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TH PIP LI

OFFICE HOURS

MONDAY THRU FRIDAY

10:30 AM TIL 4:15 PM

SATURDAY 9AM TIL 1 PM

Fresno Central

Service Office

1755 N Gateway. #102

Fresno, CA 93727

(559) 221-6907

CENTRAL OFFICE STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

The purpose of Central Office is to receive, distribute and follow up on 12 Step calls, to answer inquiries about A.A., to cooperate with Public Infor-mation Committees, to pro-vide meeting lists, to publish a Newsletter, and to order, sell and distribute any conference approved material.

Pipeline Gets a New Look We’ve decided to bring the Pipeline in the 21st Century with a new look. Tell us what you think at office@fresnoaa.org.

Contents

Local Info. . . . . . . . . . ……... 2-7

January Birthdays over 20 . . 8

Tradition 1 & checklist…. . . . . 9

January Birthdays. . . . . . . . 10-13

November finance. . . . . . . . . 14

November group contributions. 15

December Intergroup minutes. 16, 17

Box 459. .. “Safety In A Digital Age”………….18,19

GFAIA Newsletter VOLUME 52 ISSUE 1 JANUARY 2018

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Step 1 Admitted we were alcoholic and that our lives had become unmanageable. .

Step one was the single most difficult step for me. It took me ten, very wet years to complete it. Really, after taking this difficult step all the rest have been comparatively easy.

OFFICE CALLS/VISITS 53 Prospective Members

173 A.A. Members

89 Meeting Info

13 Other Programs

2 Alanon/Alateen

24 Relatives and Friends

87 Customers

31 Visitors

4 Students

81 General Info

20 12th Step Calls

12 Spanish Contacts

Contributions Thanks to each and every one of you who contribute to this of-

fice BIRTHDAY

Anonymous

INDIVUAL Anonymous

OFFICE CONTACTS OFFICE VOLUNTEERS

Robert R. Lisa M. John E. Debbie D. Donna L.

OFFICE STAFF

Terry B., Christina M. ,Tish

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CHAIR- Keith S.chair@fresnoaa.org

Co-Chair- Eddie co-chair@fresnoaa.org

Secretary– Jeff B secretary@fresnoaa.org

Treasurer—Tom H treasurer@fresnoaa.org

PI-CPC– Kerry P pi-cpc@fresnoaa.org

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H&I NEEDS YOUR HELP—PLEASE CONTACT A COORDINATOR

9 PHONE # FACILITY AND LOCATION DAY TIME CLEARANCE

Mike S 392-2383 DOWNTOWN MEN'S JAIL MON TUE 7:30— YES

1225 'M' Street THU 9:00 pm

PAULA S. 288-3766 DOWNTOWN WOMEN'S MON THU 7:30 - YES

JAIL 1225 'M' Street & FRI 8:30 pm

JOANNA k 978-5300 SPIRIT OF WOMEN THU. 7:00 pm - NO

327 W. Belmont 8:00 pm

KAT S 287-0094 CAP RECOVERY WOMEN 1st 3rd 7:00 pm - NO

2445 Whitesbridge TUE 8:00 pm

RICHARD H 299-2511 WESTCARE Men 1st-3rd 7:00 pm - NO

2772 MLK Blvd TUE 8:30 pm

DENNIS M. 260-3679 JUVENILE HALL MON 3:30 - YES 3333 American Ave & THU 5:30P

MICHEAL L. 408-6335 CAP RECOVERY 1, 2 & 4th 7: 00 pm- NO 2445 Whitesbridge Av THU 8:00 pm

ROD L 246-5940 MENDOTA PRISON 2nd / 4th 12:20 - YES Mendota, CA TUE 1_20

DANIEL 412-0776 AVENAL STATE PRISON Mon. & 6:00 pm- YES

Avenal, CA Tues 8:00 pm

TOMMY R. (510) 928-3935 PLEASANT VALLEY PRISON 3rd 4:30— YES

COALINGA, CA THU 10:00 pm

FOR INFORMATION REGARDING H&ISERVICE CONTACT

CHERYL J.. - AREA 92 CHAIRPERSON -- 559-289-5024 JOANNA K. - Secretary -- 559-978-5300

JOE G. - REGION 90 CHAIR/AA Literature -- 559-237-8097

H & I BUSINESS MEETING - 3rd MONDAY, 7 PM @ ALANO CLUB

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STEP 1

Admitted we were powerless over alcohol and that

our lives had become unmanageable.

“Lack of power, that was our dilemma.”

By the Book, Monday, 7pm, has closed.

Women’s Tuesday Happy Hour is moving To redeem-

er church on bullard at palm, beginning dec. 1st.

Northeast Fellowship has aDDeD a weDNesDay,

7:00p.m. Big Book meeting

New MeetiNg tuesdays at the Va hospital, 2615 e.

Clinton in building 25, 12:30-1:30.

Northpark Fellowship has added a 12:15 meetiNg

SaturdayS.

The Punjabi meeTing has been cancelled.

Reedley Monday night has added a Thursday 7:30

meeting

Northpark is at BethaNy church, Not Northpark

ChurCh, and has a new sunday, 12:15 meeting

Group News

and

Changes

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What are Faithful Fivers?

They are the members who pledge at least $5.00 each month toward the support of their local Central Office. This idea is catching on around the country. In Just For Today, A publi-cation of the Tucson Area Intergroup, a story noted that “the plan is used in several other cit-ies and came about when we remembered that many of us spent more than $5.00 every week on alcohol .in our drinking days.”

PAYMENT PLAN

I agree to pledge and here is my contribution of $ _______ for ______months

Name _________________________________

Ad-dress__________________________________

City ______________State ____ Zip ________

Make checks Payable to:

Greater Fresno Area Intergroup Association, Inc.

1755 N. Gateway 102

Fresno, CA 93727

MICHELE S. JOHN & THALIA LE. ELSBETH F.

PATRICIA D. ANONYMOUS BILL H

KRISTA R. CARROL B DOUG & PAT P.

BILL D. JACK B. NANCY K.

GARY L. JOHN E.

These are the current Faithful Fivers as of (/01/2017). If you name is missing or misspelled please notify us.

FAITHFUL FIVERS

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Our new format leaves room for arti-cles, District, Area and AAWS news. We urge you to contribute stories, news and other AA items of interest.

There are great stories of how service has enhanced our group as well as our personal Sobriety. H&I stories are wel-come.

Please share your experience, strength and hope with your fellow AA’s by email to:

office@fresnoaa.org

Pipeline Staff

December Landmarks in AA History

We could not find one

single event in A.A. history for

January. Can you believe it?

They must have been too busy

every January 12-stepping

“prospects”. Look for new

landmarks in future Pipelines.

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GRATITUDE CLUB Name Years Name

Pat P. 34 Bill D.

.Lynda M 27 Terry B

Carol B. 34

Years

34

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Tradition One: Our common welfare should come first; per-sonal recovery depends upon AA unity.

1. Am I in my group a healing, mending, integrating person, or am I divisive? What about gossip and taking other members’ inventories?

2. Am I a peacemaker? Or do I, with pious preludes such as “just for the sake of dis-cussion,” plunge into argument? 3. Am I gentle with those who rub me the wrong way, or am I abrasive?

4. Do I make competitive AA remarks, such as comparing one group with another or contrasting AA in one place with AA in another?

5. Do I put down some AA activities as if I were superior for not participating in this or that aspect of AA?

6. Am I informed about AA as a whole? Do I support, in every way I can, AA as a whole, or just the parts I understand and approve of?

7. Am I as considerate of AA members as I want them to be of me?

8. Do I spout platitudes about love while indulging in and secretly justifying behavior that bristles with hostility?

9. Do I go to enough AA meetings or read enough AA literature to really keep in touch?

10.Do I share With AA all of me, the bad and the good, accepting as well as giving the help of fellowship?

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November 2017 Profit/Loss

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AA Intergroup Group 12/04/2017

Call to order – Caretaker - 7:00pm Opened with Serenity Prayer. Additions Changes to agenda

Meeting Guide App: Progress Report Intergroup Speaker Meeting

Need speakers for January & February AA Intergroup Group 12/04/2017 Roll Call Some concern regarding members who represent a group but are also on a committee 21 representatives – quorum 12 traditions Read by Adaa Minutes from November Meeting Errors?

Caretaker is nervous, he’s been doing this for 5 years and feels as if this is his first time. Change to the meeting date of the World Convention from 2010 to 2030 Minutes approved w/changes.

New Business Nothing to report Alcathon (Christy) Needs additional various time slots filled

Any additional help would be appreciated. Fcypa – 2-3am and 3-4am slots Morning Maintenance – 9-10am slot. Caretaker – 1-2am

Group Reports 7th Tradition Group Reports Village Group – Javier Holiday Soire $20 for dinner. Speaker @7:30 Mike D. From LA. Check website for detaisl Madera Fellowship – Patrick 15 meetings a week Marge - <which group> doing well Jonni – Sierra Fellowship alcathon 12/24-25 & New Years Melinda – There is a solution. Wednesday Meeting 7:00pm (Memorial United Methodist) Jim M. – Yosemite Christmas day potluck after noon meeting, new years eve regular meeting @7:00 Yosemite Fellowship – temporarily eliminated Sunday meeting. Tuesday and Thursdays @7:30 in the Yosemite Chapel Elizabeth – Oakhurst – Some events on 12/31 birthday meeting & alcathon and alcathon on Christmas Patrick – Sunnyside – Meeting doing great. Hosting intergroup meeting in January. ? – Kerman. Everything is doing great! Potluck next Monday. Mike – Outside group, Friday night speaker meeting. See flyer. Looking forward towards alcathon at the Alano Club. Elsbeth – District 40. Volunteered for the position. She will report later in the meeting. Mike - Harvest Fellowship – Elected new officers, signed 1 year lease. Christy – LOLT things running great, numerous meetings through the week. Michael – North Park Fellowship – onward and upward going well, will have teleservice support soon. Tom – Trudgers – meeting Tuesday @7:30, Thursday Mens/Womens segregated groups. Lorna – Early Morning Fellowship = open meeting, chip meeting every day @6:30 Liasco – Thursday womens Thursdays @5:45 averaging 5 people. Hard to get people to commit. Evelyn - Tuesday Womans study – moving to new location Evelyn - Village Womens Grouip – Wesley United Friday 1-2:30 great move to new locations things going great Tish – Fresno Fellowship – Things going well. Eddie – Take it Easy – Doing Great. Meetings 7 days a week, coming up on 22nd year. Made donations to central office and district. New Secretary starting in January. New intergroup rep but not present tonight. Caretaker – ODAP – Wesley United Tuesday / Thursday meetings, populated by old timers but doing well. Thursday meeting is a step study meeting.

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Coordinator Reports Intergroup Speaker – Mike B. Things are doing well, getting familiar with what to do and how things work. Schedule for the next year is full. Teleservice – Caretaker – Currently have openings on Saturday and Monday. Need to fill these. Looking forward to North Park taking over a day but there is still one day open. Question about an updated 12 step list. There is one in the works, caretaker is working on this and will try and get this out. Tish reported that a woman called the hotline recently but no one answered the phone. There is a question about if the caller was a nut or asking legitimate question. Caretaker indicated that for the most part someone is manning the phones 24/7. If someone doesn’t answer the machine should pick up the call. Trish emphasized the importance of Teleservice. Web Coordinator – absent Staff Reports Terry – 12 step list is available at the office. If someone needs to help with this please call CO. New Years Eve Pow wow on New Years at the Seland Arena. 12/31-1/1 Noon to Noon. Sponsor Dinner – March 3rd Question about Liberty Group – is it still active? CO has not heard from them in some time.

Tish has been working on the pipeline. Bringing it into the 21st century. New art on the front and moveable type. What a concept. She is putting together a mock up of a new proposed pipleline and will bring it in during the January meeting.

Board Reports Secretary – Joelle absent

Treasurer – Ran a large deficit last month 3K, 11K for the year. 5K left in prudent reserve. At this rate the prudent reserve will be exhausted in 2 months. Caretaker made a plea for more. Keith reports that in 1935 1 dollar = 17 dollars today so that we should be generating more from the collections. PICPC – Kari Business as usual. Orientation tomorrow night. Contemplating adding a 3rd night for the DUI panel. Alternate Chair – Eddie – Visalia Alano Club was recorded (Tomas) copies available at central office Chariman – Caretaker – thanks the group. Has served some time and appreciated every moment and all the people in the group. Received a standing O Liason Reports 40 – Elsbeth, (fell asleep) Elections held. No DCM after elections. Have a group, Serinitity Circle, has grown so large it meets in the Stallion Room. 41 – Josh, incoming district 41 liason and DCM. Elections held last month. Keith steps down, Trish is new DCM Josh is alternate. Working on website that does not compete with intergroup site but cooperates with intergroup. Slight change, Punjabi meeting has closed. Attended area elections. 42 – Mike Michael Kim in charge of CNI. Elections will be held next week. 43 – Absent H&I – absent FCYPA – not much to report, interest in teleservice. Always willing to be of service.

NCCAA – Oct. 2018 chair, need help filling positions for committee. Next conference is in San Ramon. New Board Chair will be elected then. Group meetings will begin end of April 2018. NorCal AA. ORG has all the info. Joelle and marge will be attending meetings throught the area to raise support/help for the conference.

CCCAA – Javier, started meeting at community united church 5550. 6th year of CCCAA, lots of support from throughout the valley. For more info on planning see Javier. 8:02 Kari motion to close.

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Safeguarding Anonymity in a Digital Age There is a broad concern in the A.A. Fellowship that the explosion of social media in today’s world may cause A.A.s to lose sight of one of the primary tenets of our program: the Tradition of Anonymity. According to Clay R., Public information coordinator at G.S.O., the P.I. desk hears on a regular basis from alcoholics worried about the smartphones many of us routinely carry into meetings, conferences, conventions and forums. Callers voice their fears that the camera and video-recording software these users seamlessly employ may be used to capture images and video that may find their way onto social net-working sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and the like, this causing anonymity breaks. “It should be the privilege of each individual A.A. to cloak himself with as much personal anonymity as he desires,” Bill W. wrote in The Language of the Heart. “His fellow A.A.s should respect his wishes and help guard whatever status he wants to assume.” Although the disease of alcoholism is better understood and accepted today, than it was when Bill W. and Dr. Bob founded A.A., there can be a stigma attached, in particular for people whose employment concerns sensitive material or has a public component. This is one instance where ano-nymity breaks on social media can have serious consequences. Andrew L., and Area 45 delegate who has spent two panels on the Conference P.I. Committee, says “I have a very public job, so I am very cognizant of being careful Facebook. Yet I always have people in A.A. signing me up for A.A. groups or wanting to link me to a private group, and I just can’t do that, The way people are interconnected on social media, a mention of your name in asso9ciation with A.A. ripples outward fast.” The Eleventh Tradition states, “Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain person-al anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.” However, a generation ago in A.A., not many of us had the opportunity to break our ano-nymity in a public fashion. “My own experience, when I got sober,” Clay R. says, “is that no one had to tell me about public-level anonymity breaks, because I had no access. But one of the things that has changed in terms of the Fellowship is our understanding of anonymity breaks at the public level in social media. Remember, we have members joining A.A. today who have spent a considerable amount of their lives on social media. It’s as natural to them as breathing. To us, as defined by the General Service Conference in 2013, social media is ‘on the public level.’ Newcomers may not understand this.” Since most of us (newcomers or not) are often the stars of our own personal social media shows on interconnected digital platforms, what constitutes a public anonymity break in this regard? Jason R., Area 13 delegate, has given some thought to this. “Recently, I asked some of my service mentors what they thought of posting online something as simple as a Roman numeral to signify a sober anniversary. Nothing else. I was very surprised at their response. They thought something as simple as a number posted on social media was not in line with our Traditions. While only a few would know what it meant, the potential to comment and risk inadvertent ‘outing’ wasn’t worth the post. While I disagree on the extent of the risk, I agree that I could probably find a better way to tell people about my anniversary,” On the other hand, Jason had a recent experience where a friend asked him his opinion of posting a photo of himself and a fellow A.A. holding up their anniversary chips in celebration on a social media platform. His friend saw nothing wrong with it. What did Jason think? “I told him that I would not do it. You can zoom in and see the circle and triangle on the medallion. I told him that not only could his fol-lowers see it, by possibly, depending on his privacy settings, an ever-widening network could see it as well. Ultimately, I think he took it down.” “Here’s one of the things I think about anonymity,” Andrew L. says. “I don’t think we talk enough about how one person’s anonymity, or lack of it, impacts the organization as a whole. You become a reflection of A.A. on social media to many people, like it or not. The Eleventh Tradition is designed to protect A.A. from its members. We can be dangerous.” One way to understand your goal in posting about program-related events on social media, according to Jason, is to ask yourself, “What is my ultimate purpose? Is it self-promotion when I post something, even if only a limited audience will see it?” When people talk about their anonymity, they are often talking about the Eleventh Tradition, but the Twelfth Tradition comes into play here as well. Am I practicing hu-mility when I post on whatever platform? Am I placing principles before personalities, or just seeking as many ‘likes’ as I can get?”

To Clay R., the key to safeguarding anonymity on social media is education. “One of the things the Fellowship needs to adapt to is how to educate our new members on the importance of anonymity and how that is reflected in public media. As sponsors, we can educate our sponsees. As A.A. groups, we can take the time in our group announcements to underscore the importance of the gift of personal anonymity that every group offers to all of its members, and how we all need to respect that. And as A.A. entities – groups, districts, areas – we need to be more attentive to education via workshops and Tradition meetings as to why this is important.” Jason R. adds, “When you see an anonymity break, it’s important to understand that you can’t necessarily control it. My opinion may be that I wouldn’t have done that. But my responsibility as a member of A.A. is to speak with other members of the Fellowship in a loving and tolerant way and accept that they may choose not to change. I cannot be the Traditions police.”

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PROMISE 1

We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.

Concept 1 and Checklist Concept I: Final responsibility and ultimate authority for A.A. world services should always reside in the col-lective conscience of our whole Fellowship.

Does our group have a general service representative (G.S.R.)? Do we feel that our home group is part of A.A. as a whole and do our group’s decisions and actions reflect that?

Do we hold regular group conscience meetings encouraging everyone to participate? Do we pass that conscience on to the district, area, or the local intergroup meetings?

Is the “collective conscience” of Alcoholics Anonymous at work in my home group? In my area?

Where do we fit in the upside-down triangle of A.A.?

Are we willing to do what it takes to insure that our democracy of world service will work under all conditions?

With all the concern about social media anonymity breaks, the word is getting out. Many meetings, forums, and conferences begin with an announcement along the lines of the 2015 International Convention’s “Anonymity Statement,” which began, “We respect-fully ask that A.A. speakers and A.A. members not be photographed, videotaped, or identified by full name on audio tapes and in published or broadcast reports of our meetings, including those reports on the Internet.” Despite the fact that people may believe “young people” are the chief offenders in regard to social media, the International Conference of Young People in A.A. (ICYPAA) also issues such a statement at its gatherings. There is also plenty of material at www.aa.org for people to read or direct others to on this topic, from A.A.’s Guidelines on the Internet to the General Service Conference-approved pamphlet “Understanding Anonymity.” One thing that sometimes gets lost in the controversy over social media and the Internet is how valuable they are as Twelfth Step tools. Alcoholics find A.A. through intergroup websites, chat rooms, and online meetings. G.S.O. may soon start putting up PSA videos on YouTube (with comments disabled). Meetings have private email lists that alert members to changes in schedules or group events. Even Jason R. held his conversation about how best to proclaim an anniversary online via text. While we need to be vigilant about anonymity breaks, we also need to acknowledge our vastly increased ability to use social media to bring hope to suffering alcoholics around the world. Winter 2017 Box 4-5-9

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Northwind Traders 4567 Main Street Raleigh, NC 02134-0000

(555) 555-0123

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GFAIA 1755 N. Gatewau Blvd.Ste. 102 Fresno, CA, 93727

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Greater Fresno Area Intergroup Association Central Office

Tell us What You Think Let us know what you think of the new Pipeline .

Contact us at office@fresnoaa.org, or phone us at the office, (559) 221-6907.

12th Step Opportunities Guaranteed to help you Grow

Central Office is in need of members to volunteer to be on the Speaker List or to help at the office,. Many of us have learned that the only way to grow is to take a leap of faith, volunteer ourselves to do things not only differently but to do things we have feared or been certain we could NOT do. As a wise elder in AA likes to say: ”If you’re afraid to do a new, sober thing, do it anyway!” Please contact Central office and let us know you want to grow in sobriety. If this growth opportunity is a little too terrifying for you, try signing up for the hotline or offering to take 12 step calls for your zip code. Honestly, most of these re-quire only a phone conversation and we NEVER go alone on any twelfth step we visit. Remember that Bill twelve-stepped Dr. Bob at only three months of sobrie-ty. Look how well that worked for him!

So what are you waiting for? Call the office today at 221-6907.

Calling all Photographers If you have any photos or draw-ings you’d like to see published in the Pipeline, send them in. You can email us at: office@fresnoaa.org