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The Home Group

One of the most important things I did early on was get a home group and get involved. To better understand what a home group is all about, I offer this from the publication The Twelve Concepts for World Service:

Experience has shown that for most A.A. members, membership in an A.A. group, known as a "Home Group," is vital to maintaining sobriety through Alcoholics Anonymous.

In the early days of the fellowship, the A.A. members actually met in the homes of fellow members and shared their experience, strength and hope with one another. From this "Home Group," they went on to help newcomers seeking sobriety through A.A.

Thus, the concept of the "Home Group" has grown to thousands of groups through which the "Home Group" member helps others to recover from alcoholism. Through the years, the very essence of A.A. strength has remained with the traditional "A.A. Home Group." This is true especially where isolated alcoholics have found sobriety, fellowship, service work, and the true joy of good living through one's own A.A. group.

Traditionally, most A.A. members through the years have found it important to belong to one group which they call "Home Group." This is the group where they accept responsibilities and try to sustain friendships. And although all A.A. members are usually welcome at all groups and feel at home at any of these meetings, the concept of the "Home Group" has still remained the strongest bond between the A.A. member and the fellowship.

The "Home Group" concept affords the A.A. member the privilege and right to vote upon issues which might affect A.A. as a whole and is the very basis of our service structure. In Concept I Bill W. writes: "The ultimate responsibility and final authority for World Services resides with the group – rather than with the trustees of the General Service Board or the General Service Office in New York."

Obviously, as with all group conscience matters, each A.A. member has one vote, and this, ideally, would be through their "Home Group."

An A.A. member from one area states the following about her "Home Group": "This is the group where I accept responsibility for being informed and available. My group cannot be in a contest designed for individuals, group rivalry, or competition to see which group is the biggest, or who stays sober the longest, or which group contributes the most service, or who is the most sought-after speaker

"…part of my commitment is to show up at my 'Home Group' meetings, greet newcomers at the door, and to be available to the newcomer – not only for them, but also for me. These are the people who know me, who listen to me, and steer me straight when I am going off in left field. This 'Home Group' cares about me, and thus I can care about the newcomers that come to my group. When a newcomer walks in I want them to have the very best that A.A. has to offer, just like I had.

"…if each of us stays active in our 'Home Group,' emptying ashtrays, making coffee, rotating onto steering committees, opening and closing up buildings, taking the Steps and following the Traditions -- our 'Home Group' will not only survive, it will be there for days, months, and years to come offering all of us the loving, joyful, and free life that A.A. has to give, not only to us, but to all who follow us in this life of giving."

(Excerpt from Twelve Concepts for World Service).

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