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January 17th , 2025
401-438-8860
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Unity
TRADITION TWO- Long Form
For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority – a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience.
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Group Anniversaries
Sat. Jan. 25th Westport- FREEDOM TO LIVE – Westport Grange Hall, 931 Main Rd., 7:30PM. 34th Anniversary
Sun. Feb 23rd – Portsmouth – AQUIDNECK ISLAND MEN’S – St. Barnabus Church,1697 East Main Rd., (43rd Anniversary). 6PM Guest Speaker and Buffet (Everyone Welcome) * Note: Location change for Anniversary
Tues. Feb 25th – Warwick- APPONAUG– Warwick Central Baptist Church, 3270 Post Rd., 7PM, 71st Anniversary. GS & Refreshments
NEW GROUPS
Providence- PROMISES- Open Big Book enhanced Step Meeting. Providence Community Church, 372 Wayland Ave., Saturdays at 9AM. First Meeting Saturday Jan. 4th
NEEDS SUPPORT
No. Kingstown- FIRESIDE–Closed Discussion. First Baptist Church, 44 Main St., Saturdays at 10AM
CHANGES
Warren- WOMEN AND THE 12 &12 –will be temporarily moving to St. Alexanders Church, 221 Main St. From Mon. Jan. 6th until Mon April 14th. New site is not Handicapped Accessible
North Scituate- NORTH SCITUATE-St Joseph’s Church, 144 Danielson Pike , will be changing their format to Open Discussion beginning Thursday, February 6th at 7:30PM
Coventry-FELLOWSHIP TOO– Sts John and Paul Parish Hall, 341 S. Main St., has changed their format to Open Discussion.
Bristol-MONDAY NIGHT-Open Literature. St Michael’s Parish Hall, 378 Hope St has changed its time. They now meet on Mondays from 7PM to 8:15PM
Warwick-JUST YOU MENS STEP-Pilgram Lutheran Church 1817 Warwick Ave., has changed their start time to 7PM beginning Monday February 3rd.
DISBANDED
Warren- CONSCIOUS CONTACT– East Bay Recovery Center, 31 Railroad Rd. Thursdys at 7:30PM
TEMPORARIALY DISBANDED
Pawtucket– TRIANGLE- Open Speaker, Smithfield Congregational Church, 514 Smithfield Ave. Fri at 7PM. Last meeting- Friday Jan. 10th . Until Further Notice. Meeting Place is closed but group will continue to honor all outgoing Commitments
BOOKIES MEETING
The DESIRE TO STOP group will host a Bookies Exchange Session the last Saturday of each month at 11:30AM (Prior to the OLD TIMERS MEETING) Cameron Recovery Center, 68 Falmouth St., Attleboro, MA
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Service
ATTENTION ALL GROUPS and INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS
RI CENTRAL SERVICE Treatment & ACCESSIBILITIES Committee will once again provide AA meetings for both the Detox Unit and the Dual Diagnosis Unit at Roger Willams Hospital. Any Groups or Individual member willing to provide AA Speakers for a monthly commitment please contact RI Central Service
RI Central Service is always in the process of up-dating our 12-STEP LIST. Anyone willing to be added to the list should contact their Group Secretary or call Central Service. “When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want the hand of AA always to be there and for that I am responsible
The next regular meeting for Central Service Delegates will be held Via Zoom on Wednesday, February 19th , 2025, New Delegates Orientation will begin at 6:45PM , Regular Delegates Meeting at 7PM Zoom Meeting ID: 312 255 2726 – Password : RICS1. Meeting ID and links will be sent to all registered Central Service Delegates and will also be available on website
We need volunteers to help with our monthly mailing – takes less than one hour. The next mailing will take place at Central Service, 1005 Waterman Ave, E. Providence on Wednesday , February 26th at 9AM.
“The Area 61 Treatment and Accessibilities Committee (TAC) is looking for groups to share their experience, strength and hope across RI in various treatment and detox facilities. Please visit the “Treatment and Accessibilities” sub-committee page on AAinRI.com (found under the “Area 61 Subcommittees” button in the main navigation bar) and click the “Submit Group Interest in Facility Commitment” button to see facilities in need of commitments. Please complete the required fields in the form and submit. A TAC member will respond within 72 hours with available day/time openings for the facility.”
So RI Intergroup is always looking for members willing to volunteer to do 12 Step Work. Manning the Office, Answering Phones, Rides, as well as people wanting to become involved in Committee Work. There are several Opportunities for Service Available Contact So RI Intergroup at 401-739-8777 for more information
**Please note the RI Central Service Office will be closed on Monday February 17th to observe Presidents Day
***Please note the deadline for submitting any information for the next today is Friday, February 21st
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RECOVERY
RICS will sponsor a virtual “OPEN MIC NIGHT NITE” Saturday Feb 1st Starting at 8PM. Zoom Meeting ID: 856 8703 0297 Passcode:891419 Anyone interested in performing or needing more information should contact Austin D Email: [email protected]om
Come one, Come all! Our 49th Annual RI State Convention will take place at the Newport Marriott Feb 7th- 9th, 2025. A wonderful weekend of Unity, Recovery and Service with great speakers from around the country, entertainment, marathon meetings and so much more. Don’t miss out! Register today at aainri.com – you can also buy meals and book rooms through the registration page.
**************************************************************“ “With respect to its own affairs, the collective conscience of the group will, given time, almost surely demonstrate its perfect dependability. The group conscience will, in the end, prove a far more infallible guide for group affairs than the decision of any individual member, however good or wise he may be.”
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Tradition Two: When They Kept It Simple
Serenity was restored
I belonged to an Eleventh Step group in a small village out in the country during my first year of sobriety. We met on Sunday mornings in the village grange, and the meeting was quite popular. We regularly drew about sixty people who came for our ten-minute meditation, followed by a speaker/discussion meeting.
The village was small and parking was tight, especially during the summer when tourists came to visit the surrounding countryside.
Occasionally, the town’s police officer would come in during the meeting to say we had to move such-and-such car away from a driveway, or that we were blocking some important access. The group realized that we had outgrown our space and discussions began on finding a larger space with better parking accommodations. This may sound like a simple proposition, but it became a volatile issue.
Many people loved the grange, and felt threatened by the prospect of moving. The meeting had been there for many years and some of us believed the spirituality of the meeting had infused the cinder block walls with a special feeling.
Our business meetings became difficult and more emotional as we discussed whether or not we should move. People interrupted one another to get their point across, and some ill will developed. I started to dread business meetings because I felt confused. The meeting itself could be so spiritual, nurturing, and loving, but the business meeting was governed more by insecurity, fear, and hurt feelings.
Then a member of the group with more than ten years of sobriety suggested that we begin our business meetings by reading the Second Tradition: “For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority–a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.”
The group chairperson followed the Second Tradition reading with a short statement that said, “We are holding this group conscience to discover our Higher Powers will about moving the meeting. We ask each member who participates in these discussions to do their best to leave their personal opinions out of their comments, to respect the comments of others, and to sincerely try to consider what’s best for our group.” This statement brought calm to our business meetings and returned civility and respect to our group conscience process.
Ultimately, the group conscience decided that we move the meeting to the local fire station where there was more parking and where our presence was less of a burden to the village. We got used to sitting among the fire trucks and now those walls, too, have been infused with the spirituality of our meditations, prayers, and discussions. I learned a valuable personal lesson during this process. The principles of our program can bring me back from my self-centered opinions to a sincere consideration of what is best for AA, and therefore what is best for me.
By: C.M. | Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Copyright © The A.A. Grapevine, Inc. February 2006
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