Agenda
72nd General Service Conference Agenda Items
- Final items distributed February 6. On the MSCA 09 website under ‘General Service Office (GSO)”,“Conference Material”.
- Total of 81 agenda items (95 with agenda topics with multiple parts)
- Following the September 15, 2021 deadline the Trustees received 178 agenda item The Agenda Committee met in December 2021 to Deduce the number and January 7 and 12 saw the Preliminary items, 71 agenda items with 15 EDW (15 topics).
- What about those 178 agenda items. Prior to Covid 2020, the process for agenda items used Districtdiscussions, that went to the Area and then on to GSO. During Covid most of the submissions came frommembers(s) and fewer from District/Areas.
- Plain language Big Book – 4
- Changes to Twelve and Twelve (i.e. changes to page 66 and 117) – 3
- Change to Preamble in Grapevine – 37 ; most where request to change the language back
- Additions to Twelve and Twelve – 23
Of these topics, they account for 60 of the 178 submissions.
- Some are collaborative responses, an intentional effort of members to gather responses from othermembers, most using the same language of the
- Proposed agenda items agreed to be forwarded to the 72nd S.C., details pending the “EquitableDistribution of Work” process.
- 72nd GSC Theme: “A.A. Comes of Age 0: Unified in Love and Service”Presentations/Discussions Topics
- How do A.’s go to any lengths to recover, Unify, and Serve?
- Going Beyond Fear
- How to Reach Anyone, Anywhere
- Workshop topic for 2022 GSC: “The Warranties – Our Promise to the Fellowship and the ”
A.A.W.S.
- The new aa.org site is live and has a total of 4000 individual files are embedded on the website
- The financials are currently in the process of closing the year‐end adjustments to ensure expenses that should be in 2021 are logged as such and 2022 are as well. We work on an accrual meaning when things are done,we paid and put it in for the year that
- An audit will be held next with the final financial report to be presented at the 72nd GSC
- 2021 contributions totaled $10,782,983 which exceeds the budget by 8% ($526,000) from last year. This breaks last year’s record. Literature gross sales were $11,700,254 which shows a continued comeback from the effects of the pandemic o 24% of literature sales were the Big Book in all formats (5 million+)
- The 2022 budget does have a deficit primarily due to travel returning and the in person 72nd The overage from 2021 combined with the deficit for the 2022 budget is expected to bring us to break evenfinancially.
- In response to fellowship feedback on the Safety information published, revision was requested by the A.A.W.S. Board. Review of this revision was delivered and the next meeting to occur this month (February).
Finance
- AAWS financial results unaudited 2021 revenue Gross literature sales for 2021 were$11,700,254. This exceeds the 2021 budget of $11,400,000 by $300,254 (3%) and is $2,538,846 more than last year.
- This is the highest annual gross literature sales since However, this is still about 3 million less than 2019. December gross sales were $1,211,891. Gross sales averaged $975,021 per month compared to a budget of$950,000 per month.
- Contributions for 2021 were $10,782,983. This exceeds the 2021 budget of $10,000,000 by $782,983 (8%) and is $526,296 more than last year. This is the highest annual contributions total in GSB history, breaking last year’s record of $10,256,687. Online contributions of 23% for the year is also a December contributions were $1,365,912. Contributions averaged $898,582 per month compared to a budget of $833,333 per month.
- 2022 Budget: The committee recommended that the General Service Board approve the amended 2022 AAWS budget, which reflects total revenues of $16,741,400, total expenses of $18,111,969 and a bottom‐line deficitof $1,350,569. Surplus from 2020 will cover the 2021
- Grapevine financial results: Average paid circulation of the Grapevine magazine was 56,081. This comparedwith a budget of 60,970 and 2020 actual of 63,397.
- Total income for the year was $1,738,097 which is $274,463 more than budgeted and $122,337 more thanthe $1,615,760 achieved in This amount includes an insurance payment of$180,000 for the International Convention.
- Total costs and expenses of the magazine for the year were $1,712,588, which were $105,270 lower thanbudgeted and $201,871 less than the $1,914,459 in
- After adding interest earned, there was a net income for the period ending December 31, 2021, of$25,509 compared to a budgeted net loss of $354,225.
- The committee recommended that the General Service Board approve the 2022 Grapevine budget, whichreflects total revenues of $1,706,208 and a bottom‐line income of $19,234.
- La Viña results: For the unaudited results for December 31, 2021, average paid subscriptions for La Viña were 6,312 compared to 5,597 budgeted and 7,205 in December 2020.
- Income from magazine sales was $41,163 compared with a budget of $24,813. After deducting the costs and expenses of $429,810, a shortfall between revenue and expenses of $388,646 resulted for this service activity. This compares with a budgeted shortfall of $401,970 and a shortfall of $385,772 for
- The shortfall for the La Viña service activity has been funded by a transfer from the General Fund of the
- La Viña Budget: The 2022 budget for La Viña projects gross profit on the magazine of $2,248 and content related items of $22,740, totaling $24,988. After deducting costs and expenses of $427,055, the 2022 budgetreflects a shortfall of $402,067.
- Reserve Fund report: As of September 30, 2021, the Reserve Fund balance net of Grapevine subscription liability is $12,806,277, which represents 48 months of G.S.O. and Grapevine expenses. This was based on 2021 Expenses. Based on the 2022 budgeted expenses this falls to 7.5 months (Target is 9‐12 months.) The balance includes the $250,000 the G.S.B. voted in July to transfer to the Reserve Fund.
GSO
- The assignment has resumed work on the Military audio interview project. Two retired military consultants were selected from Canada and the U.S. The consultants will work with the TCPC/TA Subcommittee onArmed Forces audio interviews
Accessibilities/Treatment
- The assignment has resumed work on the Military audio interview project. Two retired military consultants were selected from Canada and the U.S. The consultants will work with the TCPC/TA Subcommittee onArmed Forces audio interviews.
Grapevine
- 2021 subscription/literature sales totaled $1,740,000 which is a surplus of $24,000 for the $1,710,000 budgeted – Good News!
- There is a positive upward growth in online subscriptions Note: There is a higher rate of decrease in print subscriptions which is out pacing the increase in the digital platform
- The books “Prayer and Meditation”, “Free on the Inside” and “Hispanic Women in A.A.” did very well in sales
- New Books coming soon! “Fun in Sobriety” coming in April and “Emotional Sobriety” in Spanish is coming in the fall of this year
- LaVina subscriptions are up 8% from last year; subscriptions had decreased 36.6% from 2019 to
If you have had problems trying to order from the Grapevine store and one item was backordered, it would stop your entire order from proceeding online. A software patch was applied which should hopefully resolve things.
Technology Services
- Progress report on Meeting Guide App: The App team launched the fourth major application upgrade since App development was handed over to Foster Made. The App team has received positive feedback regarding this latest release, which included features requested by our users and The number of connected entities continues to increase. Version upgrade, App v.3.9.0, includes:
- The attend option allows users to display only in‐person or online Hybrid meetings will show up under both attend options.
- The ability to change the distance radius of the location
- The inclusion of online notes on Meeting Details provides a specific area to display such informationas online platform meeting IDs and
Publishing
- Mixed‐Title Volume Discount Test Pilot: A six‐month test pilot will run: March 31 ‐ September 30, Orders will receive a quantity discount based on the quantity ordered for all titles combined ‐‐‐ as opposed to purchasing a quantity of one specific title.
Literature
- Call For Stories Coming Soon! If you would like to submit your story on any of the following literature items, be sure to keep watch your email. Requests for stories will come from A.A.W.S Publishing throughthe delegates for the following literature items:
- 5th Edition Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book)
- Note: Any stories submitted for the 4th Edition that were not published will automatically be submitted for this 5th Edition
- 4th Edition Alcohólicos Anónimos (Spanish translation of the Big Book)
- “A.A. for the Native North American” pamphlet (P‐21)
Translation of the 4th Edition into Plain and Simple English
- Four major translators were researched by the committee along with A.W.S. Publishing
- Submissions of examples of translations on How It Works will be included in background material for the 72nd Fellowship review and feedback is wanted
- Translation will be at a 5th Grade reading level
Update on request to develop study guide workbooks for AA
- The committee came up with three options:
- No action as suggested by 1985 advisory action
- Use GV already created material – use future podcasts
- Create a GSC study guide workbook to aid in the studying of the 12 steps – possible 12T and 12C
- It was unanimous to forward to the options GSC Committee on Literature and will be included in the background material for the 72nd New content released on Mondays, at:https://www.aagrapevine.org/podcast
Grapevine/La Vina
- Fun in Sobriety (due our April 23, 2022).
- Production has begun on Emotional Sobriety in time for a Fall
- AA Grapevine has developed a pilot podcast
Group Services
- Newly completed New Group New features include the option to list a meeting as in‐person or virtual perthe advisory action.
- Updated “G.S.O. Group Information Change ”
- The C.M./D.C.M.C. form update
Public Information
- Phase one of the public information project “Alcoholics Anonymous 2021 English and Spanish TV PSA Distribution” was completed on December 1, 2021. Links to the videos will be in the background
Regional Forums
- All Regional Forums in 2022 will be held in person except for the Special Forum
- The Regional Forums assignment is coordinating plans for four in‐person 2022 Regional Forums:
- May 13‐15 … Eastern Canada … Charlottetown, E.I.
- June 3‐5 … Western Canada … Winnipeg, MB
- Sept 16‐18 … Pacific … Salt Lake City, UT
- 2‐4 … Southeast … New Orleans, LA
- The Special Forum (referred to North/South Forum) will be held virtually in July The event is hosted bythe General Service Board of the U.S. and Canada service structure. In addition, the G.S.O.s of Argentina and Chile are partners in the project. Participants from all four countries will share experiences on the theme “Beyond Language, Culture and Geography: Sobriety Within Everybody’s Reach.” TheSpecial Forum is open to all interested parties, and interpretation will be available in English, Spanish, and French.
- 2022 and 2023 event dates have been uploaded to the aa.org website
2025 International Convention in Vancouver, Canada
- Accommodations are being worked to include AirBNB as there are limitations with We need 9,000‐10,000 rooms.
- There are concerns with COVID and the changing requirements for travel into Canada and will continue to be monitored
- A survey will be sent to the fellowship prior to the 72nd GSC to see how the fellowship feels about having this conference. Follow up surveys will be sent to keep a pulse on the fellowships feelings about attending
- The theme was selected and will be formally announced at the 72nd GSC
General Service Conference
The Equitable Distribution Workload (EDW)
- A total of 12 items that were assigned to other committees to help even the distribution of agenda I will share more on this process at the Spring Assembly
- Note: You will see literature items for other committees on the Final Agenda and backgrounde., Corrections, Report and Charter, etc.
- The subcommittee on EDW has a very thorough report of this past year’s process and this will besent to the Conference Committee on Policy and Admissions.
Treatment
- The subcommittee on the pamphlet “A.A. for the Older Alcoholic ‐‐ Never Too Late” performed its first‐round review of 84 stories and selected 23 stories to be part of a second‐round review, to be followed by the top12
72nd General Service Conference will be held in person at the Brooklyn Bridge Marriott in Brooklyn, NY April24‐30th!
Honored to be of service!
Mitchell B., MSCA 09 Panel 72 delegate
Cell: (949) 278-8263
Email: delgates@msca09aa.org