Quicklinks

-

+

New to FA

+

-

Meetings

+

-

About FA

+

-

For Members

+

-

For Professionals

+

-

EAI

+

-

WAI

+

-

Languages

+

-

Document 5: Suggested Wording for Service Announcements


Keeping the newcomer in mind, announcements are kept as brief as possible, allowing time for sharing stories of recovery rather than confusing details about different types of phone lists, lists of literature, etc. The greeters and members holding service positions can share more detailed information with newcomers at the break and before and after the meeting. When making announcements, members state their name and service position and identify themselves as a food addict. Members holding service positions are asked to make themselves available at the literature table during the break.

WSI Contact

Makes announcements when specified in WSI correspondence.

Intergroup Contact(s)

The next intergroup meeting is [day, date, time, location (and call in information, if applicable)]. The meeting includes an orientation session for those new to intergroup at [time]. Note: Announcement to be made one week before intergroup meeting.

or

Chapter Contact(s)

The next chapter meeting is [day, date, time, and location]. The meeting includes an orientation session for those new to chapter at [time]. Note: Announcement to be made one week before chapter meeting.

Public Information Representative

There will be an FA Information Session on [date, time, and location]. We hope that everyone here will attend. Please consider bringing at least one other person who might be interested in FA, perhaps a family member, a friend, or a healthcare professional. The session will begin with sharing from several members with long-term abstinence and will include time for questions and answers.

Note: PI reps announce information sessions only (it is unnecessary to announce Letter to Health Care Professional and Clergy, as it is in the format).

Secretary

Next week, we will have a business meeting immediately following this meeting. Please plan on attending. Note: Announcement to be made one week before the business meeting.

We will have a business meeting immediately following this meeting. All are welcome to attend. Note: Announcement to be made the day of the business meeting.

Note: Please read the following information, each month, at your business meetings only, so that all members planning to announce AWOLs can hear the suggested language to use for those announcements. If there are members who announce AWOLs who do not attend the business meeting, you may wish to inform them of the “suggested language” below. For your convenience, a line item has been added to the “Sample Business Meeting

Agenda/Minutes” document (found in Document 7), to help meeting secretaries remember to relay this information.

Although AWOL (A Way of Life) is not part of FA, the FA Meeting Format calls for the announcement of local in-person AWOLs currently open (or opening) and accepting new members. It is not suggested to announce telephone AWOLs as the large number of telephone AWOLs can be confusing for newcomers; people interested in a phone AWOL should confer with their sponsor.

When we announce AWOLs at meetings, we have been asked to use this suggested language: AWOL stands for “A Way of Life” and is a comprehensive method of working the Twelve Steps of FA in sequence. There is an open AWOL (or an AWOL opening) on [day, (date), time, location]. The leaders are [“name” from “city”] and [“name” from “city”].

MESA Representative

Today’s/Tonight’s selected “best practice for healthy meetings” statement from Document 9 of the FA Meeting Guidelines is: [read a statement with an asterisk from Document 9 that you believe is applicable to the meeting].

Other Service Positions

If you hold one of the following positions, you do not need to make an announcement during the meeting, as these announcements are built in to the Meeting Format. However, it is important that you make yourselves available to assist newcomers at the literature table.

  • Phone List person
  • CD Person
  • connection Representative (will be asked to stand and introduce themselves)
  • Literature Person (will be asked to stand and introduce themselves)