collective conscience.
As GSRs and members you are also invited to share your input and delve into the background information on these proposed agenda items. You can find it here. Note the password that you need to use to access the information. The survey is no longer available but you can certainly email the Delegate with your input if you'd like.
Following are the notes I took at the session. I noted both the arguments in favor of and against the PIAs even if I did not necessarily agree with them. I also included why I supported the agenda items or did not support them. You are certainly welcome to draw your own conclusions. If you have any questions, you have my number or you can email me.
Only recommendations passed by substantial unanimity (2/3) can become advisory actions. These are items that have a chance to survive their committee votes.
Archives B. Consider a request to define eligibility for Area-level service for members residing outside of the geographic area they want to serve.
Pro: Guidelines would dissuade ill-intentioned people. Would protect weak groups. Need to preserve proportionality of representative power. You have to live where you serve. Common sense would enforce that. Con: border between - say - NJ and Philadelphia is practically nonexistent. How would we even enforce it? (Presenters seemed woefully misinformed about what this PAI is about.)
I supported this agenda item. It is really about people representing parts of Areas where they do not live. It specifically refers to online groups and linguistic districs. Our Concepts point out that our leaders should have proportionate power. That means that a person being a member of an online group as well as a physical group could potentionally have too much power. We also want to pick the best and most appropriate people to lead us.And that should be people who live in the area they represent.
Corrections C. Consider a request to update the pamphlet "The A.A. Member – Medications and Other Drugs."
Pro: no new stories since 2011. Drug statuses have changed. Does not mention chronic acute pain. Marijuana was equated to heroin. Need section for OTC drugs. Gummies and medical marijuana are a thing now. Seems like people who argue against it are making a case for why it is necessary. There is also a story about quaaludes which have not been an issue for a very long time. Con: current pamphlet already reflects careful and delicate boundaries. We are not medical experts. Value of stories is not about being up to date but being real. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Nothing to gain.
I absolutely supported this agenda item. Since it has been updated, marijuana has been all but decriminalized. It is very common to see online ads for gummies. We need to provide guidance on this matter to people who might not understand that we are a program of complete abstinence. The pamphlet as it currently is does not adequately address the world as it is today.
Finance B. Discuss motion to add wording to Item F-3, "Self-Support: Where Money and Spirituality Mix."
Pro: adds recommendation to support GrapevineV/La Vigña via buying subscriptions and specialty books since they do not accept contributions. Con: Too wordy. Pamphlet already revised in 2024. Let's wait to see if expanded digital presence puts them back in the black. Would risk taking away from contributions to GSO.
Dan clarified what would happen if the other agenda item to accept contributions to GV/LaV passes. This agenda item would not longer be relevant.
Assuming that the Grapevine continues to not be allowed to accept contributions, I support the motion. We should be supporting our magazine.
Finance C. Consider a request to create a Twelve Step study guide or workbook.
Pro: Inspiration was incarcerated women who could not find sponsors. Need to be as accessible as possible. Reach out to anyone, anywhere. Still unable to access some prisons post COVID. Already non-conferenced approved guides being produced. Not all of them are good. We should make our own. Potential money-maker. Con:not a new conference agenda item. Brought up in 1964. Shot down every time. Big Book should be enough. Already have guides. Could dilute message. Result in self sponsorship. Could be overwhelming. Welcome newcomer with simple tools. Could force people into specific method of learning that is not suitable for everybody. We're not a self-help program. Workbook gives that impression.
I support this motion. The Big Book was the first example of providing guidance to people that the first one hundred people could never have hoped to sponsor directly. It was what people used before we had meetings everywhere and easy access to sponsors. A step study guide is simply another tool to help as many alcoholics as we can. And there are still people in prisons who cannot access sponsors easily despite what some people claimed. Also, we have members who live in extremely isolated areas (Northern Canada and Alaska for example) where finding sponsors is difficult. And even if you are not imprisoned or isolated, what is wrong with having a conference approved step guide? We should not relegate this duty to non-AA entities who may do a less than stellar job at it.
Finance D. Consider a request to discuss the location of the General Service Conference (GSC).
Pro: current location is too costly. Any way we can lighten the load is good. Costs have soared in recent years. Contributions are dropping. Studies have shown that any place else would be cheaper. Spiritual implications: stop holding on to old ideas. To say "we've always been in NY" is easier, softer way. Remember that it's just considering it. Con: the premises of the foundation. Only got feedback from 4 of 8 regions and not all of them able to accommodate the whole conference. GSO Staff live in NYC. Moving would require setting up premises in different place and ends up costing more anyway. Staff know the area.
I opposed this motion. The cost of moving the staff to a new location would negate any savings incurred by moving out of New York City.
Grapevine/La Vina F. Consider that the AA Grapevine, Inc., accept contributions.
Pro: 1954 was when they stopped getting contributions. A lot of costs in producing a magazine. Most of them survive on ads. Of course the Grapevine does not get ad revenue. Costs are rising. Subscriptions are not. Even online version requires funds for upkeep. Contributions will widen outreach. Con: AA entities are meant to be self supporting. Better to ask how do we strengthen model we already have. Lead by example. Subscribe yourself. Pay for somebody else's subscription. You can do it now. Contributions move away from actually using it. We're actually okay now.
I opposed this motion. Instead of sending contributions to the Grapevine, simply buy a subscription or buy a subscription for somebody else.
Literature I. Consider publishing the personal stories from the Fourth Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous not included in the draft Fifth Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Pro: Carry the message to the alcoholic who still suffers. Preserve the 30 stories not retained for the 5th Edition. Example: The Housewife Who Drank at Home. He Lived Only to Drink. My Bottle, my Resentments, and Me. These stories are valuable. Do these 30 stories need to be available in Conference approved form? There will be no more stories left from earlier editions. Donald, the archivist, was hot and bothered. Con: Cost and labor. Still plenty of 4th edition Big Books. Already archived. Previous archived stories in book form did not sell well.
I have no opinion on this PIA because we haven't even approved the 5th edition yet. This item is premature.
Report and Charter A.2. Discuss the A.A. Service Manual, 2026-2028 Edition - Consider request to remove a quote from Dr. Bob in The AA Service Manual.
The quote in question: Co-founder Dr. Bob said, "I spend a great deal of time passing on what I learned to others who want and need it badly. I do it for four reasons: 1. Sense of duty. 2. It is a pleasure. 3. Because in doing so I am paying my debt to the man who took time to pass it on to me. 4. Because every time I do it I take out a little more insurance for myself against a possible slip."
Pro: Out of context. Misleading. Written in 1939. Dr. Bob died in 1950. 1st conference was in 1951. We are altering his words essentially without his permission. Slippery slope. Does not provide additional guidance into service sponsorship. Ironically, nobody ever voted to put it in in the first place. Does not fit the section. Couldn’t we put in a more relevant quote? Con: Dr. Bob was key to making AA what it is today. Honors AA's roots. We're doing what we've always done. Quote honors our history. Carries the spirit of service into our future. (Practically no support for this item.)
I opposed this motion for the above reasons.
Treatment and Accessibilities E. Consider a request to review locally produced safety-related video service material and provide input on the potential for this video service material to be adapted for use by GSO.
Pro: videos are rooted in experience, strength, and hope of our groups. People more likely to watch video than read pamphlet. Feeling safe and welcome is key to people returning to meetings. Con: videos would need to be updated. Would require translation. Videos are long and repetitive. Laws in California do not necessarily apply in other areas.
I supported this motion. It struck me as helpful and pertinent. There is actually a whole series of these videos. Again, why not make use of all of our tools?
Trustees G. Consider a request to produce an animated video based on the pamphlet "The Twelve Steps Illustrated."
Pro:increases engagement. Some people will prefer videos to fusty old pamphlets. More accessibility. Power of telling a story. Grabbing attention. Some people cannot read. If it saves even 1 person, it's worth it. It's an introduction, not a substitute. And, not or. Con: Technology cannot speed up spiritual growth. Faster and easier is not better. Belies our unity. Video would not properly convey our program and would leave it open to misinterpretation. Cannot beat by being approached by ex-problem drinker. Need to be careful about taking work away from the recovered alcoholic who needs to help other alcoholics.
I support this agenda item. Nobody is saying this is a substitute for sponsorship. It is simply a way of conveying the message in a way that is more accessible to some people.
For further information on AA visit the Southeastern Pennsylvania Intergroup website, the Area 59 website, and the Alcoholics Anonymous website.