Ocean and Bay Intergroup logo
WAVES of HOPE













Serving OA in Rhode Island & Southeastern Massachusetts 

OCTOBER 2017
In This Issue
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PHONE SUPPORT AVAILABLE ON 
MAJOR HOLIDAYS

MARATHON PHONE MEETINGS ARE HELD ON  ALL MAJOR HOLIDAYS  EVERY HOUR ON THE HOUR BEGINNING AT 8 A.M. AROUND REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETINGS. EACH MARATHON HAS A TOPIC FOR THE DAY.

DIAL  712-432-5200
ENTER PIN  4285115#
 
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Meeting List
 
    Updated August 2017 

IMPORTANT!

GROUP CONTACT INFORMATION: Please check your group contact name and phone number on the local Ocean and Bay Meeting List. Send changes to  oceanandbayoa@yahoo.com.

Also, check your meeting listing and contact info on the Overeaters Anonymous website meeting list at oa.org. The oa.org website listing is different than the local meeting list and must be updated by your meeting contact person.

 
* Please call ahead to verify meetings are taking place, especially during holidays. 
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LINKS

New England Intergroups














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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. 

REMINDER: This is your newsletter, so please feel free to submit your writing contributions to: oceanandbayoa@yahoo.com.

You are also invited to be one of the members who provides answers for a Q&A. Again, just send us a note to: oceanandbayoa@yahoo.com.
Dear Fellow OA Member:

"Continued to take personal inventory...." Before Overeaters Anonymous, I had a vision of what I wanted -- college, trips, job, family, house, nice clothes, jewelry, etc. I got those things and they became my inventory, an inventory of "haves." However, none of those things helped me with my overeating and associated character defects. Fast forward to entering the rooms of OA and the Twelve Steps. It is here that my vision changed from what is on the outside to what is inside. How very often we hear, "It's an inside job." 

That inside job has meant going from "doing" the steps to "living" the steps. With that the ongoing mindfulness of Step 10 has played an important part in my program. Today, assessing my program, behaviors, actions, attitude, and words (especially my words) is the inventory I continue to take in order to live and grow in this incredible program of recovery. 

My hand in yours, 
Leslie
Ocean & Bay Intergroup News
 
All OA members are welcome to attend Ocean & Bay Intergroup (OBI) meetings held the first Tuesday of the month at St. Patrick Church, 2068 Cranston Street, Cranston, RI. The next meeting is TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3rd at 7:30 p.m., with literature sales at 7 p.m.  

PRIOR TO THE MEETING -- THE MINI WORKSHOP, "CHARACTER DEFECTS: Chipping Away at the Fears & Revealing teh Strengths that are within me" will start at 6 p.m.  FLYER   Come get a special boost to your program. You are welcome to stay for the Intergroup meeting after the workshop. 

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MINI WORKSHOP

TUESDAY
OCTOBER 3rd
6 - 7 PM

CHARACTER DEFECTS:
Chipping Away at the
Fears & Revealing
the Strengths that are within me


Sponsored by OCEAN & BAY INTERGROUP 
prior to the monthly Intergroup meeting
 
St. Patrick Catholic Church
2068 Cranston Street
Cranston, RI 02920

5th Anniversary Celebration! 


THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26th
10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. 

Lincoln Center Center
150 Jenkes Hill Road (Route 123)
Lincoln, RI 
OA IN THE COMMUNITY


On Saturday, Sept. 16th Ocean & Bay Intergroup participated in the Rally4Recovery at the Roger Williams National Memorial in Downtown Providence for the fifth straight year! Through the service efforts of our fellow members, OA's presence at the event has grown annually, making the rally one of the most important public information efforts on our annual calendar. The beautiful weather and shared spirit of recovery across the event was the perfect setting for our members doing service that day to extend the hand and heart of OA and carry the message of 12-Step recovery from compulsive eating and compulsive food behaviors to the public. Also, the rally, and other similar events, help us share in the fellowship with each other in a unique way outside the typical setting of a meeting or workshop.  

Special thanks to Samantha S. for leading the efforts as well as Cheryl L., Tina Y., and John C. for all their help on Rally day.  

If you would like to know what kinds of public information efforts are coming up next and would like to help, please stop by our next Intergroup meeting on October 3rd at 7:30 PM.

Jay, OBI Chair    
Wonderful Workshop
 
Our annual workshop "Practicing the Principles in All Our Affairs" took place on Sunday, Sept. 24th at Kent Hospital in Warwick. The Doctor's Auditorium provided a prefect setting for a wonderful event filled with recovery.  The workshop focused on the principle associated with each of the 12 Steps of OA as outlined in 'Step Twelve' of the book, The 12 Steps & 12 Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous. The workshop featured an opening speaker who lead a discussion on the principles associated with Steps 1-3 and a closing speaker who lead the discussion the principles associated with Steps 10-12. In between there were break-out sessions of smaller groups with speakers leading discussions on the principles associated with the "action steps" in pairs, 4-5, 6-7, and 8-9. There was also time for fellowship and conversation and activities, as well as a door prize raffle and a gift basket raffle. Feedback on the workshop has been extremely positive and we are already looking forward to hosting a 2018 Annual Workshop, hopefully with your help!

Thank you to our speakers who took the time to prepare their portion of the workshop and willingly shared their experience, strength, and hope in recovery: Sandy, Faith, John, Mary Jane, and Kara.

Special thanks to Tina, the workshop committee chairperson, and her small but hardworking and dedicated committee, and to all the volunteers who helped from set-up to clean-up and inception to evaluation. We get better together!

Jay, OBI Chair


COUNTDOWN TO CANADA!


Reg ion 6 Con vent ion
TORONTO
Stepping 
Up For 
RECOVERY
October 20-22
2017
Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel and Suites
Richmond Hill, Ontario
 

SAVE THE DATE!

Perhaps your group would like to do something to recognize these annual special days sponsored by OA World Service. 

Saturday, November 18th:
IDEA DAY  - International Day Experiencing Abstinence

Celebrated the third Saturday in November, this day encourages OA members worldwide to begin or reaffirm their abstinence from compulsive overeating.


 

Tuesday, December 12th:
Twelfth Step Within Day

A day to focus on carrying the message to OA members who are in relapse or still suffering from compulsive eating.

 
SURRENDER TO WIN has a NEW FORMAT!

1st Tues. - Step; 2nd Tues. - OA Story; 
3rd Tues. - For Today; 4th Tues. - Big Book

Meets Tuesdays at 7 p.m. at:

Kent Hospital
Trowbridge Building, Room 5B
455 Tollgate Road
Warwick, RI
  AND TIME! 

Tuesday Night OA Big Book Step Study 

As of OCTOBER 3rd, they will meet
6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. 
and move to:
Evergreen House Health Center
1 Evergreen Drive - off Warren Ave. 
East Providence, RI
Treasure Chest
Little gems and pearls of wisdom from meetings 
and literature. 

... we ought to look to God's Perfection as our guide rather than as a goal to be reached in any foreseeable time." Bill W., AA Grapevine, June 1961 

If you want God to move a mountain -- 
b ring a shovel. 
Using My OBI Journal for Step 10

90 Day Journal
I practice Step 10 by using the Ocean and Bay Journal. Each night I review my day and ask myself the questions inspired by the Big Book: Was I was resentful, selfish, dishonest or afraid? Do I owe an apology? Have I kept something to myself which should be discussed with another person at once? Was I kind and loving toward all? What could I have done better? The journal is a structured way to for me to remain vigilant with my step work and commit to using the tool of writing.

Kara M.

To order a copy of the Ocean & Bay Journal, contact your Intergroup Rep or write to oceanandbayoa@yahoo.com. 

Q&A

A Longtimer's Experience

How do you practice Step 10?    

My formal Step Tens are written in the Big Book 4-column format.  Also, each evening before I go to bed I do a mini-10th writing down a Debit, a Credit and a Gratitude.

* See the article on our OBI Journal and OA Podcast for more on Step 10. 
 
How did you come to recognize your character defects? 

Beginning with my 4th Step inventory and continuing with my God leading me through my 10th Steps, with the relief that comes from seeing my part and becoming willing to change and experience the gift of serenity.


* Check out the Mini-Workshop on Chipping Away Character Defects on Tuesday, Oct. 3 prior to the monthly Intergroup meeting. 

Pat D.
Ocean & Bay Intergroup 
P.O. Box 41273, Providence RI, 02940
Tel: 401-438-1301 | Email:   oceanandbayoa@yahoo.com