Document 7A: Sample Business Meeting Agenda/Minutes

Date:                                                           

[Note to Secretary: This document is a guide to help you facilitate a business meeting. Notes in italics are sample items for consideration and notes in bold-faced type are intended to be read aloud  at each meeting.]

Introduction:

• We will begin the business meeting with the serenity prayer.
• FA Meetings typically hold monthly business meetings, even if there are only a few people attending or there is no apparent pressing new business.
• Business meetings provide an opportunity to consider broader issues and concerns and to discuss how effectively the meeting is reaching newcomers.
• The requirement for speaking and voting at a business meeting is a minimum of 90 days of continuous abstinence in FA, though everyone is welcome to attend.

Treasurer’s Report

A Starting Balance $____

B This Month’s Income $____

C This Month’s Expenses $____

D New Balance $____ (A+B-C)

E Upcoming Expenses $____

F Seventh Tradition Donations To Chapter or Intergroup & WSI * $____

G Ending Balance (Excludes today’s collection & Prudent Reserve) $____ (D-E-F)

H Prudent Reserve (i.e., for rent or upcoming FA Information Session) $____

I Ending Balance – Prudent Reserve ** $ (G-H)

* Amounts to be determined (and usually voted on) during business meeting.

** Ending minus Prudent Reserve (line I) should always be less than or equal to $0.

If line I is greater than $0, line F should be increased.

Literature Report

• Does literature need to be ordered?
• If so, is a motion/vote needed to expend the funds?
• Other updates regarding literature:

Public Information Report

• Discussion regarding upcoming FA Information Session.
• Discussion regarding other PI initiatives.
• Announcements regarding WSI web links, media watch, and healthcare watch.

WSI Contact Report

• Reading of WSI annual/quarterly report summary or other WSI communication.
• Announcements regarding Frontier Phone List, Frontier Sponsor List & Universal Language List.

Intergroup and/or Chapter Contact Report

• Reading of intergroup reports or other communication.

Meeting Health Report

• Monthly: Review pre-selected topic, take questions, and suggest that members discuss the topic with their sponsors or other experienced members.
• Every six months (i.e., January/July) conduct formal “Meeting Inventory.” (less than 10 minutes)

Meeting Guidelines Reminder

[Note to Secretary: please read the following each month at your business meetings.]

All members are encouraged to read the Meeting Guidelines documents under “Meetings” at www.foodaddicts.org. If questions arise that directly pertain to this meeting, please voice your concerns at this time. Are there any concerns this month?

connection Report

• Reporting of any connection-related communications.

Meeting Contact Report

• The Meeting Contact should have with them a printed copy of the meeting information currently on the FA website for review and any necessary updating.

AWOL Announcement

[Note to Secretary: Please read the following information each month,  at  your  business  meetings only, so that all members planning to announce AWOLs can hear the suggested language  to use for those announcements. If there are members who announce AWOLs who do not attend the business meeting, you may wish to inform them of the “suggested language” below. By group conscience, meetings in small fellowships may decide to temporarily eliminate this announcement if there are no live AWOLs within 100 miles. Similarly, in large fellowships with many AWOLs open simultaneously, by group conscience, meetings may choose to replace the last sentence with one that directs members to a written list of open AWOLs within 100 miles.]

Although AWOL (A Way of Life) is not part of FA, the FA meeting format  calls for the announcement of local in-person AWOLs currently open (or opening) and  accepting  new members. It is not suggested to announce telephone AWOLs as the large number of telephone AWOLs can be confusing for newcomers; people interested in a phone AWOL should confer with their sponsors.

When we announce AWOLs at meetings, we have been asked to use this suggested language:

“AWOL stands for ‘A Way of Life’ and is a comprehensive method of working the Twelve Steps of  FA in sequence. There is an open AWOL (or an AWOL opening) on [day, (date), time, location]. For further information please contact [‘name from city’] or [‘name from city’].”

Old Business

Listing of discussion items/motions from previous meeting.

New Business

Notes from discussion items/motions from this meeting.

Serenity Prayer

MEETING SERVICE POSITION LIST

Updated as of:
Note your meeting’s abstinence requirements, the agreed-upon periods of service for each position, the start date, and the date for next change in positions – suggested durations are listed. The abstinence requirements listed with each position are urged as minimums.

* Required service position to be updated regularly and kept current on FA Website by Meeting Contact
** Optional service position to be updated regularly and kept current on FA Website by Meeting Contact

Revised April 8, 2021