Cypresswood Group — Meeting Formats & Downloads

Before the Meeting

• Always arrive early.
• Ensure the meeting room is clean and orderly.
• Start the meeting on time.
• Read the Group Meeting Format (format has been approved by the Group Conscience and should be followed).

During the Meeting

• For open discussion meetings, bring a topic pertaining to alcoholism or recovery in AA from AA-approved literature (list is in this book, as well as the first page of the Big Book).
• Pass the basket at the start of the meeting.
• End discussion five minutes before the meeting end time.
• Hand out chips.
• Close the meeting on time.
• Count money (counting money during the meeting can be disruptive).
• Put money in an envelope, record date and amount on the envelope, and put the envelope in the safe.

After the Meeting — Clean/Straighten Up Room

• Empty and rinse coffee pots.
• Last meeting of each day takes out the trash.
• Set A/Cs to 75°.
• Turn off the lights and fans.
• Lock the doors.

Chair Minimum Requirements

• 6 months sobriety to chair a meeting.
• 3 months sobriety to co-chair a meeting.

Chairperson Do’s and Don’ts

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Cypresswood Open Meeting Format
(Please refer to Chairperson responsibilities/duties on front of binder)

Hi! My name is ________and I'm an alcoholic. This is a regular OPEN meeting of the Cypresswood Group of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other so that they may solve their common problem and help each other 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, and neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

Please join me in a moment of silent prayer or meditation followed by the Serenity Prayer...

This is an open meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous. We ask in support of our Twelfth tradition which states, in part, that anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, that who you see here and what you hear here, please let it stay here. In support of AA's singleness of purpose, we ask that when discussing our problems, we confine ourselves to those problems as they relate to alcoholism. In accordance with AA's 7th tradition, which states that every AA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions, we will pass the basket NOW as to not disturb the meeting. Although there are no dues or fees for membership, your help is greatly appreciated in supporting this tradition.

Birthday nights are celebrated on the last Friday of each month. Speaker meeting is on the 3rd Saturday of each month. Are there any other AA related announcements? We request that all electronic devices be silenced during the meeting. Please be aware of the parking diagrams posted throughout the club to prevent you from parking in a restricted area. Coffee is $1.00 per cup; please put your money in the slot on the counter.

	Is there anyone attending their very first AA meeting? (if someone raises their hand then ask the following questions to qualify meeting type to have)
•	Do you think you have a problem with alcohol? / or do you have a desire to stop drinking?
•	If "yes", Cypresswood's Group Conscience voted that the group have a meeting on Step 1
	Is there anyone attending with less than 30 days of sobriety?
	Do we have any visitors to the group who would like to be recognized?

_______  has volunteered to read….. (How it Works or another reading from the Big Book)

Please limit your sharing to no more than 3 minutes, and please remember the lack of profanity will offend no one.  This is a non-smoking meeting and a non-smoking facility. Before leaving, please remember we are self-cleaning.

* Hand out chips, close meeting in prayer and please refer to Chairperson responsibilities / duties on front of binder.

• Lord’s Prayer

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Cypresswood Closed Meeting
(Please refer to Chairperson responsibilities/duties on front of binder)

Hi! My name is_______ and I'm an alcoholic. This is a regular CLOSED meeting of the Cypresswood Group of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other so that they may solve their common problem and help each other 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, and neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

Please join me in a moment of silent prayer or meditation followed by the Serenity Prayer...

This is a CLOSED meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous. Attendance at closed meetings is limited to persons who have a desire to stop drinking. If you think you have a problem with alcohol, you are welcome to attend this meeting. We ask in support of our Twelfth tradition which states, in part, that anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, that who you see here and what you hear here, please let it stay here. In support of AA's singleness of purpose, we ask that when discussing our problems, we confine ourselves to those problems as they relate to alcoholism. In accordance with AA's 7th tradition, which states that every AA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions, we will pass the basket NOW as to not disturb the meeting. Although there are no dues or fees for membership, your help is greatly appreciated in supporting this tradition.

Birthday nights are celebrated on the last Friday of each month. Speaker meeting is on the 3rd Saturday of each month. Are there any other AA related announcements? We request that all electronic devices be silenced during the meeting. Please be aware of the parking diagrams posted throughout the club to prevent you from parking in a restricted area. Coffee is $1.00 per cup; please put your money in the slot on the counter.

	Is there anyone attending their very first AA meeting? (if someone raises their hand then ask the following questions to qualify meeting type to have)
•	Do you think you have a problem with alcohol? / or do you have a desire to stop drinking?
•	If "yes", Cypresswood's Group Conscience voted that the group have a meeting on Step 1
	Is there anyone attending with less than 30 days of sobriety?
	Do we have any visitors to the group who would like to be recognized?

_______  has volunteered to read….. (How it Works or another reading from the Big Book)

Please limit your sharing to no more than 3 minutes, and please remember the lack of profanity will offend no one. This is a non-smoking meeting and a non-smoking facility. Before leaving, please remember we are self-cleaning.

* Hand out chips, close meeting in prayer and please refer to Chairperson responsibilities / duties on front of binder.

please refer to Chairperson responsibilities / duties on front of binder.

Download PDF