A Wellspring of Hope
Newsletter of The Recovery Group


March 2004
Volume 6, Issue 3



ser*en*dip*i*ty ~ (noun) First appeared 1754:
the faculty or phenomenon of finding
valuable or agreeable things not sought for.


PLEASE SEND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR TO:
SerendipityNewsletter@yahoo.com
with a Subject of 'Letter to the Editor'

PLEASE SEND Serendipity ARTICLES TO:
SerendipityNewsletter@yahoo.com
with a Subject of 'Serendipity Article'

TO VIEW Serendipity ONLINE, PLEASE VISIT:
The Serendipity Archives




FEATURED ARTICLES





~ FROM OUR EDITOR ~

Dear Serendipity Friends,

I present to you the March 2004 issue of Serendipity Newsletter. It seems like just yesterday that we were in the midst of winter, and celebrating the New Year! Well, just as we have all settled into the rhythm of a new calendar year, so has TRG settled into the new rhythm of its new administration, and everything is humming along quite well! Some minor changes have occurred, but the overall affect on the rest of us has been minimal. We certainly appreciate all the help and service which our administration puts forth to keep things running so smoothly!

I'm particularly excited about this issue, because Faith and I are bringing to you an element new to the newsletter: the chance to share your recovery with other Serendipity readers. We've chosen the number 50 as our current theme, since Serendipity has recently published its 50th anniversary issue. We want to hear your stories of recovery, but this time, specifically those that relate to the number 50... Read more about this in the Announcements section!

I'm also tickled about the Odyssey selection chosen for this month, but I'm going to let you find out for yourselves why I feel that way. Suffice it to say that another wonderful milestone has been achieved!

Thanks for your support of this newsletter of The Recovery Group. Faith and I hope you are as excited about the new feature as we are. Please email us with ideas you may have for future "themes" of this sort. After all, this is _your_ newsletter!

Love in recovery,

Marty
Editor, SERENDIPITY
Newsletter of The Recovery Group





~ FOUNDER'S CORNER ~ 12 SPECIAL PEOPLE ~


"Don't think of retiring from the world until the world will be sorry that you retire. I hate a fellow whom pride or cowardice or laziness drive into a corner, and who does nothing when he is there but sit and growl. Let him come out as I do, and bark."

~ Samuel Johnson ~


Dear Serendipity Readers ~

It has been a month since I retired from administrating The Recovery Group. Some said I would never do it ... others are still cautiously waiting to see "if I really mean it." I did it, and I really mean it ... and the reason I have the privilege of doing it is because we have appointed twelve people who are team players and working efficiently day in and day out to continue serving COEs via The Recovery Group.

I want to give kudos to the following Administrators, Division Heads and Advisors for their dedication and hard work this month, which enabled me to sit back and watch with pride: Dodee, Mary, Cody, Nancy, Patt, Jeannine, Terri, Penny, Gary, Isabella, Danielle, and John. Thanks for allowing me, as Samuel Johnson so eloquently put it, to every now and then "come out and bark."

@-}-}-}------
Love in recovery,
Mari


~ A NEW SERENDIPITY FEATURE ~ MILESTONE-50 ~

We invite you to help us celebrate our own 50th (issue) milestone, reached this past January! Since the number "50" is a special one to Serendipity, we feel it must also be special to many of you. We want to hear about your milestones related to the number "50"; whether it be 50 days, 50 weeks or 50 months of recovery, we would like you to be able to share your success with other Serendipity readers! If you have a "Milestone-50" story to tell, please write about it (in 250-300 words or less) and send it to: SerendipityNewsletter@yahoo.com with Subject line "Milestone-50". Articles received will be considered for inclusion in upcoming issues, as space allows. Please get us your stories soon; we're excited and looking forward to hearing from you!

-Marty and Faith


~ NEW ODAT LOOP: SLAA ~

TRG is pleased to announce "Sex and Love Addiction Anonymous ODAT" (SLAA_ODAT), a new special focus loop for compulsive eaters. The mission of this loop is to provide a safe and supportive place for those who need to discuss similar issues with one another.

Sex and Love Addiction is a Twelve Step loop, and in this group we will honor this program by adhering to the Twelve Traditions as we work the program for both addictions.

If you are in need of our support, we will welcome you with open arms.

Interested? Please read the SLAA_ODAT "spotlight", below, to find out more about this new TRG group.

http://recovery.hiwaay.net/odat/slaa/
SLAA_ODAT-subscribe-request@lists.therecoverygroup.org(To join)



~ THE RECOVERY GROUP ~
ADMINISTRATIVE HIGHLIGHTS

~ FROM THE TRG ADMINISTRATION ~

The Recovery Group Administration is the hub of activity for all of the Recovery Group. March found the Recovery Group still adjusting to its new structure and future, following Mari's retirement. Dodee will now be our sole TRG Administrator, but has instituted a new program called The Administrator Apprentice program. It already has two participants, Cody and Mary W., who are currently learning the ropes of running TRG, and helping Dodee at the same time! Penny had to step down from the ODAT Division, but Nancy has things running well; that division is in capable hands. Dreena has stepped down from both TRG Administrator and the Special Services division. We will miss both her and Penny.

http://www.TheRecoveryGroup.org
Contact: TRGAdm@TheRecoveryGroup.org

~ FROM THE RECOVERY LOOP DIVISION ~

The Recovery Loops continue to provide a place for general sharing. These loops are getting some excellent trusted servants and sharing is consistent.

The 'Newcomers' loop is a temporary loop for those who are new to OA or new to TRG. It is a safe place to ask questions and work through the question "Am I a compulsive eater?"

OA Friends is an open-sharing loop. Members share their lives with other members of OA. Sometimes it takes the form of journalling -- sometimes notes to the loop.

Big Book has just finished Chapter One (Bill's Story) and will move on to the 2nd Chapter. Please join this loop if you want to study the Big Book, a short passage at a time.

WTS is now on the 9th Step. A new step study will start the first week of April.

'HOTJ' is reviving. The members are sharing about the things unique to being or having been at least 100 pounds overweight.

Do you have a reaction to the meditation that is sent out? Would you like to share on the thoughts it invokes? Join Meditation and Recovery and share there. There is also a loop for sharing about how you use your sponsor, or how you found your sponsor. It is called Sponsors and Recovery.

http://www.theRecoveryGroup.org/trg.html
Contact: RecoveryLoopsAdm@lists.TheRecoveryGroup.org

~ FROM THE ODAT LOOP DIVISION ~

The ODAT Loops are Twelve Step Special Focus loops. In these loops we can share with others who are working their 12 Step program of recovery and have the same special interests that we do. Creative In Recovery is one of the newer ODAT loops. This loop is for those who need to express themselves creatively, and yet struggle because of their eating compulsions. Many different religious loops are a part of the ODAT group, also. Because these are special interest loops, you are free to discuss your HP with others who believe as you do. The ODAT loops offer many places where you can feel at home.

http://www.theRecoveryGroup.org/odat/
Contact: ODATAdm@lists.therecoverygroup.org

~ FROM THE DISCOVERY LOOP DIVISION ~

The seven Discovery Loops are experiencing a rebirth!

Cody, who has done such a good job with Anorexia/Bulimia is now coordinating two loops for children, or parents of children, with eating disorders: 'Kids and Recovery', and 'COKids'. We're looking forward to these loops providing a valuable service.

Mary W. has agreed to coordinate Exercise and Discovery. There are some new members and sharing is increasing. If you think that sharing about the way you fit moderate exercise into your program, then this is the loop for you.

The Discovery Kitchen is open, and now being revived by Mary, also. Have you figured out a new way to incorporate foods into your food plan? Is your challenge eating more vegetables? Have you tricked yourself into drinking more water? Post here and share your suggestions with like-minded members. The Discovery Kitchen holds a treasure of resources for discussing food plans and foods, in general. Archives of the Kitchen are available to members.

http://www.theRecoveryGroup.org/discovery/
Contact: TRGAdm@TheRecoveryGroup.org

~ FROM THE FOREIGN LOOP DIVISION ~

Things have been getting better in the Foreign Language Division loops. The Spanish & Recovery Group is doing swimmingly, as always. The German and French groups, well, we are working on those two. They are doing better, thanks to a few people who post very regularly. It would be nice to have more people post, but once in a while we get a hint that those who do not post, at least _read_ the messages. That is very encouraging. There are, also, some people in both of those loops who are unfamiliar with the language, but post, anyway. Thanks, in particular, go to Marlene in the German loop! We have also started posting some regular English messages in these loops (Recovery Meditations, etc.). And, in one of the loops, someone even does a bit of translation of them! There is more work to be done in the Italian loop, but it is nice to see that they, just like the Spanish loop, have the meditations posted, which is great!!!

Contact: TRGAdm@TheRecoveryGroup.org

~ FROM THE TRG OA MEETING DIVISION ~

We take great pride in our online OA meetings. We appreciate OA WSO making it now possible for all our meetings to be listed as a courtesy on their website with one contact, one meeting doorway.

Meetings are held every 3 hours in the Recovery Room. Please check out our web site, listed below. Our topics are sent out weekly and coincide with the step currently being worked on the WTS (Working The Steps) loop.

We, as the Meeting coordinators and meeting leaders, would like to give our members the best quality service. We are also recruiting new members to lead meetings, to fill some of our empty slots that do not have regular meeting leaders. It is our intention to get these slots filled, so that no meeting is without a trained meeting leader. We are also offering training (by one of us or another qualified meeting leader) for all new meeting leaders. If you would like to give service to RecoveryMeetings, please write us at the address below.

In Loving Service,
Terri, Jeannine and Danielle
(TRG Meeting Coordinators)

http://www.theRecoveryGroup.org/meetings/
Contact: MtgAdm@lists.TheRecoveryGroup.org

~ FROM THE TRG SPECIAL SERVICES DIVISION ~

This TRG division encompasses such TRG elements as the Recovery Meditations, the Thirty Questions series, the Odyssey journal of recovery, and this newsletter, Serendipity!

The division elements are in a good, stable state, but unfortunately, the leadership of the division is currently open. The Recovery Group Administration is seeking to find a member willing and able to take on this position of responbility.

http://www.theRecoveryGroup.org/trg.html#services>
Contact: TRGAdm@TheRecoveryGroup.org



~ FROM TRG'S SPONSOR PROGRAM ~

Dear Friends,

"The joy of sponsoring and being sponsored"

The Recovery Group highly recommends working the steps with the help of a sponsor.

OA describes Sponsors as "members who are living the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions to the best of their ability. They are willing to share their recovery with other membersof the Fellowship and are committed to abstinence." We urge every member who has received this gift to pass it on to others who still suffer.

The Twelfth Step tells us:

"Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, WE TRIED TO CARRY THIS MESSAGE TO COMPULSIVE EATERS, and to practice these principles in all our affairs."
Many sponsors agree that getting the spiritual principles from the head to the heart comes through their willlingness to continue to sponsor.

Our program also states:

"Then you will know what it means to give of yourself that others may survive and rediscover life. You will learn the full meaning of "Love thy neighbor as thyself"
   AABB p. 153
The Recovery Group's Sponsor Program sends out notices throughout each month in order to remind members of this way to give service and also to make newcomers aware of "How to find a Sponsor".

The next time you see our "Invitation to Sponsor" on your loop, think about giving yourself the Joy of becoming a sponsor.

With love and great JOY in service,

   Patt and Cate, TRG Sponsor Coordinators
   The Recovery Group Sponsor Group Trusted Servants

   Contact: Sponsors@TheRecoveryGroup.org
   www.TheRecoveryGroup.org



~ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ~

~ Please consider submitting a Letter to the Editor. ~


~ MARCH LOOP SPOTLIGHTS ~

Creative In Recovery ODAT

Creative in Recovery is a unique loop within The Recovery Group community which provides a special connection for people in recovery who are looking for a place to discuss and share their experience, strength and hope, regarding inspiration for creativity. We are here to offer each other that special support and encouragement that helps us tap into our source of creativity. We celebrate each other's special creative gifts and help each other get through the times when creative pipelines may not be operating at full force. Come add your voice to the creative harmony of our group.

     One member's thoughts on the "Creative in Recovery" group

If not for this group, I would not have taken paints and canvas with me when my kid went snowboarding. I also would not have joined a little Arts Guild, I would not be in a restaurant/gallery right now with three paintings, and I wouldn't have the big painting I just finished, gracing my living room wall inspiring me as I seek yet another FT job. AND, I've stayed on my eating program (despite a month-and-a-half long plateau) because of this group, because I feel in control of my eating (which has become much more important than my weight), and because I don't stop myself from creating quite as much as before.

To find out more about Creative In Recovery ODAT, please visit:
http://recovery.hiwaay.net/special/creative.html or
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CreativeInRecovery

To join, send a blank (empty) email to:
CreativeInRecovery@yahoogroups.com

PREGNANCY AND MOTHERHOOD



The Pregnancy and Motherhood ODAT loop provides a place for those with eating disorders to come together in a safe environment to share the experience, strength and hope of their recovery as it also relates to the issues which pregnancy and motherhood present in their lives.

The P&M ODAT loop provides a safe place to work a recovery program and may even become a second home with a new family. Lifelong friends can happen here, or you may choose to be alone and reflect on how pregnancy and motherhood relate to your eating disorder. This loop offers serenity and peace as you work your personal program, and gives you the opportunity to carry the message to others. We are here together to build one another up ... to accept each other as we are ... in a place where we can focus on spiritual, emotional and physical growth.



For more information about PREGNANCY AND MOTHERHOOD, please visit: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/PregnancyAndMotherhoodODAT/ or
http://recovery.hiwaay.net/odat/pregnancy.html

To join, please send a blank (empty) email to:
PregnancyAndMotherhoodODAT-subscribe-request@lists.therecoverygroup.org.



SLAA_ODAT



The SLAA_ODAT list is a Twelve Step support group for compulsive eaters in search of support from s*x and love (or relationship) addiction or avoidance. It is a group for compulsive overeaters dealing with issues of s*x and love addiction, for compulsive overeaters facing s*xual/emotional anorexia, and for all those COEs in between.

Many of us recovering from one or both addictions have discovered through our recovery journey that the two issues (s*x/love addiction and overeating) overlapped each other, presenting unique challenges. Some of us, when faced with life's challenges, "acted out" either through using food as a coping mechanism to deal with our problems (or not to deal with them at all), or used s*x and love to cope with the feelings brought on by compulsively overeating. Either way, we found ourselves needing a special place where both issues could be addressed simultaneously, a place where we could again find fellowship, work the 12 steps of recovery and knew that we again would not be alone.

SLAA_ODAT is a safe place to share your experience, strength and hope with one another. We encourage you to use an alias if you feel more comfortable, and hope you will join us and share with one another often. Dealing with s*x and love addiction and compulsive overeating is very challenging, but thanks to the 12 steps there is a way to recover and gain serenity ... one day at a time.

The only requirement to be a member of our list is to have a sincere desire to quit eating compulsively and to stop living out a pattern of s*x and love addiction or avoidance. If you are seriously looking for support in recovering from your obsessive compulsive actions which stem from this very real addiction, we encourage you to join us.

This list is restricted to members only and it is NOT a place to act out fantasies, or find partners with which you can act out. SLAA_ODAT is about recovery from compulsive eating and s*x and love addiction/anorexia.

Welcome Home!

Yours in Recovery,

Dressy
   Moderator/Coordinator
   Recovering SLAA & COE

To learn more, please visit us at either:
http://recovery.hiwaay.net/odat/slaa/ or
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SLAA_ODAT/

To join, please send a blank email to:
SLAA_ODAT-subscribe-request@lists.therecoverygroup.org.




STAY AT HOME PARENTS ODAT



Stay At Home Parents provides a safe place to work a recovery program and may even become a second home, and the members like a second family. As stay-at-home-parents, we are susceptible to isolation. This loop is a means to help us work out of that isolation that so easily ensnares us. It can also help us learn new ways with which we can deal with our compulsive overeating outside of the food. SAHP is a place where true friends are found, but you may also sit back and just read along, gaining strength and hope from the posts that are made in our group. This loop can help you attain peace and serenity while you work your program, and allows you the additional opportunity to carry the message to others who are also stay-at-home-parents.

We are here together to each another up ... to accept each other as we are ... in a place where we can focus on not only our spiritual and emotional growth, but our physical recovery as well.

To learn more please visit us at:
http://recovery.hiwaay.net/odat/stayathomeparents/, or
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/StayAtHomeParentsODAT/

To become a member of this merry band, send a blank email to:
StayAtHomeParentsODAT-subscribe-request@lists.therecoverygroup.org





~ FROM OUR RECOVERY GROUP MEMBERS ~





~ PICTURE YOUR "MILESTONE-50" STORY HERE! ~


See the announcement about this, earlier in this issue.
Send to SerendipityNewsletter@yahoo.com with subject of "Milestone-50"



~ RECOVERY WRITERS' SERIES ~

~ Recovery Inspirations ~

In this column we bring you shares from Recovery Meditations, Odyssey, Danny's "Letters To God", Journey to Recovery, Reflections, The Promises and many others. This month we continue to bring you selections from "Odyssey, A Personal Journey", the journal of a man who began his journey to recovery at the weight of 725 pounds. It is a special month for our fellow-recoverer, since it is very soon that he celebrates three years of abstinence and recovery! He shares some of his extraordinary journey with us here, and we are grateful recipients of his experience, strength and hope. (Note: if you wish to read all of his Odyssey, the entire collection can be found at: http://www.therecoverygroup.org/odyssey/index.html.)




Hi all,

I've been listening to John Denver this morning, largely because at the party on Sunday we played a lot of his music and it kind of rekindled the interest in listening to him again.

While listening to him, the thought struck me that his songs were mostly about appreciating the "moments", either leaving the comfort of home to go out and earn a living, or returning home from earning a living, home being that place of comfort and safety. My thoughts went back to the early hunter gatherers, when "making a living" was gathering food and supplies to simply survive. The value of work was obvious, it meant living another day, raising children so our legacy would be passed on and ensure the survival of our species.

Our value and our worth was directly linked to how well we were able to adapt to our environment. Social skills and learning to work in groups, and asking for and offering help when needed to ensure the group survived and remained viable, safe, and nurturing.

We haven't changed all that much in ten-thousand years have we? We don't have to spend so many hours a day now accumulating the stuff we need to survive, our skills to acquire food means pushing a shopping cart down an isle and simply picking out what we want, within our limits to afford it of course, but all in all, we have it pretty easy. Now there has been times in my life when I couldn't afford much, when there was nothing in our cupboards, and when I resorted to stealing what I needed from the store. I rationalized it as my need to survive, and what it showed me about myself was not very pretty. I blamed a lot on my circumstances, I had been hurt at work and laid up for over 2 years, our income had dropped dramatically, but did I ask for help? No! I could have applied for workman's comp benefits, for state help in the form of food stamps, rent assistant, etc. but I did not. I was too uninformed about the help that was available to me, and since I hadn't asked for any help or explained our situation to friends, no one knew we were in need. I was too concerned about what others would have thought, that I simply hid our circumstances from them, pretending everything was okay. I have come to believe that our circumstances do not make us who we are, they "reveal" to us who we are. I didn't like what was revealed to me.

What I found out about myself was that I was basically a very dishonest person. It would take me 35 years to say this out loud. It would take mountains of food to cover up the inadequacies I had been forced to glimpse in those moments. It would take another 500 lbs. added to my frame before being put to my knees to ask for help. I did not choose this disease, I discovered it. I tried other forms of escape, alcohol and drugs, but what did it for me, was FOOD.

That was my escape to a place of comfort, of safety, but I always had to return to "life" and it became more and more painful, and my thoughts kept going back to that place of comfort, if I could just stay there, I would be okay. The trap of course is that nothing good happens there, no growth, no learning, nothing positive happens in this vacuum.

There is a quote I have been looking for a while now, and it has eluded me, but it goes something like this: "God whispers to us in our joy. He speaks to us in our sadness. He screams at us in our pain." Living in the disease becomes so painful that it either moves us to change or kills us. I heard at meetings and from sponsors and from speakers, that when the pain becomes great enough, we will change. It worked that way for me. This disease was about to kill me, and I was about to let it. It was a conscious decision on my part, because I had lost all hope of ever breaking the cycle. I had lost hope of finding acceptance from myself for myself. I felt unworthy to be alive. It was a bleak place to be. Only by God's grace am I here today. A faint glimmer of hope was able to survive in me, but I grabbed on, and chose to finally surrender to some Higher Power. I believe that my Higher Power put that little glimmer in front of me, yet again, and this time I reached for it and held on. The sadness in my daughter's eyes as she wondered why I didn't care about her enough to stick around was the turning point for me. It was heart wrenching for me to think about leaving her behind, saying I loved her, but not showing her by staying with her.

My most precious moments are those where my daughter will come and snuggle in my lap, as she used to when she was just a small child. She's 13 now, 5'6" tall and still she comes to curl up on my lap. It makes my heart glow. Even as she explores her own independence from us, she still comes back for those moments of comfort and safety in my arms. I melt. It's moments like these that I cherish now, knowing they will not last forever, and that I am able to savor them only for a short time.

Life is made up of moments. Accepting them for what they are is the key, I think. Knowing that none of them is going to last forever, the "This Too Shall Pass" makes them more and more precious. When the hard moments come, knowing that "This Too Shall Pass" is a comfort as well. The Yin and Yang of living. Acceptance of the way things are, and finding moments to hang on to has made this life worth it.

There is a sadness in me today, but there is also great Joy. I am learning to experience the full range of my emotions without being lost in them. It is wondrous to be able to do that.

On March 14, I will be three years abstinent and living in recovery. It has grown and deepened in me, and I am so grateful to be here and working this program.

Today I choose to follow my food plan. I choose to make my phone calls. I choose to read some positive program literature. I choose to pray and meditate and to believe that my Higher Power is guiding me. No matter what emotions surface, today I choose to be happy.

Stay Strong!

love and hugs,
me



~ FROM THE LITERATURE ~




~~THE TWELVE STEPS ~ STEP THREE~~

Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.



~~ THE TWELVE TRADITIONS ~ TRADITION THREE ~~

The only requirement for membership in the Overeaters Online Recovery Group is a desire to stop eating compulsively.



~~ BIG BOOK QUOTE ~~
BIG BOOK READING
"We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity. And we will know peace.

No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.

That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain insight in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook will change. Fear of people and economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.

We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves."

AABB, Pp. 83-84

THOUGHTS...by Myrlene (Big Book and Recovery Group)
Before I'd ever heard of the Big Book, I never dreamed that someday I'd be able to have some of these promises. All I'd done was go from one diet to another, and from one Dr to another trying to find help for my overeating. I was stressed out, had a very nervous nature, and never expected anything to be any different.

Since I have been through the 12 Steps, I have truly lost my feelings of uselessness, and my whole attitude and outlook have changed. It is a miracle to me that by doing the 4th Step and listing all the junk I had inside me for years, and seeing in black and white why I'd had such a lifetime of unhappiness I could feel free of the weight of my lifetime of troubles. I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the Promises come true for me because I know with my diligent searching and studying, that I can really see for myself what was written ever so many years ago. The Promises are true and thousands of us have seen it for ourselves!


~ RECOVERY MEDITATIONS ~


~ March Meditations Calendar ~
(http://www.therecoverygroup.org/meditations/march.html)





~ THE RECOVERY GROUP MEETINGS ~

THE RECOVERY GROUP ONLINE MEETINGS

The doorway to the meetings is at the top of the page at http://www.TheRecoveryGroup.org. All you have to do is click it, and you'll be in the meeting room. The times are 12 noon, 3PM, 6PM, 9PM, 12 midnight 3AM, 6AM, and 9AM. These are Eastern times, and all meetings are held in #Recovery on IRC with a doorway located at: http://www.TheRecoveryGroup.org. Yet another way to reach the meeting webpage is directly, at:
http://www.therecoverygroup.org/meetings/

CAN YOU SPARE AN HOUR A WEEK?

We need your help for a wonderful line-up of online meetings. We will be working on a schedule of meetings every three hours around the clock every day, and are well on our way to meeting that goal. This will make it possible for those in time zones around the world to participate both as leaders and attendees. Will you help by volunteering an hour or two or three a week? It's easy, it gives you a good feeling by helping others, and it's fun!

Prospective meeting leaders must be actively working the Steps to the best of their ability and belong to at least one Recovery Loop. Although abstinence is not a requirement, many find that being abstinent allows them to better focus on the meetings. Further guidance is given after a prospective leader contacts the Meeting Admins at: MtgAdm@lists.TheRecoveryGroup.org.

We hope as many of you as possible will write us back and let us know if you can help. Please don't be shy ... meetings are easy and rewarding to lead.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

SEND TO:
MtgAdm@lists.TheRecoveryGroup.org

Yes, count me in. I'd like to lead a meeting at the following times:

___________________________________________

Name _____________________________________

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

For AOL members, there is a direct link to #Recovery: #Recovery on StarChat.Network. AOL users need to first go to the Meeting website and look at the special instructions for AOL users before they can fully participate in the meetings or they can go to: http://www.starchat.net/aol.php.

#Recovery is the meeting room for Recovery Group. There is a doorway to #Recovery on the Recovery Group website, www.therecoverygroup.org. The meeting room can be directly accessed by going to either of these sites:
http://www.starchat.net/recovery or
http://www.starchat.net/chat/?chan=recovery.

Another way to reach the meeting webpage is directly, at:
http://www.therecoverygroup.org/meetings/index.html.

You can find other helpful information, including on-line meeting protocols at:
http://recovery.hiwaay.net/support/meetings.html.

If you wish to offer your time to lead a meeting, please send an email to:
MtgAdm@lists.TheRecoveryGroup.org.
We will get back to you as quickly as possible.



~ OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS CONTACTS ~

Overeaters Anonymous
World Service Office (WSO)
6075 Zenith Ct. NE
PO Box 44020
Rio Rancho, NM 87124
USA

Telephone 505-891-2664
Fax: 505-891-4320
 http://www.overeatersanonymous.org/index.html
E-Mail Address ~ info@overeatersanonymous.org

"I put my hand in yours ...
and together we can do what we could never do alone."
~ Rozanne, OA CoFounder ~





~ THE RECOVERY GROUP CONTACTS ~



TRG ADMINISTRATION ( TRGAdm@TheRecoveryGroup.org)

TRG ADMINISTRATORS

Dodee
TRG ADVISORS: John and Patt
TRG DIVISIONS
RECOVERY LOOPS: Dodee and John
ODAT LOOPS: Nancy
DISCOVERY LOOPS: Dodee
FOREIGN LOOPS: Isabella
TRG OA MEETINGS: Jeannine, Terri and Danielle
TRG SPECIAL SERVICES: Open
TRG WEBSITE: Gary
Newsletter Editors ~ SerendipityNewsletter@yahoo.com ~ Marty and Faith
Newsletter Subscriptions ~ SerendipityNewsletter@yahoo.com(Subject=Email Subscription)
Letters to the Editor ~ SerendipityNewsletter@yahoo.com(Subject=Letter to the Editor)
Sponsor Coordinator ~ sponsors@therecoverygroup.org
Recovery Meeting Coordinator ~ MtgAdm@lists.TheRecoveryGroup.org
Technical Support ~ RecoveryTech@mail.com
Recovery Group Administrators ~ TRGAdm@TheRecoveryGroup.org
Recovery Group Founder ~ Mari


"In the deepest part of a compulsive eater's soul . . .
Is the realization that recovery begins when we find one another."


~~ The Serenity Prayer ~~

Grant us the SERENITY to accept the things we cannot change;
The COURAGE to change the things we can;
And the WISDOM to know the difference.


What we could never do alone ~
We can do together.

One day at a time, ~
One step at a time.




Disclaimer


The Recovery Group and our newsletter has as its mission and purpose that of carrying the message of recovery to those who suffer from the disease of compulsive eating. We are an anonymous organization and follow the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous; however, we are not affiliated with that group. Your articles, announcements and information are welcome. All opinions in this newsletter represent only the opinions of the writers and not necessarily that of The Recovery Group or OA, Inc.

The Trusted Servants of Recovery

Volume 6 Issue 3 © Copyright 2004 THE RECOVERY GROUP All rights reserved.