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June 2-4: WMI OA Retreat: A Weekend Walk Th
rough the Steps at Genesis Spiritual Center.
June 2-4: Using the Steps to Navigate the Ups and Downs of Relapse Retreat sponsored by MetroWest Intergroup, Sacred Heart Retreat Center in Wareham, MA
Flyer
Saturday, June 3: North Shore Intergroup 7th Annual Retreat, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Notre Dame Spirituality Center, 30 Jeffrey's Neck Road, Ipswich, MA
Tuesday, June 6: Sponsorship: I'm Not Ready But My Sponsor Thinks I Am, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., St. Patrick's Church, 2068 Cranston Street, Cranston, RI Sponsored by Ocean & Bay Intergroup
Flyer
Tuesday, June 6: Ocean and Bay Intergroup Meeting
6 p.m.: Mini Workshop
7 p.m.: Literature Sales & Fellowship
7:30 p.m.: Meeting
St. Patrick's Church,
2068 Cranston Street, Cranston, RI.
Saturday, June 10: 12 Steps in 5 Hours, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., St. John's Episcopal Church, 8 Revere St., Jamaica Plain, MA. Marcela 617-501-6275.
June 23-25: Tranquility: Get Motivated weekend retreat sponsored by Southeastern Connecticut Intergroup at Incarnation Conference Center, Ivoryton, CT
Flyer
Tuesday, July 11: Mini Workshop: Acceptance is the Answer,
6 p.m. to 7 p.m., St. Patrick's Church, 2068 Cranston Street, Cranston, RI Sponsored by Ocean & Bay Intergroup
Tuesday, July 11:
Ocean and Bay Intergroup Meeting
6 p.m.: Mini Workshop
7 p.m.: Literature Sales & Fellowship
7:30 p.m.: Meeting
St. Patrick's Church,
2068 Cranston Street, Cranston, RI.
Tuesday, August 1: Mini Workshop: Spirituality: Discovering, Defining, Uncovering and Refining Your Relationship with Your Higher Power,
6 p.m. to 7 p.m., St. Patrick's Church, 2068 Cranston Street, Cranston, RI Sponsored by Ocean & Bay Intergroup
Tuesday, August 1:
Ocean and Bay Intergroup Meeting
6 p.m.: Mini Workshop
7 p.m.: Literature Sales & Fellowship
7:30 p.m.: Meeting
St. Patrick's Church,
2068 Cranston Street, Cranston, RI.
Tuesday, September 5: Mini Workshop: Step 4 Inventory: Using the Worsheets in the New OA Workbook.
6 p.m. to 7 p.m., St. Patrick's Church, 2068 Cranston Street, Cranston, RI Sponsored by Ocean & Bay Intergrou
p
Flyer
Ocean and Bay Intergroup Meeting
6 p.m.: Mini Workshop
7 p.m.: Literature Sales & Fellowship
7:30 p.m.: Meeting
St. Patrick's Church,
2068 Cranston Street, Cranston, RI.
Tuesday, October 3: Mini Workshop: Character Defects: Chipping Away at the Fears & Revealing the Strengths that are within Me
Tuesday, October 3:
Ocean and Bay Intergroup Meeting
6 p.m.: Mini Workshop
7 p.m.: Literature Sales & Fellowship
7:30 p.m.: Meeting
St. Patrick's Church,
2068 Cranston Street, Cranston, RI.
October 6-8: Second Annual Fall Into Recovery: Practicing These Principles in all our Affairs, Espousal Retreat House, 554 Lexington St., Waltham, MA
Flyer
October 6-8: Here are the Steps we Took 15th Annual Retreat, Marie Joseph Spiritual Center, Biddeford Pool, ME
Flyer
October 20-22:
2017 Region 6 Convention, Sheraton Parkway Toronto North, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Saturday, Oct. 28: Central Mass Intergroup Day Workshop, Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester, 90 Holden St., Worcester, MA
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PHONE SUPPORT AVAILABLE ON
MAJOR HOLIDAYS
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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.
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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 -- just ask.
On average, six groups donate each month. Does your group donate on a regular basis?
To send donations (payable to Ocean & Bay Intergroup) via mail:
Ocean and Bay Intergroup
Attn: Treasurer
P.O. Box 41273
Providence, RI 02940
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LIFELINE DEADLINE
OCTOBER 2017
Deadline: 6/15/17
Celebrating Abstinence
Share your experience about becoming abstinent and tips for maintaining abstinence. How did you discover your personal abstinence? How does the plan of eating Tool help you keep abstinent? What must you do to maintain abstinence? How do you make it a priority? What are the benefits of abstinence?
Many Ways to Work the Program
Let's celebrate OA unity by sharing about our diverse program. For example, OA offers about forty types of special topic and special focus meetings, such as "men," "young people," and "Lifeline"; and any OA member can attend any of these meetings. If your regular meeting has a special focus or special topic, or if you have tried one of these meetings, share what you learned and how it has helped your recovery.
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Intergroup Board
CONTACT US
Corresponding Secretary - Lea
Other Service Positions:
Public Information/ Professional Outreach: Holly
Inmate Initiative: Natalie
Meeting List: Deanna
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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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Meeting List
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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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____________________________
Ocean & Bay Website!
oceanandbay.org
includes events, meeting list, info for newcomers, and more!
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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.
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Dear Fellow OA Member:
When June rolls around I can't help but feel gratitude for June 10th -- Alcoholics Anonymous Founder's Day and the date I first walked through the doors of Overeaters Anonymous. No coincidences -- that has been one of the great lessons over the years -- things align when we don't plan or expect it. Some call that "God shots."
Last month I had a number of God shots. It started on the last day of my vacation when I read the expression "fourth dimension" in the
Big Book of AA* in the morning and later that day it was a clue to a word puzzle in a national newspaper. Later that week it happened again; this time at a meeting when the person talking to me said, "it is the easier softer way" and a person sitting nearby quickly turned and said, with
Daily Reflections* in hand, "I don't believe it -- it says "easier softer way" right here on this page." (It was the title of the reading.) Yet again, a few days later I had the radio on and I was texting with my sponsor. Just as I am typing "no excuses," the DJ says those very words.
So, what does it all mean? Non-believers may not make much of it, but for those of us with faith in a Higher Power, we love to connect the dots and find messages in such events. I may or may not know what God's messages and plans are for me all the time, but I do know I love receiving God shots, all the way back to the day I was welcomed home in my first OA meetin
g. After all, coincidences are God's way of remaining anonymous.
My hand in yours,
Leslie
*OA-approved literat
ure includes some publications
from Alcoholics Anonymous.
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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 St. Patrick Church, 2068 Cranston Street, Cranston, RI. The next meeting is
TUESDAY, JUNE 6th at 7:30 p.m., with literature sales at 7 p.m.
PRIOR TO THE MEETING -- THE MINI WORKSHOP, "SPONSORSHIP: I am not ready, but my sponsor thinks I am" 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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OCEAN & BAY INTERGROUP
SPONSORSHIP
I Am Not Ready BUT
My Sponsor Thinks I Am
TUESDAY, JUNE 6th @ 6 p.m.
St. Patrick Catholic Church
2068 Cranston Street
Cranston, RI 02920
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UPCOMING MINI WORKSHOPS
NOT TO BE MISSED!
Sponsored by Ocean & Bay Intergroup
FIRST TUESDAYS (except July) @ 6 p.m.
July 11 - ACCEPTANCE is the Answer
August 1 - SPIRITUALITY: Discovering, Defining, Uncovering, and Refining Your Relationship with Your Higher Power
September 5 - STEP 4 INVENTORY: Using the Worksheets in the New OA Workbook
October 3 - CHARACTER DEFECTS: Chipping Away at the Fears and Revealing the Strengths that are Within Me
November 7 - ABSTINENCE: A Plan of Eating and Going Further
December 5
- CARRYING THE MESSAGE to Those Who S
till Suffer
St. Patrick Catholic Church
2068 Cranston Street
Cranston, RI 02920
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LIFELINE
, OA's international magazine, serves as an indispensable "meeting-on-the-go." Since 1962, when the first issue debuted as the OA Bulletin,
Lifeline
has offered encouragement and hope to thousands of readers. Tucked in a purse, a suit coat pocket, or a lunch bag, Lifeline accompanies members around the world,
ready to provide inspiration and support when needed.
Lifeline is available both as a print magazine and an online magazine.
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Reg
ion 6 Con
vent
ion
TORONTO
Stepping
Up For
RECOVERY
October 20-21
2017
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Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel and Suites
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Hotel Reservations Open
Early Bird Convention Registration through August 15th
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Tools of Recovery
"In working Overeaters Anonymous' Twelve-Step program of recovery from compulsive overeating, we have found that a number of tools are available to assist us. We use these tools ... on a regular basis, to help us achieve and maintain abstinence and recover from our disease."
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The Tools of Recovery p.1
TOOL OF THE MONTH
LITERATURE
We read OA-approved books, pamphlets and
Lifeline magazine. Reading literature daily reinforces how to live the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions.
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Little gems and pearls of wisdom from meetings
and literature.
Progress not perfection, but perfection is the direction.
Action has to accompany willingness.
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Q: How would you describe how you sponsor?
Faith: First, I pray to the Lord to ask if this is a good person for me to sponsor.
Then I would have a conversation with the person and ask her to tell me her story and her problems and what she's looking for. Then, I would tell her when I am free and need her to call.
I base my sponsoring on each individual because I know each person is very different and their needs differ. I get them on a plan of eating that will work for them and I teach them how to use the tools. That in itself takes a while and that's success when accomplished. How we proceed from there differs also according to my sponsee's needs.
Pat: I pray that I am a loving and kind sponsor just as my sponsor was with me. I do share like experiences with my sponsees, so I am a talking sponsor whom my God chooses to remind at times to listen more, talk less.
Q: How do you use the tool of literature?
Pat:
Every morning in my quiet time with my God, I use the Voices of Recovery daily reader this year (alternate with For Today reader). I'm so fortunate to attend several meetings where the literature is th
e topic of discussion - Voices of Recovery - Sunday 6 pm Portsmouth; For Today Tuesday 9:30 am Portsmouth; Big
Book Friday 9:30 am in Portsmouth; and the 12 and 12 is utilized Wednesday 7 pm in Middletown.
Q: Do you have a favorite piece of OA literature?
Pat: For a specifically OA piece of literature-
For Today daily reader, pamphlet --
Just For Today (keep this one in my wallet for easy access). Thanks for the question, this will
remind me to look at it more often.
Q: What literature would you recommend to a newcomer?
Faith:
What I would recommend to a newcomer about literature would be to first purchase OA Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (12 and 12) and I would have her read Step One. Then, I would have her purchase the "Big Book" of Alcoholics Anonymous and start her reading it. Anything else would be extra.
Pat: What was recommended to me as a newcomer - Big Book of A.A. and the 12 and 12. For Today daily reader when they can. For pamphlets - the Newcomer's packet is the best place to start.
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THE GIFT OF SPONSORSHIP
When I came into OA nearly 15 years ago, people at almost every meeting suggested I find a sponsor. It sounded great, but scary - since I might actually have to be accountable or do something I didn't want to do.
For months, I looked for just the "right" person and even spoke so several members about sponsoring me, but never followed up. My resistance was partly my fear and partly that I simply didn't understand that sponsorship is an integral part of this program. I had no idea what I was missing.
In
For Today
on page 353 it says, "The whole idea of having a sponsor is predicated on my need for spiritual guidance in working a spiritual program".
As I found connection with my fellow OAs, I also developed deep relationships with
people who shared my disease. Coming to understand that someone could know all about me and still love me was what finally enabled me a few months later to take the leap and get a sponsor.
Since then, I have had sponsors, been a sponsor, and even been fired by a sponsor who, by the grace of God, is now again in my life. She has always been kind and loving and has taught me to share with others what I've been given. I now know that sponsorship is the gift that came with this disease. It is something to be cherished, as together we can do what we could never do alone.
Anonymous
Rhode Island
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