A member of the Jefferson County Intergroup Website Committee writes:
Who we are:
The Jefferson County Intergroup is a service group comprised of groups that say they are members of the Jefferson County Intergroup.
Collectively we can pool the financial and human resources to stimulate “carrying the AA message” where it is beyond one group’s resources to do this.
Bill W. said, our third legacy is that “least possible organization which will maintain us in effectiveness and unity.”
That must mean that our least possible organization is intended to bind our groups together, in loving and purposeful communication, in about the same manner as individual members are bound together in an AA group.
The primary purpose of Intergroup is to make the Alcoholics Anonymous program of recovery available and accessible to all alcoholics; and to promote unity and mutual support among all member groups.
Membership:
Any AA group is eligible for membership in Intergroup.
The group conscience of AA in the United States and Canada has agreed upon these two (2 ) points that define an AA group:
- 1.Tradition Three: “Our membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism. Hence we may refuse none who wish to recover. Nor ought AA membership ever depend upon money or conformity. Any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an AA group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation.”
- 2.Warranty Six:
- “-much attention has been drawn to the extraordinary liberties which the AA traditions afford to the individual member and to his group; no penalties to be inflicted for nonconformity to AA principles; no fees or dues to be levied- voluntary contributions only; no member to be expelled from AA- membership always to be the choice of the the individual; each AA group to conduct it’s internal affairs as it wishes- it being merely requested to abstain from acts that might injure AA as a whole; and finally that any group of alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an AA group provided that, as a group, they have no other purpose or affiliation.”
A group shall be considered registered after filing a completed group registration form, notifying the Intergroup of it’s formation, name, place, date and time of it’s meetings. Just download and being in your completed Jefferson County Intergroup New AA Group & Group Change Form. Filing in person is required by a group representative to the business meeting for a new group. This information will be included in the Jefferson County Intergroup Meeting List, there is a 3- month waiting period for new groups after registering.
Intergroup does not directly participate in the AA general service structure. It is suggested that each group register with the General Service Office (GSO) of AA. It is also suggested that each group register with Area 47 CNY.
It is recommended each member group elect a representative and an alternate. The representative or alternate is expected to attend all regular or special meetings of Intergroup.
Experience shows that Intergroup representatives should have one year of continuous sobriety at the start of term and be an active member of the group represented. The term of service is one year; however the representative may serve as many terms as the group that they represent may choose. It is also recommended that the Intergroup representative not simultaneously hold another office within their AA group.