Each group has but one primary purposeto carry the message to the addict who still suffers.
Tradition Five
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Our home group means a lot to us. After all, where would we be without our favorite NA meeting? Our group sometimes sponsors picnics or other activities. Often, home group members get together to see a movie or go bowling. We have all made good friendships through our home group, and we wouldnt trade that warmth for the world.
But sometimes we must take inventory of what our group is doing to fulfill its primary purposeto carry the message to the still-suffering addict. Sometimes when we go to our meetings, we know almost everyone and get caught up in the laughter and fun. But what about the newcomer? Have we remembered to reach out to the new people who may be sitting by themselves, lonely and frightened? Do we remember to welcome those visiting our group?
The love found in the rooms of Narcotics Anonymous helps us recover from addiction. But once we have gotten clean, we must remember to give to others what was so freely given to us. We need to reach out to the addict who still suffers. After all, the newcomer is the most important person at any meeting.
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Just for today: Im grateful for the warm fellowship Ive found in my home group. I will reach out my hand to the still-suffering addict, offering that same fellowship to others.
I always was told the newcomer is the most important person there.Get there early open up meeting,so if a newcomer get's there early they stay.We all were a newcomer once. I still have the same group of men and womenin my NA life as at my first meetig.We should be a power of example for the newcomer ,treat them well.Tell them Keep Coming Back.
One of my favorite informal traditions from the area I first cleaned up in was that there was always the meeting after the meeting at a local coffee house. A group of us would go and discuss the meeting, our lives, build and renew friendships, etc. If there was a newcomer at the meeting, he or she was drug along with us - and he or she would get to spend some time making new associations - people that were living clean and were enjoying a new way of life.
