Live and Let Live A. A. Service Positions

In general, serving as an alternate to any position has the same requirements as the position itself. If an officeholder is unable to complete the term of office, the alternate steps in to the office automatically and a new Alternate is chosen.

CHAIR: The chair should have 2 years or more continuous sobriety, and the organizational and people skills to lead the business meeting. The chair’s primary responsibility is to lead the monthly business meeting. Familiarity with (or willingness to learn) fundamental rules of order is helpful. Time commitment is 2-4 hours per month.

ALTERNATE CHAIR: The Alternate Chair serves in the place of the Chair if the Chair is absent.

SECRETARY: Minimum sobriety is 2 years.  The Secretary has responsibility for maintaining accurate records of the group’s business.  This includes recording minutes at the business meeting, preparing and posting announcements and agendas of upcoming group business meetings. The time commitment is 3-5 hours per month. Experience in business or secretarial field is helpful but not required.

ALTERNATE SECRETARY: The Alternate Secretary assists the Secretary as needed in preparing and maintaining the group’s records.

TREASURER: Minimum sobriety is 4 years. The treasurer has primary responsibility for reporting the group’s financial standing. The Treasurer collects the envelopes from the safe, makes bank deposits, and reconciles bank statements to group records, responsible for writing checks to cover costs. Time commitment is 5-10 hours per month. Experience in financial, accounting, or business experience is helpful.

ALTERNATE TREASURER: The Alternate Treasurer assists the Treasurer as needed in maintaining the group’s business records, preparing reports, etc. The time commitment is 2-3 hours per month.

INTERGROUP DELEGATE: Minimum length of sobriety is 1 year.  The Intergroup delegate represents the group at the monthly Central Office meetings.  This meeting is held during the morning the 2^nd Sunday of each month at various groups around town. The meeting lasts about 3 hours.  The Intergroup Delegate is primarily an information conduit, reporting to other groups what our group is doing.  They bring information back about Central Office, events at other groups (dances, roundups, alkathons, etc) or how other groups are dealing with problems they’re facing. Attendance at LLL monthly business meeting is also expected. The Intergroup delegate should have their own transportation.

ALTERNATE INTERGROUP DELEGATE: The Alternate Intergroup Delegate attends the monthly meeting if the Intergroup Delegate is unable to (or accompanies the Intergroup delegate).

SUPPLIES CHAIR PERSON: Minimum sobriety is 6 months.  The supplies Chair Person inventories, monitors, purchases and maintains needed supplies (coffee, sugar, envelopes, pens etc.) for the group.  Budgeting for supplies is set during monthly AA Business meetings.  Appropriate purchases with receipts are reimbursed by the treasurer.  Is assisted by and partners with the supply support person. 

SUPPORT FOR THE SUPPLIES CHAIR PERSON:  The supply support person partners with and assists the Supplies Chair Person coordinating and sharing responsibility for supply management.

SOCIAL ACTIVITIES CHAIR PERSON:  Minimum sobriety is 6 months.  The social activities chair person (AKA the Grand Purveyor of Joyous Events) organizes and coordinates AA approved group activities (holiday parties, pot-lucks, hall decoration etc.)  Ideas for AA social events are presented to the monthly business meetings for approval and when needed, budget limits are set.

SUPPORT FOR THE SOCIAL ACTIVITIES CHAIR PERSON:  The social Activities Support Person (AKA the Associate Grand Purveyor of Joyous Events) partners with and assists in the planning and execution of AA approved group activities.

GENERAL SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE (GSR): Minimum sobriety is 2 years. The GSR is the representative of the group to the official AA service structure. Full responsibilities are discussed in the GSO pamphlet, “The GSR: May be the most important job in AA.” The GSR attends the monthly District meeting and the weekend-long Area Assembly in Sedalia 4 times per year (January, March, June, and September).  The GSR is an information conduit bringing information from the District and Area back to the group.  The GSR also shares any group conscience information to the District, Area, and the Area Delegate to the annual General Service Conference. The GSR should be active in the group and willing to listen to all sides of an issue, to help the group reach an informed group conscience. The GSR also assists the group in conducting a group inventory and serves as a source of information and feedback about the AA service structure and AA traditions. Familiarity with AA history and traditions, and applying the Traditions to solve group problems, is recommended. Time requirement is the District meeting held monthly (about 2 hours), the Area Assembly (4 weekends per year), and all group business meetings.  Additional time as needed for planning and preparing for District and Area events, and coordinating activities with other groups. The GSR receives some financial assistance from the group in attending area assembly ($150 for the GSR and alternate, enough to cover the hotel and most mileage/meals). The GSR should plan on becoming familiar with the AA Service Manual, as well as The Language of the Heart, particularly Bill W.’s essays on the Traditions and how they developed.

ALTERNATE GSR: The Alternate GSR assists the GSR, attends district meetings and Area Assembly alongside the GSR, and votes in the GSR’s place if the GSR is unable to attend a district meeting or area assembly. Thus, the time requirements are about the same. The Alternate should also be familiar with the Traditions and the Service Manual.