May 2-7: OA World Service Business Conference, Albuquerque, NM
Tues., May 3: Ocean & Bay Intergroup meeting (Spring event planning at 6:30 p.m., book sales at 7 p.m., meeting at 7:30 p.m.) St. Patrick Church 2068 Cranston St., Cranston, RI. ALL WELCOME.
Sun., May 8: OA Virtual Workshop, "Service & My Recovery," 3-4 p.m. Dial 641-715-3818 and enter PIN 925619#.
June 3-5: A Guided Journey Through the 12 Steps of OA Retreat sponsored by Western Mass Intergroup, Genesis Spiritual Life Center, Westfield, MA
June 17-19: "Tranquility: Keep It Simple" Retreat sponsored by Southeastern Connecticut Intergroup. Incarnation Conference Center, Ivoryton, CT. Call Beatrice (508)596-0418 or Annette (203)671-4656.
Sat., June 25: "Twelve Steps to Freedom" One-Day Retreat (9am to 4pm) sponsored by North Shore Intergroup at Notre Dame Spirituality Center, Ipswich, MA.
Sept. 1-4: World Service Convention, Boston, MA. See article for details.
Oct. 7-9: 14th Annual Retreat "Here are the steps we took..." sponsored by Central and Southern Maine, Marie Joseph Spiritual Center, Biddeford Pool, Maine
Retreat Flyer |
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Ocean & Bay Intergroup Meeting
Next Meeting:
Tuesday, May 2nd
We meet on the first Tuesday of each month and ALL OA MEMBERS are welcome. Be sure your group is represented!
- Literature Sales 7-7:30 pm
- Intergroup Meeting 7:30-8:30 pm
St. Patrick Catholic Church 2068 Cranston Street, Cranston, RI 02920.
Directions
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Lifeline Deadline
Submit your writing today!
SEPTEMBER ISSUE
Deadline: 5/15/16
Changing Me, Not the Program
How do you use the program to "build a bridge and get over it"? What steps have you had to take to get over yourself? How did Step Two help you "resign from the debating society" (AA Twelve and Twelve, p. 26) and get on with recovery?
Anorexia and Bulimia Share your experience, strength, and hope related to using OA and the Twelve Steps to recover from anorexia or bulimia.
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Seventh Tradition
The Seventh Tradition states OA is fully self-supporting, accepting contributions only from OA members. Groups may send either monthly or periodic donations (via mail or in person) to Intergroup. Thank you for your donation, which helps us to spread the word of recovery. Intergroup treasurer reports are always available to members.
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Intergroup Board
CONTACT US
Corr. Secretary - Leah
Others holding Intergroup positions: Natalie, Beth, Deanna, Kara, Leslie & Libby.
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Mission & Vision
Ocean & Bay Intergroup is dedicated to supporting individuals in need of recovery from compulsive eating (e.g.: overeating, bulimia, anorexia) through carrying the OA message and empowering all meetings within the Intergroup.
1. Help members strengthen their personal recovery
2. Increase the number of sponsors
3. Increase the number of newcomers
4. Increase the retention of newcomers
5. Help those in relapse
6. Inspire people to give more service
7. Increase outreach activities, including outreach to members and healthcare professionals
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Ocean & Bay Website!
oceanandbay.org
includes events, meeting list, info for newcomers, and more!
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Dear Fellow OA Member:
Imagine watching Jeopardy one night and Overeaters Anonymous is a category -- you might hear Alex Trebek give the clue, "To carry its message to the still suffering compulsive overeater." Hurry now, hit the buzzer. "What is each group has but one primary purpose,"
* you answer. Correct! You mean it isn't to stop bingeing, get thin, and become serene. Surely those are benefits of being abstinent and working the 12 Steps of OA, but not the primary purpose of OA. When we recover we are meant to share this precious gift with others above and beyond all else. That means carrying the message to those who have never heard of OA, who are new to OA, and who are in the rooms longing to become abstinent and get well. Consider when you last carried your message of recovery from food addiction and compulsive overeating to someone new and how your group does with outreach and welcoming newcomers and returning members. Remember the saying heard in the rooms, "In order to keep it, you must give it away."
My hand in yours,
Leslie A.
*Tradition 5:
Each group has but one primary purpose -- to carry its message to the still suffering compulsive overeater.
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Focus on Relapse Meeting
On the
first Saturday of the month, the
12 Steps Within group sidelines their OA step books that they use the other weeks and takes out OA's "New Beginnings: Stories of Recovery from Relapse."
Along with reading and discussing the stories of recovery from relapse from "New Beginnings," the group includes a brief writing exercise.
SATURDAYS @ 10 a.m.
(Relapse-focused meeting on 1st Saturday)
St. Luke's Episcopal Church
99 Pierce Street
East Greenwich, RI
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Ocean & Bay Intergroup News
All OA members are welcome to attend Ocean & Bay Intergroup (OBI) meetings held the first Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at St. Patrick Church, 2068 Cranston Street, Cranston, RI.
The next meeting is Tuesday, May 3rd.
What's news:
- Faith was elected the new Vice Chair of Intergoup. Thanks for your service to OA!
- Kara M. is representing OBI at the OA World Service Business Conference in Albuquerque, NM, May 2-7. Look for her report in the June's newsletter.
- The Women's Prison Initiative is the service of taking an OA meeting to incarcerated women in Cranston once a month. The team reports they are all set with monetary donations, but are still accepting donations of literature. They thank all the groups for their generous support.
- The price of Newcomer Packets has increased to $3.25. Be sure your group has plenty on hand to help welcome the newcomer -- the most important person in the room!
Special notice to Groups:
- Groups are asked to check their meeting listing on the oa.org website. In addition to checking place and time of the meeting, contact information should be confirmed or updated.
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Treasure Chest
Little gems and pearls of wisdom from meetings and literature.
"God grant me the serenity to love their best, and never fear their worst." Bill W.
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CONVENTION COUNTDOWN!
The Trail to Freedom!
FOUR MONTHS to the
September 1-4
at the Boston Marriott Copley Place.
SCHEDULE
Check out the Tentative Schedule of Events to help you plan your days. Friday and Saturday are very full days.
HOTEL
The word on the street is that OA is working on securing more rooms at a nearby hotel. Sign up for email notifications on all the convention news, including if and when more rooms become available, at
[email protected].
REGISTRATION
There are a number of options for registration from one day to all four days. Don't be left out -- register today! It's a snap doing it online; just click the link to online registration below.
LOOK FOR UPCOMING INSIDER TIPS AND
HOW TO BE A DAYTRIPPER ON A BUDGET!
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Serenity
A chance for serenity is all that I yearn
to take all of life's lessons that I may learn
Learn to quiet the voices swirling 'round in my head
The ones that fill me with longing and dread
These voices they tell me I'm never measure up
Optimism has abandoned me, half empty is my cup
How am I to find serenity within such a cluttered mind
Not thin enough, pretty enough, rich enough
Not smart enough, tall enough, not lovable and kind
If I could learn to quiet the voices swirling 'round in my head
Perhaps that elusive serenity is just up ahead
Perhaps if I allow myself to believe
All of the qualities that others see in me
I may start on the path of healing my soul
Inner peace, inner beauty, surely my goal
Understanding these voices and where they come from
Is the first step I must take to let serenity come
I pray for sweet serenity to wash over me
So that I may become who others know me to be
A chance for serenity is all that yearn
~ CLML
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HOW TO START A MEETING
There is nothing quite like a face-to-face meeting. Have you ever thought it would be nice to have another meeting close to home and at a time that works in your busy schedule. Well, how about starting a new meeting -- think "build it and they will come."
Ocean & Bay Intergroup will be happy to help you start a new meeting -- just contact one of board members or reps. Also, OA World Service has a publication to help members start a meeting. Click on the link below for some helpful info:
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Step, Tradition & Concept of the Month 
STEP 5 - Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
TRADITION 5 - Each group has but one primary purpose -- to carry its message to the compulsive overeater who still suffers.
CONCEPT 5- Individuals have the right of appeal and petition in order to ensure that their opinions and personal grievances will be carefully considered.
*PURPOSE is the Spiritual Principle of the Fifth Tradition.
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GROUP RESOURCES
OA World Service has a number of resources available to help OA groups. Documents include suggested formats to recommended literature and group inventory to twelve stepping a problem, and more. Click on the link below:
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Suggestions for Breaking Free from Relapse
- Pick up the tool,"Action Plan," by writing a list of things you are willing to do and do them.
- Talk to a relapse survivor.
- Join or rejoin a group.
- Get on your knees (if you can) and pray.
- Read the daily reading from "For Today" or "Voices of Recovery."
- Write a gratitude list -- everyday for a week.
~ LA
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UPCOMING ISSUES
- OA resources on sponsorship
- Convention Insider Tips
- Going to the Convention as a Daytripper on a Budget
- How to have an abstinent summer
REMINDER: This is your newsletter, so please send in your writing contribution -- a little story, your experience on a topic such as sponsorship or one of the other tools, or a poem or words of wisdom. You can be anonymous or provide a name or initials.
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Please note that every effort has been made to adhere to OA's policy for newsletter publications. Opinions and experiences expressed within are those of the individual writer and not OA as a whole. We welcome your experience, too. Send your news or story to:
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