UA World Service Conference Convocation Notes
August 19, 2012
Trinity Place, New York City
- Gila’s announcement: Regarding meetings for which she took notes, people on phone and present at land meeting should send her their email addresses so she can verify what they said.
- Serenity Prayer
- Mike M. What is a convocation? It answers the question, Where do we go from here?/What do we do next?
- We need to decide at this meeting what to do with the 22 recommendations put together at this WSC. Mike would like to see them go to the GSB.
- Mike’s vision re the upcoming year: We create a UA service manual. The beginning of the manual could be the general format/agenda for future WSCs. It would also include:
- Public information manual
- By-laws
- Concepts
- Traditions
- Meeting format suggestions
- Business meeting suggestions
Drafts of these could be done by committee and circulated to the general membership, as well as presented to the general membership at a 3-day convention in April of 2013. The next WSC would be approximately a year from now [August of 2013].
- Peter Regarding awarding stipends to GSRs wanting to attend the WSC, he suggests we encourage each meeting to raise the funds to send their own GSR–that stipends [from the GSB?]only be awarded if that doesn’t work.
Mike Pointed out that in other fellowships a GSR’s trip to the WSC is indeed usually funded by their individual meeting. The problem in our fellowship is that the phone meetings don’t have their own treasuries; their donations go directly to the GSB. He thinks this is a topic that needs to be discussed before next year.
- Eddie E. Speaks in favor of the idea of a convention in six months and the next WSC in a year. Six months is more lead time than we’ve had so far for any of our national events, so it will be easier to get speakers.
Sonya (on the phone) Pointed out that in another fellowship they fly the reps out for the conference on a Wednesday, get the business taken care of, then have everyone else join them for the convention on the weekend. She suggests we try this, as well as seek out hotels specifically familiar with 12-step conventions.
- Andrew D. Regarding phone meetings raising the money to send their own GSRs: a treasurer appointed to hold a phone meeting’s money is not a secure arrangement, i.e., danger of theft/mismanagement. Suggested that a land meeting could in effect “sponsor” [my words—A.B.] a phone meeting, i.e., there would be two GSR collections at a specific land meeting: one for their own GSR, and one for the GSR of a specific phone meeting they’ve agreed to sponsor.
- Bella (phone) A conference six months from now would be end of January. Suggests that moving it later will get fuller participation.
- Maggie Speaks in favor of land meetings “adopting” phone meetings monetarily. The people who need money are out in hinterland in small meetings. Suggested the idea, “sister-city meeting.” [I’m not clear if the adopting is for phone meetings only of for small underfunded meetings in general. – A.B.]
- Katie Speaking to Sonya’s point (conference/convention at same time): in another fellowship, GSRs fly out on a Tuesday, start the annual business conference Wednesday, and everyone else joins them for the convention on Friday and Saturday. This whole thing happens once a year. Every other year they have a International Recovery Convention (IRC).
-Also suggested take the map and whoever was coming the farthest distance would get preference for funding.
-Also suggested that phone meetings could put the meeting number in the memo section of their checks, to earmark the money as a sort of treasury for that meeting.
- Bella Speaks in favor of convention/conference being held together in one 5-day period. Separate convention and conference would be two expenses instead of one. Also doubtful how far we can actually get with the 22 suggestions, etc., in six months.
- Mike M. Points out that only the WSC receives stipends from the GSB; the conference is paid for by individual members, although the GSB could provide seed money.
We should decide where/when to have our conference based on cost (e.g., not February/March in Florida). Could also consider college campuses during the break between semesters/school years.
- Gila Too much of the work is being born by too few people. We need to delegate. Perhaps have smaller workshops. Suggested , for example, that the group that answers the question, What is UA? would be the literature people. The group that answers the question, Who is UA? would be the social structure people. The group that covers the UA daily grind would be the phone meetings and the treasury.
- 13. Eddie E. Agrees meetings need to take more responsibility to fund GSR’s travel, but our meetings don’t have the money yet. Some form of stipend is still necessary.
- Andrew D. This is a simple issue: We’re overcoming underearning, so we must “ask for more.” Let’s just have two collections like in DA, one for rent and one for GSR. If we commit to this, and expect meetings to support their own GSR, the money will go up. This is following the principles of UA.
- Mike M. Ways of raising money: intergroups hold share-a-days. We could organize regular share-a-days. We could also have bake sales, dances, etc. These raise money and are fun.
- Portia Six months is too soon for a convention. Preparing for it will distract from ironing out the issues raised at this WSC. Concentrate of preparing for a WSC a year from now. The business side right now is more critical.
- Bella Agrees with Portia.
- Mike M. One reason for a convention in six months is it replaces the usual 3-day regional share-a-day with something open to the whole world.
- Peter Unclear on difference between convention and share-a-day. Thinks the GSB has enough work to do and a short-term deadline (convention/share-a-day) would be a distraction.
- Portia answering Peter: conventions and share-a-days are for fun, conferences are for business.
- Mark Suggests we only focus on WSC and the current 22 suggestions for now—hold off on plans for convention.
- Mike M. Let’s now talk about the 22 recommendations.
- Peter His vision re the 22 recommendations: 1. parse them out between committees, they decide how they want to approach the problem, and bring this suggested approach back to the GSB; 2. The GSB then comments on a committee’s suggested approach, yay or nay, etc.; 3. The committee does the actual work on the recommendation; 4. Approximately 3 months before the next WSC, the committees’ solutions will be taken to GSRs who will then present them to individual meetings as either information or confirmed decisions.
- Eddie E. Where would it be most cost-effective to have next WSC?
- Mike M. One factor is who’s willing to host it. It’s in New York this year, for instance, because New York was willing to host it.
- Andrew D. Suggests having next WSC in California, LA area. They have a strong program, it’s cheaper than London, and we need to create new relationships among the UA hubs.
- 27. Maggie Speaking to phone line [missed this—A.B.]: Reason we’re here today is to bring more leaders into place, not to trust existing, overworked committees. We need to take some of the responsibility off their shoulders.
- Bella Trust your leaders, but we [the leaders] are exhausted.
- Gila Wants to go through recommendations and put people into groups right now. “I’m here to be delegated to.”
- Mike M. If you’re looking to join a committee, first step is to go to GSB phone meeting, this mon. at 8:00. You’re doing service for yourself. We do it to right-size ourselves
- Mary Joan (phone) Is there list of committees/contact people for people who want to volunteer?
- Mike M. Go on GSB call. Get put on Google group and you’ll be in the loop.
- Ed W. Motion: form a committee to explore WSC in LA in late summer / early fall of 2013, to see if it’s cost-effective, if there’s a service infrastructure in place, etc.
Holly Motion seconded.
Discussion
Graciella: LA is extremely hot right now—over 110 degrees. October would be better.
Shoba: August/September is a good time. Lot’s of people available to get involved. Location near the water will make it cooler, and that would be easy/affordable to do.
Bella: Likes August/September
[Unknown—phone] : Late Aug./early Sept. is harder for mothers because of back-to-school.
Volunteers for LA World Service Conference Committee: Sonya, Maggie, Graciella, Susan H., Shobha, Bella.
Motion restated: To form a committee to explore having the next WSC in the LA area in late summer early fall of 2013, with or without a convention attached—all subject to the findings of the committee.
With friendly amendment [accepted] to have Eddie E. act as liaison between the above committee and the planning committee.
With friendly amendment [accepted] have the report from the committee presented to the GSB on September 20, 2012.
Comments/Questions
Sonya Suggests committee have a chairperson. Also asks, What specifically is the committee to determine? (e.g., hotels, dates, etc.)
The Vote Is Called: For: 49 (28 in land meeting, 21 on phone); Against: 0; Abstain: 1
- Peter Would like to see that we have a self-service website, and will explore this.
- Maggie Suggested the 22 recommendations be separated into categories.
- Mike M. Sees three possible outcome for the recommendations: 1. They go to committees; 2. They to directly to GSB and are made into motions; 3. They’re brought directly to the membership.
They’ll be sorted out on Monday’s GSB call. He recommends they go to committees that will then come back –either to the GSB or the membership–with motions.
- Holly Adds recommendation 23: The public outreach committee take a 3-month moratorium from accepting any media inquiries till we have an agreed-upon way to respond to them. This recommendation should go to the GSB.
- Eddie E. Adds recommendation 24: Someone should write a blurb about what happened this weekend as a public outreach.
- Motion to extend the meeting by [? Missed this—A.B.] minutes. Yes: 11 (6 phone, 5 land); No: 10 (1 phone, 9 land); Abstain: 7 (1 phone, 6 land). Motion does not carry.
- Close with the Serenity Prayer.