We usualluy have about 65-70 people in my Monday night Homegroup(QUITE A FEW NEWCOMERS).I personally reach out by ensuring not only do we hand out a 'NEWCOMERS PACKET" that we put together at our business meeting(meeting list, 2-3 IP's(wELCOME TO na/WHO'S AN ADDICT/SPONSORSHIP ETC..a phone list that is personally shown to the newcomer so they can identify the number with the person and the name and face and of course a just for today WELCOME key tag.That alone can be the Power greater than themselves that will keep them coming back.. I make sure I take a moment to speak with any newcomer instead of running away at 9:00 pm when meeting ends and spend a few minutes to answer any questions if I can. The people that came up to me to personally welcome me into the rooms,and truly was glad I was there was definitly a Power greater than myself,and I came into the rooms with my own very deep seated Faith beliefs( a junk relationship but still same God from my youth)The newcomer is the most important person in the room because we do keep what we have by giving it away,there is nothing more precious then seeing a glimmer of hope in the eyes of one who was once devasted and didnt think there was a way out.I know we can identify!! CONDENSED REPLY..............
-- Edited by MIKEF on Wednesday 29th of June 2011 08:19:07 AM
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Our purpose is to remain clean,just for today,and to carry the message of recovery.
What Ruthy said. That means talking and listening to them before and after the meeting. Giving them a hug (if they are comfortable with that), phone numbers, and a meeting list.
I will sometimes go up to them after the meeting and just start to talk. My area is pretty good at welcoming newcomers so often there are already several recovering addicts talking to him/her. The message is that "it gets better" or "NA works, just keep coming back" with encouragement to call the numbers on the meeting list that was passed around earlier.
