Greater Omaha Intergroup, Inc.
June 2015
Shares & Cares
General Information:
Hello to All of you! I’m Teresa and I am a Compulsive Overeater. This newsletter can be found on our Website:
www.omahaoa.org.
We welcome any articles, poems, etc. If you would like to contribute an article, etc., please send it to
[email protected]. Your anonymity is respected and protected.
An Attitude of Gratitude: excerpts from Gratitude Lists:
1. My God is bigger than my obsession.
2. Time for what is needed.
3. Knowing that I am always welcome in OA even when I’m struggling.
4. Cravings are not commands.
5. Letting go of fears and trusting God to work out the details.
6. “Accept the addiction. Change the behavior.”
7. Having enough, doing enough, being enough.
8. No longer feeling like it is solely my responsibility to make others happy.
9. God’s overwhelming love for me.
10. To be alive, with a life worth living.
11. Knowing that I am not running the show.
12. Knowing that if God leads me to it, He will see me through it.
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Announcements:
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The 2015 Greater Omaha Intergroup Fall Retreat is on October 23, 24 and 25th at CURC (Creighton
University Retreat Center) near Griswold, IA.
Reminder: new meeting place and day for GOII (Greater Omaha Intergroup) monthly meeting is
at First Covenant Church at 201 N. 90th St., Rm 201. It is actually south of Dodge on the east side
of 90th St. The meeting is held on the second Thursday of the month at 6:15 pm. There is an
elevator on the first floor for those who need it.
Sponsors encourage your sponsees to get involved in service at the Intergroup level. Many
positions or committee work opportunities available. Next Intergroup meeting is June 11th.
Jessie is the Chair for the Outreach Committee. If interested in helping her, you can text her at 1818-515-1849.
Intergroup is still in need of a person to take over Bylaws /Nominating.
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Need Lifeline Subscriptions.
Most OA flyers can be found on the Website: oa.org.
Tuesday Night meeting at Unity needs support.
Meeting List will be updated and out at the next Intergroup Meeting.
New meetings need to register with the WSO (online) & write their group # on their 7 th Tradition
to GOII.
There are a lot of resources out there for young people.
The 2016 WSO Convention is in Boston on Sept. 1 through the 4 th.
Please send newsletter articles or anything you want to put in the newsletter to
[email protected] by no later than the 20th of the month before the Newsletter is out.
If you have submissions for the website, please send to Tom at [email protected].
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Hi! My name is Judy and I am your Intergroup Literature Chairperson. I wanted to highlight a
few pieces of literature that you may not know about. You can contact me directly at 402-6779647 to order, or give your order to your Group Rep to bring to the next Intergroup meeting.
A new way to use a favorite tool! Gain new insights as you reflect on the daily reading in For Today. This
companion workbook provides thought-provoking questions for each reading in the book. Workbook
includes two questions per page and provides space to write answers. Softcover; 208 pages. Cost is
$11.50.
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Deepen your recovery with this companion workbook for Voices of Recovery. Provides thoughtprovoking questions for each of the daily readings in the book; includes space on each page for writing
answers. Softcover; 212 pages. $11.50
Use this valuable tool every day to support you in keeping you abstinence strong and intact. You may
also use it as the focus for meetings and workshops. It is a trifold that can fit in your pocket. Cost is
$.40
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The Step 5 Virtual Workshop podcast has been posted: https://www.oa.org/podcasts/step-five-may-10-2015/
And Matt’s keynote speech from the banquet at Conference is also
posted: https://www.oa.org/podcasts/182616/
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How Do We Let Go and Let God?
The fish flips...flaps...fights within the tangled mass of netting. It thrashes about struggling, getting more
entangled with each attempt to release itself from the stranglehold. It rests, exhausted, for just a few
minutes, and then begins its futile attempts again. This goes on repeatedly for hours. Eventually the fish
hovers between awareness and half-consciousness. A cupped hand reaches down, cradling the fish, as the
fish begins its flailing once again. A soothing voice says, “Hey buddy, calm down. Take it easy. Let me help you
here.” The fish fights and struggles making it more difficult for the gentle hands to remove the tangled mess.
Eventually, the fish succumbs to exhaustion and soon the hands are able to remove the knotted snarls. They
lower the fish to the water, tenderly releasing it to freedom.
This imagery came to me during a meeting as fellow members shared their thoughts and experiences of
allowing a Higher Power to work in their lives. I realized I am just like the crazed fish, struggling, fighting,
afraid to allow helping hands to reach me. I am unaware that I can’t see or understand what entangles me
and that I need the soothing, reassuring, but honest, words from other OA members and my sponsor to calm
me down and help me face the disease I find myself trapped in. I don’t believe that I am going to be okay. I
think that if I, like the fish, just work just a bit harder, I will find release. But God’s tender hands are reaching
out, cradling me in love, removing the bonds of compulsive eating behavior. God provides a nurturing, caring
community to help me. I simply need to “Let Go and Let God.”
Sandy
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Men in the Minority
My first month in OA I was terrified because all I saw at meetings were women. It made me feel uncomfortable,
and I thought to myself that they probably did not want me here. But, as the Third Tradition states, "The only
requirement for OA membership is a desire to stop eating compulsively." Well, I qualified for this, so I kept
coming back no matter what, even when I felt scared and alone.
I finally met another man who had recovery and has been in the program for a while. I asked him to be my
sponsor and he agreed. After a while in the program, I have finally realized that a lot of the initial fears I had
were part of my disease. My recent experiences are that women in the program have accepted me for who I am
because I am a compulsive overeater. I now feel that they do not reject me at meetings in any way.
I have also realized that it is OK for a man and woman to be friends and help each other without a sexual
relationship existing; this is something the program has taught me. I feel uncomfortable sometimes, but I
belong in Overeaters Anonymous, and I will keep coming back, no mater what. I encourage other men who
have similar feelings to keep coming back no matter what; don't leave before the miracles start happening. I
have felt so much better than when I first came to OA, because I have made it through the initial fears as a male
newcomer.
Recently, I felt a total surrender to the program, and now I work the program to the best of my ability. I use the
tools and steps in my life in a daily basis. I feel it is a gift from God that I gratefully accept each day as I wake
up. For the women in the fellowship of OA, I say, "Thank you for accepting me the way that I am."
R. K., Salt Lake City, Utah USA
APA: K., R. (1996, February 1). Men in the Minority. Lifeline, Vol 24, No 2, page 2.
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PLEASE BE A LIFESAVER!!!!!
Help to save the life of LIFELINE....
Subscribe today, for yourself, as a gift, for your meeting.
LIFELINE NEEDS YOU.
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WORLD SERVICE BUSINESS CONFERENCE REPORT
“The Miracle of Abstinence” WSBC 2015 in Albuquerque New Mexico
I was blessed to attend the WSBC 2015 and want to report some of the “happenings’ that occurred at the conference. I
am hoping that this report will both inform and encourage others to become more involved in this service. I was
accompanied by Bri H. It was her first time to serve at WSBC. She was called a “green dot” A “green dot” is assigned a
mentor to assist, welcome and answer any questions. Bri did great!
Here are some interesting facts about the 2015 WSBC:
*There are 6,500 registered OA meetings worldwide.
*On May, 2015 number of WSBC Delegates eligible to vote: 190.
*21 different countries were represented at the 2015 WSBC.
The week of the conference began with committee meetings. Unfortunately Bri and I were unable to participate due to
late arrival. I STRONGLY recommend for future conferences that delegates arrive as early as possible.
The business meeting itself is conducted using Robert’s Rules of Order and a parliamentarian is present to assist this
process.
REPORTS
Beginning with the Board of Trustees and the committees, here are some of the highlights:
*Lifeline magazine will be 50 years old in October. The paper edition of the magazine is in serious trouble. It must be
self-supporting. If no change occurs a decision will be made to possibly terminate the paper edition. More subscriptions
are very much needed.
*7th Tradition donations now can be set up to be automated re-occurring electronic transfer. This may be done on line.
*Our beloved departed founder, Rozanne willed $100,000.00 to OA. Another anonymous donation of $15,000.00 was
received.
*OA literature is translated into 29 languages in 42 countries. The newest are the languages of Korean, Lithuanian and
Chinese.
* The book “OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS” third edition is now available.
THE PUBLIC AWARENESS COMMITTEE has been working in 2014 and will continue in 2015 on press releases to health
and nutrition on line and print media. Facebook ads to visitors of OA.org, Ads in Today’s Dietitian and an association
with Diabetes Educators, Outreach to health and wellness providers, Google ads in English and Spanish, distribution of
PSA TAPES, sales and distribution of PI Poster packets.
Each Region Trustee reported on the activities of their region such as assemblies, conventions, workshops and retreats.
There are 10 regions throughout the world.
THE VIRTUAL SERVICES COMMITTEE focuses on phone meetings, podcasts and the virtual world. More 7th tradition
donations are encouraged from the virtual service meetings to continue this service.
THE YOUNG PERSON’S COMMITTEE is working on new literature – A pamphlet for concerned parents and a Body Image,
Sexuality and Relationship piece of literature are in the works. Young people are welcome to submit articles to Lifeline.
A virtual meeting especially for young people is active in the Los Angeles area.
**********************CONVENTION COMMITTEE **********************
World convention 2016 in BOSTON MA---- SEPT 1-4 AT THE MARRIOTT COPLEY PLACE!!!!!
Theme is RECOVERY: The Trail to Freedom.
Welcome!!! More details to come.
Everyone is
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UNITY WITH DIVERSITY COMMITTEE has 3 main subcommittees. 1) Language 2) Culture 3) Ethnic. A
Concern was expressed over the lack of diversity at the 2015 WSBC.
ELECTIONS
Elections were held for Board of Trustees. Three new region Trustees were elected for regions 3, 6 and 9. Also two
General Trustees at large were elected. The elections are held by paper ballots. The Trustees are held up to
questioning and also give a written and oral qualification.
MOTIONS AND BY LAW AMENDMENTS
Motions for three pieces of literature to be updated were adopted. The literature is: 1) Introducing Overeaters
Anonymous a Program of Recovery 2) A Guide for Sponsors 3) OA Handbook for Members, Groups and Service Bodies.
A motion was adopted involving committee expectations at WSBC.
A motion for the use of banners at OA World Service events was adopted.
There was one proposed amendment to the by-laws that failed and one was withdrawn.
As Stated before, Robert’s Rules of Order are followed during the motions and by-laws sessions. This process includes a
debate with three pros and three cons. It is very thorough. An update is now available on the OA.org website.
WORKSHOPS AND MEETINGS FOR RECOVERY
During WSBC usually 3 recovery meetings are offered, morning, noon and night daily. Also several workshops were
offered. I attended the workshop called “One Abstinence, Many Food Plans that lead to the Miracle of Abstinence. It
was excellent and Meg M. our region 4 chair led the workshop. The focus questions were: 1) What is the difference
between a food plan and abstinence? 2) How can we honor Tradition one with diversity in food plans? 3) Is a plan of
eating necessary to maintain abstinence?
On a personal note------- The World Service Business Conference was a miracle experience for me. I learned much and
enjoyed the fellowship of old friends and met new ones. It was a time filled with work and fun. There was even some
free time to shop, sight see and view a miracle stair case. It is now time for me to pass this service on. I hope that the
next delegate to go to WSBC will feel as blessed as I do. I am grateful for my recovery which allows me to be of service.
It is truly an honor.
Respectfully submitted in gratitude
Marcy S.
Keep coming back no matter what, it works if you work it and
you’re WORTH IT!