THE ABBIE
July 2011
CENTRAL ONTARIO INTERGROUP
*
God Keeps Me Unharmed
You Are No Longer Alone
I am so grateful to be sharing where I am today.
This was suggested to me a number of weeks ago
and I had every intention of writing it right away.
Today would pass and so would tomorrow. That is
very symbolic of my life in my addictions. I will “be good” tomorrow. I will “start life” tomorrow. All of
my todays would pass in a haze and so would my
tomorrows. Life was happening and I was not
participating. So today, I am writing…
After sixteen years in program, I have had the most
spiritual and inspirational experience in OA over the
last six months.
It took a few huge wakeup calls to pull me out from
the bed I had been hiding under my entire life. I
showed my Health Card at a clinic when I had
come in for relief from a cold. Not only was I sick,
but also suffering from a huge bulimic hangover.
My head was pounding and I could barely see
straight. The receptionist came over to me and
said, “I am sorry but is this your health card?” I looked at the picture. Yes, it was me, but the
woman sitting in the clinic looked nothing like me.
At another doctor’s appointment I heard, “you likely have osteoporosis” I was 37 years old. So here I am today, age 39 and I have 1 year and
11 months of abstinence. Most days I am free from
food and body obsession. My bones are healthy
and my body is energized. I am so grateful for
everything and everyone in my life. I work the steps
with my sponsor. I go to meetings. I have
sponsees. I study the literature and practice the
principles outlined to the best of my ability each
day. I reach out for help when I need it. I pray and
meditate. I ask my family and friends how they are
doing and make time for them. I laugh a lot. I go to
school. I try new things, even those that scare me a
little. I do my homework. I show up for life, even
when it feels like a firing line, because when I do,
God keeps me unharmed. It is not that challenges
won’t come my way, they will, but my God will equip me with what I need to get through them.
One day at a time, life feels amazing and I actually
can look in the mirror today and say “I love you” to
the woman staring back at me. Thank you God
and Thank you OA.
Meredith F.
Toronto
My program had become stagnant and I needed to
step out of my comfort zone and say "Yes" to a new
service position - one that would challenge me to
grow! I asked someone whose program of recovery
I admire and respect to co-chair the 2011 Central
Ontario Intergroup One-Day Convention with me
and the experience really took us on a journey.
We were determined
that this was not
going to be about us
and so formed an
amazing organizing
committee.
We
asked for input
from all OA groups
in Central Ontario
and received many
theme,
topic
and
speaker suggestions;
some groups in Toronto even
offered to lead some of the sessions. There were
lots of group conscience committee meetings
where ideas were tossed around, and many times
an idea was approved that I hadn't thought of but
embraced, celebrating other members’ creativity.
We asked the session facilitators to be creative and
someone commented "you’re letting go of control!"
YES, YES, YES, we let go of so much control and
the result was that many people became and felt a
part of the process. We did justice on the footwork
and let go of the results. The results came in on
June 25th 2011 and the efforts of MANY people
resulted in a magical day of Energy, Spirituality,
Recovery and Fellowship. God directed the event
and many members were inspired to lead,
volunteer, share and travel many miles to be part of
this very special day. It was a Phenomenal Day of
Recovery and the FEELING I had for days
afterwards has been priceless.
I sincerely hope that all who worked on the
committee and volunteered during the event will
Please submit your stories of experience, strength and hope to The Abbie [email protected] or directly online
http://www.oaontario.org/Member_Submissions.php by the 25th of the month. Thank you for your service!
THE ABBIE
JULY 2011
PAGE 2
come back and participate again in one way or
another at the 2012 Convention. We can carry this
feeling forward, sharing with other OA members
and reaching out to newcomers.
In order to keep what we have been so freely given,
we give it away as Step 12 suggests. Our
Overeaters Anonymous program WORKS when we
work it!
Allan L.
Co-Chair, COI One-Day Convention 2011
Upcoming OA Events
September 16-18 2011. New Living Abstinent Retreat:
The Promises. Amazing speakers, beautiful rural setting
near Orangeville. $220 for double room $250 for single.
-Contact Pat G. 647-520-2742 [email protected]
or Debi H. 905-717-1735 [email protected]
Medallion Celebrations
Liam will celebrate 1 year of abstinence on Sunday July
17, 10:30 a.m. at the Promises Group in Toronto.
Literature
Literature pickup at intergroup 9:30 – 10:00 a.m. at
830 Bathurst Street, Toronto.
For literature price list please consult order form or email the literature committee [email protected]
The Central Ontario Intergroup Literature Committee
needs at least three members to join the committee to
continue the service of keeping literature available to the
groups in our region. [email protected]
Intergroup News
Central Ontario Intergroup bylaws were amended and
approved by group conscience and are now available
online at
http://www.oaontario.org/media/2011_Approved_Bylaws
_Final_2011.pdf
OA World Service News
Definition of Abstinence Expanded: The Statement
on Abstinence and Recovery (WSBC Policy 1988b,
Amended 2002, 2009 and 2011) has been revised to
include the italicized words at the end of the first
sentence: “Abstinence in Overeaters Anonymous is the action of refraining from compulsive eating and
compulsive food behaviors while working towards or
maintaining a healthy body weight. Spiritual,
emotional and physical recovery is the result of living the
Overeaters Anonymous Twelve-Step program.” For
more details please refer to http://www.oa.org/news/
Central Ontario Intergroup
c/o 830 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON, M5R 3G1
Phone: 416-588-6134
Toll free: 1-866-221-5061
Email: [email protected]
COI Website: http://www.oaontario.org
World Service Website: www.oa.org
Intergroup Service Board
Chairperson: Glenn [email protected]
Vice-Chair: [email protected]
Treasurer: Lee [email protected]
Region 6 Delegates: Carol & Marianne
World Service Business Conference Delegate:
Recording Secretary: Kathy
[email protected]
Office Manager: Susan & Liam
[email protected]
Committees and Representatives
Convention: Allan 416-535-1622 &
Brien 416-438-7762
Finance: Ben [email protected]
Literature: [email protected]
Outreach: [email protected]
Public Information: Pat [email protected]
Telephone: Colleen [email protected]
The Abbie: Terry [email protected]
Special Events: [email protected]
Website: Paula [email protected]
Monthly Intergroup Meeting
Central Ontario Intergroup meets on the second
Saturday of each month at 830 Bathurst Street (main
floor), Toronto 10:00 a.m.-12 noon. This is an important
meeting where issues of OA as they pertain to Central
Ontario Intergroup and the program as a whole are
discussed. Each OA group is asked to send someone to
represent their meeting in the discussions and to bring
back information to the group. All OA members are
welcome and invited to attend.
Download an updated meeting list
http://www.oaontario.org/meetings.php
Find an Online or Telephone Meeting
http://www.oa.org/meetings/find-a-meeting-online.php
Receive The Abbie via email! Subscribe at http://www.oaontario.org/Sign_Up.php