September 21st, 2026
401-438-8860
Unity
Tradition 9- Long Form
Each A.A. group needs the least possible organization. Rotating leadership is the best. The small group may elect its secretary, the large group its rotating committee, and the groups of large metropolitan area their central or intergroup committee, which often employs a full-time secretary. The trustees of the General Service Board are, in effect, our A.A. General Service Committee. They are the custodians of our A.A. Tradition and the receivers of voluntary A.A. contributions by which we maintain our A.A. General Service Office at New York. They are authorized by the groups to handle our overall public relations, and they guarantee the integrity of our principal newspaper, the A.A. Grapevine. All such representatives are to be guided in the spirit of service, for true leaders in A.A. are but trusted and experienced servants of the whole. They derive no real authority from their titles; they do not govern. Universal respect is the key to their usefulness.
Group Anniversaries
Fri. Sept 4th Johnston- MAKING THE CHANGE-St Rocco’s Church, 927 Atwood Ave.7PM 18th Anniversary Guest Speakers and Italian Buffet
Tue. Sept. 15th Middletown- HANG 12- Y.A.N.A. Club, 770 Aquidneck Ave., Hy-Brid Zoom ID: 843 8908 8466 Password: 164800. 8th Anniversary. Guest Speakers &
Food/ Refreshments
Wed. Sept. 16th Seekonk, MA -H.O.W.-Seekonk Congregational Church (Woodworth Hall),
600 Fall River Ave. 7:00PM. 51st Anniversary Guest Speaker and Buffet
Wed. Sept. 30th Warwick –SURVIVAL -Warwick Central Baptist Church, 3270 Post Rd., 7PM. 50th Anniversary. Guest Speaker/Snacks
DISBANDED
Lincoln- FOOTPRINTS– Lincoln Woods State Park, Daily at 7PM
Dartmouth, MA- FRIDAY NIGHT BEGINNERS– St Mary’s Church, 783 Dartmouth St. Fridays at 6PM
CHANGES
No Providence- REFLECTIONS IN SOBRIETY- has changed their meeting night .They will now meet at Allendale Baptist Church, 545 Woonasquatucket Ave., Wednesdays at 7:30PM
Dartmouth, MA- FRIDAY NIGHT – Open Speaker St Mary’s Church, 783 Dartmouth St. has changed their start time. They will now meet on Fridays starting at 6:30PM
Service
R.I.C.S PI/DUI Committee is recruiting a pool of Volunteer Speakers willing to occasionally share at State Driver Retraining Classes. We will be answering requests from all CCRI Campuses (Lincoln, Warwick, Newport and Providence). If you would like to volunteer for this vital service or would like more information please contact Gordon E. at Gordone1256@gmail.com or call the Central Service Office
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
ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS- A NEWCOMER NEEDS YOUR HELP
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, September 16th, 2026, at 7:00 PM. Zoom Meeting ID: 312 255 2726 – Password Meeting ID and links will be sent to all registered Central Service Delegates
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 Wednesday, September 18th, at 9AM
EXPECT A MIRICLE group will host a District 6 JOY OF SERVICESt Paul’s Lutheran Church, 389 Greenwich Ave., WarwickFriday, September 18th at 5PMTheme: What’s a Committee? – Bingo game for Prizes
RISCYPAA will hold it next Hy-Brid Business Meeting Sunday, August 30th, 2026, 1PM- 3PM at RI Area 61 Office, 3649 Post Rd., in Warick- Zoom ID 859 5568 6770 password AREA61with Fellowship to Follow
AREA 61 will be conducting a AREA INVENTORYA survey for AA members in AREA 61We need your perspective to better serve our AreaTo participate go https://aainri.com/the-delegates-corner
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 facilities
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 deadline for submitting any information for the next today is Friday September 18th , 2026
Please Be aware that the RI Central Service Office will be closed on Monday September 7th In Celebration of Labor Day
Recovery
RI Central Service will sponsor a monthly virtual “OPEN MIC NIGHT NITE” Saturday September 5th – Starting at 8PM. Zoom Meeting ID: 856 8703 0297 Passcode:891419 Anyone interested in performing or needing more information should contact Austin D Email: 1wholestep@gmail.com
RISCYPAA will host a RETREAT 2026Camp Fuller, 619 Camp Fuller Road, South Kingstown. September 11th thru September 13thWeekend Registration $100 / Saturday Day Pass $35Meals included Register at https://form.jotform.com/260648053575159
The BROKEN ELEVATOR group will sponsor the 16th Annual Rhody Recovery Big Book WeekendCamp Fuller, 619 Camp Fuller Rd, Wakefield, Friday Sept 25th to Sunday Sept.27th Registration – $100, 2-nights Camping w/Meals -Workshops and Guest Speakers, Visit https://www.RHODYRECOVERY.com
THE NINTH CONCEPT OF SERVICE:
We serve by being a personal spiritual example of good leadership. We seek advice. We accept criticism and disagreement. We compromise. We take tough stands. We exercise vision.
Print PDF Copy Of Today
*Please Check this Page regularly for Changes / Updates indicated by green print
Tradition Nine
BY: BILL W.
The least possible organization, that’s our universal ideal. No fees, or dues, no rules imposed on anybody, one alcoholic bringing recovery to the next; that’s the substance of what we most desire, isn’t it?
But how shall this simple ideal best be realized? Often a question, that.
We have, for example, the kind of AA who is for simplicity. Terrified of anything organized, he tells us that AA is getting too complicated. He thinks money only makes trouble, committees only make dissension, elections only make politics, paid workers only make professionals, and clubs only coddle slippers. Says he, let’s get back to coffee and cakes by cozy firesides. If any alcoholics stray our way, let’s look after them. But that’s enough. Simplicity is our answer.
Quite opposed to such halcyon simplicity is the AA promoter. Left to himself, he would “bang the cannon and twang the lyre” at every crossroad of the world. Millions for drunks, great AA hospitals, batteries of paid organizer, and publicity experts wielding all the latest paraphernalia of sound and script; such would be our promoters dream. “Yes, sir,” he would bark. “My two-year plan calls for one million AA members by 1950!”
For one, I’m glad we have both conservatives and enthusiasts. They teach us much. The conservative will surely see to it that the AA movement never gets overly organized. But the promoter will continue to remind us of our terrific obligation to the newcomer and to those hundreds of thousands of alcoholics still waiting all over the world to hear of AA.
We shall, naturally, take the firm and safe middle course. AA has always violently resisted the idea of any general organization. Yet, paradoxically, we have ever stoutly insisted upon organizing certain special services; mostly those absolutely necessary to effective and plentiful Twelfth Step work.
If, for instance, an AA group elects a secretary or rotating committee, if an area forms an intergroup committee, if we set up a foundation, a general office or a Grapevine, then we are organized for service. The AA book and pamphlets, our meeting places and clubs, our dinners and regional assemblies — these are services, too. Nor can we secure good hospital connections, properly sponsor new prospects, and obtain good public relations just by chance. People have to be appointed to look after these things, sometimes paid people. Special services are performed.
But by none of these special services has our spiritual or social activity, the great current of AA, ever been really organized or professionalized. Yet our recovery program has been enormously aided. While important, these service activities are very small by contrast with our main effort.
As such facts and distinctions become clear, we shall easily lay aside our fears of blighting organization or hazardous wealth. As a movement, we shall remain comfortably poor, for our service expenses are trifling.
With such assurances, we shall without doubt continue to improve and extend our vital lifelines of special service; to better carry our AA message to others; to make for ourselves a finer, greater Society, and, God willing, to assure Alcoholics Anonymous a long life and perfect unity.
Copyright © The A.A. Grapevine, Inc., August 1948