The topic of whether or not an area subcommittee meeting should be held in a member's home is a hot one in my area.
I thought at one point I had come across this topic in the Concepts, but now I can't find it and wonder if I've seen it someplace else. I know it was in the policy of my previous area, but is it discussed in NA literature?
Blithe, I checked the Twelve Concepts Booklet and also the Guide to Local Services in NA but could not find any such guideline suggesting that subcommittee meetings not be held at a member's home.
But I think you must have read it in one of the local guidelines developed by an area. Almost all areas have felt the necessity of developing their own guidelines apart form the general ones catering to their own requirements and local situations.
I suggest you check out the local resources portal of the www.na.org website. You might find this guideline in one of the many such locally developed guidelines that areas have contributed to this resource portal at our official worldwide NA website.
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"If we do an honest examination of exactly what we are giving, we are better able to evaluate the results we are getting."Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - NA Way of Life.
Back in my first days of recovery [1986- 1995] I remember a few subcommittee and ad hoc committee meetings being held in members homes. This was in southern California USA
Since I've returned to the fellowship [2005] I attended a regular group meeting once while on a business trip which was held at a members home, it was a regular meeting held there every week, listed in their meeting directory. [that was in northern California]
Just out of curiosity, why was it a "hot topic"? I'm not being critical, I'm simply trying to understand why it might be a problem.
We still conduct a few of our subcommittee meetings at the cafe frequented by NAs...
Sometimes, I've seen that even homegroup meetings, if they don't get the premises, have been held at one of the homegroup members' house. Sometimes it happens informally, even over the phone due to certain circumstances...
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"If we do an honest examination of exactly what we are giving, we are better able to evaluate the results we are getting."Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - NA Way of Life.
I'm curious too. On the face of it, it seems like wherever a meeting can be held is the right place to hold it. I suppose if there is choice between a "neutral" place like a church, but a particular committee person wants it at their house - could be a power issue. But I speculate.
I guess if there's a possibility of a neutral premises being available, then I don't think holding such a meeting at someone's house is healthy... And definitely not at one member's insistence... the main problem in conducting recovery meetings at members' houses, I have read somewhere in our literature (I don't remember where, maybe in the coffeetable book Miracles Do Happen or in the Group Booklet perhaps) might create restriction to certain individual members' participation at times due to their feeling discomfort or due to differences between them and the member at whose place these meetings are held etc...
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"If we do an honest examination of exactly what we are giving, we are better able to evaluate the results we are getting."Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - NA Way of Life.
Thers something were missing here= the difference between "regularly scheduled meetings" and meeting (singular). Sometimes a meeting maybe in shift so its ok to meet in a members home so continuity wont be broken. Also remember that when two or more addicts gahter to share recovery thats a meeting ! For example= when me and a Fellow Na play music together,, we usually take time off or after the show we share on recovery the NA WAY !!! This is ok,,, the problem is when a Regularly Scheduled meeting gets lodged in a members house !!! This is not good at all,,, we wont do justice to Principles before Personalities !! All over the World this has been tried but didnt serve to fullfill our Fellowships primary purpose !!! But an ASC meeting ? Maybe in a cold place,very hot place, very expensive city etc.when the ASC meeting room in a regular facility is on hold for some reason or other we may meet in a members place for just that one time !!! Well all said and done,,like all other things in NAs Guidelines, this too cannot be put in black and white,,, its still a grey area !! Each Group is autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or NA as a whole !!!
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Raman an addict clean and serene just for today in NA Worldwide ; live to love and love to live the NA Way !!!
The meetings I am referring to are Area Sub-Committee meetings.
The question of whether or not it is appropriate to hold such a meeting in member's home brings about several issues:
1. Power. A neutral location levels the playing field when it comes to power. Everyone is on equal ground.
2. Personality. A member or members may feel unwelcome or unable to participate if the meeting is held in the home of someone with whom there are difficulties. Again, neutral ground is preferable.
3. Safety. For a newcomer, or anyone who may be dealing with a damaged relationship, going to the home of someone of the opposite sex may cause problems at home. Personally and speaking as a woman in recovery, I do not feel comfortable going alone to a man's home.
I really think I read about this topic somewhere in NA literature. Maybe it was in the Guide to Local Services. Does anyone have a copy to check?
