Thursdays at 1 PM CT
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Meeting ID: 835 6337 0596 Passcode: ThuStep
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1. Introduction
(When moderating, using the mute button on your phone may work more smoothly than pressing *6.)
“Good day, my name is _____ and I will be your moderator today. This meeting is for persons who have been victims, perpetrators and/or rescuers in the cycle of violence. This is a Step Meeting of Violence Anonymous. Currently we are reading from “And So We Begin: The Founder of Violence Anonymous Shares a Decade of Experience Working the 12 Steps of VA.” We will begin on page _____. Since we are not sitting in the same room together it may be more difficult to remain engaged in the meeting. Our experience shows that those who remain attentive by listening, sharing, reading or time keeping are those who gain the most benefit. We request that we all do our best to remain engaged during this meeting.”
2. Serenity prayer
“God Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
“You may mute and un-mute your phone by pressing *6. If you are not sharing, please make sure that your phone is muted.”
3. Read How It Works
4. Member Introduction
“At this time we introduce ourselves by first name only. This is not to embarrass you, but to get to know you.”
Week 1-3: Discussion on the Step reading.
Week 4: Speaker on the Step. Read the step for no longer that 20 min past the hour. Speaker speaks for 7 min. Others speak for 3 min each.
Week 5: Discussion on the Step reading.
5. Read the current step material
Read until approximately 20 minutes pasts the hour. (Note: The Manuscript can now be obtained only from other members. If you would like to have it, listen for now, then ask for contact info of someone who has it at the end of the meeting.)
6. Sharing
“Would someone be willing to be timekeeper?” (Note: Using the mute button on your phone may be more effective than pressing *6.)
“Now is the time for individual sharing. We ask that people with experience working today’s step in VA share first. If you have experience working this step please be prepared to share. Later in the meeting we will open up sharing for those who haven’t worked the step. We encourage everyone to share how they relate to the step reading.
We ask that there be no cross talk – which means that we keep the focus on ourselves, address our remarks to the group and not to any individual. Please refrain from making remarks during another person’s share, and save questions and comments for after the meeting. Explicit descriptions of violence and/or violent fantasies can be triggering to other members of the meeting. When sharing about violent fantasies, we put our focus on our powerlessness over the fantasy and the feelings that trigger the belief of victimhood. Please acknowledge that you have heard the time keeper give the one minute warning and the word “time” at the end of your share. You may mute and un-mute your phone by pressing *6. If you are not sharing, please make sure that your phone is muted. We are now open for discussion.”
7. Read or ask a Volunteer to read: Definition of Sobriety in VA
8. 7th Tradition (At 10 minutes before the close of the meeting)
Our 7th Tradition states that every VA group ought to be fully self supporting, declining outside contributions. We pass a virtual basket and ask that you give what you can. The funds are used to pay the expenses of the fellowship.
Contributions may be made on the 7th Tradition page on the website.
9. Tools
Read the Tools of Violence Anonymous.
“We take the next few minutes of the meeting for each person to share the tools they will use in the upcoming week to avoid playing the victim, rescuer and/or perpetrator.”
10. Sponsorship Acknowledgement
“If you are currently sponsoring in VA will you please state your name and tell us if you have room for more sponsees?”
11. Contact Requests
“Now is the time for contact (phone #, email, Skype) requests. Please state who’s contact info you would like and we will exchange info after the closing of the meeting.”
12. VA Related Announcements
Now is the time for both VA and non-VA announcements. First are there any VA announcements that affect this meeting or VA as a whole? Are there any non-VA announcements about tools or outside resources that pertain to VA recovery?
13. VA Anniversaries
Is anyone celebrating an anniversary of months or years of working the steps VA? Is there anyone counting days 1-90?
14. Closing
“The opinions expressed here were strictly those of the person who gave them. Take what you like and leave the rest. The things you heard were spoken in confidence and should be treated as confidential. Keep them within the walls of this room. Talk to each other, reason things out with someone else, but let there be no gossip or criticism of one another. Instead, let the understanding, love, and peace of the program grow in you one day at a time. The line will remain open after the meeting for fellowship. Will all who care to join me in the serenity prayer?”
15. Contact exchange and fellowship
Those persons whose contact info was requested can be shared now.