Our Twelfth Step — carrying the message — is the basic service that the A.A. Fellowship gives; this is our principal aim and the main reason for our existence. Therefore, A.A. is more than a set of principles; it is a society of alcoholics in action. We must carry the message, “ else we ourselves can wither and those who haven’t been given the truth may die.”(from A.A.’s Legacy of Service by Bill W.)
Beyond sponsorship, how can we be of service ?
As a member in the Fellowship in the GTA, we can be of service in many ways.
Start by asking your sponsor how to get involved. He or she might suggest the first place to do service is within your home group. An active group, holds monthly business meetings where you can be chosen to hold a service position (see the diagram below)
You will learn over time that there are many volunteer positions outside of your group including; district, intergroup, area, national and international levels. All contribute to the operation of Alcoholics Anonymous in your community and beyond. The AA Fellowship is often called an upside-down organization because, as the structure chart shows, it all starts with the AA group.
Bill W. wrote in Concept I: “The A.A. groups today hold ultimate responsibility and final authority for our world services….”
What is Intergroup?
Intergroup is responsible for the centralized A.A. service office .It exists to aid the groups in their common purpose of carrying the A.A. message to the alcoholic who still suffers. (from the A.A. Guidelines for Central or Intergroup Offices.
The GTA Intergroup welcomes all members who want to volunteer for the following committees:
GTAI Committees
Communications & The Better Times
IT
Literature Department
Grapevine / La Vina Committee
12 Step Sub-Committee