HOW
Overeaters Anonymous
Suggested Format for a “Speaker” Meeting
Good ______! (morning, afternoon, evening)
Welcome to the ______meeting of HOW Overeaters Anonymous.
My name is ______.
I'm a compulsive overeater and your leader for this meeting.
To open the meeting, let's have a moment of quiet meditation followed by the Serenity Prayer.
"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference."
I assume I am not alone, but just for the record, are there any other compulsive overeaters here beside myself?
(Wait for response, then continue...)
This meeting is a friendly place. We want to get to know each other. If anyone is here for the first time, we ask that you stand and say your first name so that we might greet you.
(Wait for response, then continue…)
The "We Care" list is now being circulated. Feel free to write your name and phone number in the designated columns. The list is used by the "We Care" Chairperson to telephone newcomers, welcoming them to our Fellowship, and answering any questions. Also, those who are new will note that sponsors have checked that column next to their name; you may contact these people for information about the HOW/OA program.
HOW Overeaters Anonymous is a fellowship of individuals, who through shared experience and mutual support are recovering from compulsive overeating. We welcome everyone who wants to stop eating compulsively. There are no dues or fees for membership. We are self-supporting through our own contributions, neither soliciting nor accepting outside donations.
HOW/OA is not affiliated with any public or private organization, political movement, ideology, or religious doctrine. We take no position on outside issues. Our primary purpose is to abstain from compulsive overeating and to carry the message of recovery to those who still suffer.
I'm going to call on a volunteer to read the HOW Concept.
I'm going to call on a volunteer to read Chapter Three from the book, Alcoholics Anonymous.
I'm going to call on another volunteer to read from Chapter Five from the book, Alcoholics Anonymous. We've adapted it to the needs of compulsive overeaters by adding an introduction and changing the word "alcoholic" to “compulsive overeater."
I'm going to call on a volunteer to read the Twelve Steps of Recovery.
I'm going to call on a volunteer to read the Twelve Traditions of our program.
I'm going to call on a volunteer to read the Twelve Concepts of our program.
As you just heard, our Seventh Tradition tells us that we must be fully self-supporting through our own contributions. The money collected goes to support this meeting and its expenses, as well as reaching out to other meetings, members and levels of the OA organization to help spread the message that there is recovery from compulsive overeating. As we pass the basket, please give generously.
(Pass the basket.)
As our experienced members know, we have Eight Tools of the program. I am going to call on eight abstaining members of the meeting to read the tool and make a brief comment about the tool if they wish.
1. Abstinence
2. Sponsorship
Will all sponsors and maintenance sponsors please stand, introduce themselves and qualify with weight release and back-to-back abstinence.
(Wait for the final sponsor to qualify.)
3. Phone calls
4. Reading, Writing, and Burning
5. Anonymity
6. Meetings
7. Service
8. Action Plan
Will all service chairpersons for this meeting and for intergroup please stand, introduce themselves and tell which service they perform.
(Wait for the final introduction.)
Literature and books will be available at the break.
Will all available sponsors please stand and say their name.
(Wait for sponsors to stand.)
If you wish to be sponsored in this program, or perhaps get a deeper explanation of what the HOW program is about, please come to the speaker's table or contact one of these sponsors during the break.
At this time there will be a five (5) minute break.
(Take a five (5) minute break… (After five minutes…)
Welcome back! I would like to read from the book of Overeaters Anonymous 12 Steps and 12 Traditions, page 203:
“In OA, we learn that our recovery comes to us through the principles of the program, not through personalities. We discover that we can learn from and work in harmony with people whose personalities we dislike, as long as we focus on OA principles. Many an OA has had the experience of hearing from the lips of fellow members who we heartily disliked, the words that saved us when we were floundering.
Many of us have also had the experience of setting certain members on pedestals, only to have them climb down or fall off. Sometimes we’ve tried to build our program around one person we admired, a sponsor or a speaker. The day inevitable came when that person failed us in some way, and our own recovery was threatened. It was then that we learned the importance of placing principles before personalities. We have found through years of experience that the principles of OA are failure-proof. They are the solid bedrock upon which we can construct meaningful lives.”
At this point in our meeting, we ask the group to join us as we celebrate another example of the miracles that abound in OA. The Stepping Up portion of the meeting asks a sponsor to introduce a newcomer who has at least thirty days of back-to-back abstinence. Further, the newcomer has taken the first Three Steps of the program and is now ready to become a sponsor.
Are there any step-ups?
(As the sponsors and newcomers gather at the front…)
We present the newcomer with a frail plant, symbolizing our growth in the program. We came here needy and OA nurtured us the way the newcomer, now a sponsor, must nurture the plant to help it grow and stay healthy.
(Ask the sponsor(s) to introduce the newcomer(s) to be stepped up.)
(After the step-ups…)
Are there any reports from the secretary, treasurer, or intergroup chairpersons?
(Pause for reports, if any…)
***** It is my pleasure to introduce ______, who is our speaker for today. The speaker will speak for 20 minutes.
(When you've concluded…)
At this point the floor is open for three (3) minute positive pitches. A pitch is an experience that has helped us grow and given us a new level of awareness. We encourage those with less than 30 days of continuous back-to-back abstinence to first discuss their sharing with their sponsor.
We feel that sharing our experience, strength and hope is a very beneficial part of recovery. We hope to keep our meeting positive, therefore, if a negative experience is to be shared, let us realize there is a positive result to be found. When someone is sharing, it is very important not to interrupt, comment on, or react; no matter how loving your intent, it is a rejection and can turn off someone's sharing. We ask that specific foods not be mentioned or described, and that we not have cross talk so that everyone has a chance to share.
(After the final pitch…)
Thank you for asking me to be your leader. I remind the entire group of our cherished tradition of ANONYMITY:
What you see here,
What you hear here,
When you leave here,
Let it stay here.
I'm going to call on a volunteer to read (…choose one) Just for Today, The Promises, or A Vision for You.
Will those who wish to, please join me in saying (…choose one) the Serenity Prayer, the Third Step Prayer, the Seventh Step Prayer, or the Unity Prayer.
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