Each month, we publish a different member of AAs experience of Service within the fellowship.

If you would like to contribute a service share to be included, please contact ecomm.pdistrict@aamail.org

March 2025 Share

Matt

Home Group: Hanford

I tried to do life my way and I failed; I could not stop drinking and needed help. I came to Alcoholics Anonymous, and I began to look at my past behaviour and saw how selfish I had been, everything had been about me and everyone else was an afterthought. Therefore, to give myself the best chance of staying sober, I needed to change.

Fortunately, I was following a well-trodden path by millions of others and their collective experience suggested that to keep me away from a drink, I could reduce my selfishness and be useful to others. The premise was to avoid worrying about the legitimate and illegitimate concerns running around my busy head but instead think of others. When I tried this, my problems reduced, the illegitimate problems went away and the answers for the legitimate ones came to me through the experiences of people in AA.

This usefulness manifested as ‘Service’ at my local meeting, within a couple of weeks I was told to put the chairs out and set up. I was told this service would get me to the meeting early and help me to talk to people rather than sitting on the fringes. I put those chairs out with precision and dedication, I wanted a gold star and a round of applause every week but did not even get a thank you; it humbled me and helped me to stay sober in that initial period. I was told that whenever someone asks for Service, do it; put your hand up when help with the washing is required and never turn down going to do a main share.

Those initial efforts worked for me, so I have continued to take on service positions at group level and have supported others to do the same. Recently, I started attending Intergroup which impressed me because of the significant efforts alcoholics are putting into helping Alcoholics Anonymous be the best version of itself. I was also told that people who attend intergroup and have service positions are less likely to relapse so I surround myself with people like that and copy off of them.

Every time I do Service, I add a little insurance against that selfishness of my past which gives me a better chance of staying sober, the proof is in the experience of all of those before me on this well-trodden path.

February 2025 Share

Colin J

Home Group: Hanford

Sobriety Date: 12/10/2013

When I came into the Fellowship I thought that the people who were running the meetings had earned the right somehow, a bit like how the world works! Little did I know that the ‘right to serve’ was free to all members (with a few caveats). My first experience of service occurred after I had been attending the meetings for about three months. I was sat in a meeting and when the subject of ‘any other business’  came up I duly switched off as usually this kind of stuff didn’t concern me. The Chair indicated that they could not fulfil their role for the following month and asked if someone could stand in for them. Much to my shock and horror, my sponsor said, “Colin will do it!” (This, I know now is referred to as being ‘Voluntold’ by you sponsor!) After the meeting I complained and made excuses to my sponsor which he duly dismissed saying, “You told me that you would go to any lengths, doing this will be good for you, you have been going to meetings long enough to know the format, and I have every confidence in you.” I was full of fear because that meeting was attended by men and women with vast amounts of sobriety compared with me. I did it, and I frequently made a mess of it, and nobody ever criticised me or made me feel stupid; they gently and kindly pointed me in the right direction and thanked me for my service. It transpired that I chaired that meeting for a year and I learnt a lot about humility, gained confidence and a bit of self-esteem, learned a lot about how this great Fellowship works, and best of all it kept me coming back and contributed in keeping me sober.

Since then, I have done service of some kind every single week of my sobriety. And yes, true to form I’ve cocked it up, forgotten things, fallen out with people, upset people and myself, and found out that there are some things that I am just not ready to do yet. However, I have stayed sober, I have changed for the better, I have learned to seek help when necessary, I have learned how to apply the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous in the safe environment of the Fellowship, and I have learned to not take myself too seriously. Above all, I hope that somehow in this often debacle of service I have helped another alcoholic get sober and stay sober.

I now find myself, again being voluntold, to be Electronic Communications Liaison Officer for Intergroup – I know better than to argue, complain, or make excuses. I am happy to admit that I had no idea what this role entailed, and reading the Service Handbook didn’t seem to shed much light on it. Therefore, I have had to seek help from the previous incumbent who, it transpires has been extremely helpful in pointing me in the right direction. Today, I know that as long as I do my best, and apply the principles in all my affairs this will always be good enough in the Fellowship. Somehow I am going to get a little bit better through doing this, and I might help someone else get sober and/or stay sober.

Colin (ECLO)

January Share

Jeff A

Home Group: Newcastle

Sobriety Date: 24/03/2018

Service is one of the foundational principles of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), alongside Recovery and Unity. For me, it has been a crucial part of staying sober, as it allows me to give back to the group while helping others on their recovery journey, which, in turn, reinforces my own. When I was first approached about chairing a meeting, I turned to my sponsor for advice. Rather than a direct answer, I was met with the question, “Would it be good for your recovery?” The answer was obvious. Recovery, for me, is about reintegrating with society without relying on alcohol—a life where I no longer need a drink just to talk to people. That question became something I ask myself in all aspects of life now. After serving as a General Service Representative (GSR), it was “suggested” that I consider stepping up as Intergroup Vice Chair. I knew the role would benefit my recovery, and eventually, I was elected. In April 2024, I was honoured to be elected as Intergroup Chair. One of the most valuable aspects of this role is the chance to connect with other members who bring a wealth of experience, strength, and hope. These interactions have contributed to my personal growth and strengthened my commitment to sobriety. Serving at this level has also given me a deep sense of purpose and belonging. By engaging with a broader network of AA members, I’ve been able to build meaningful relationships and strengthen my sense of community. Ultimately, serving as Intergroup Chair has been an invaluable part of my recovery. It requires patience, collaboration, and humility, all of which continue to enrich my journey toward long-term sobriety.

December Share

Name: Laura B

Home Group: Newcastle

My service journey began when I was one month sober, and one day out of rehab. The physical shakes had stopped, but inside I was still shaking at being out in the world again. I kept repeating the advice that I had been given by the counsellors, all recovering addicts themselves: meetings – sponsor – steps – service. I went to my first in person meeting after rehab with the intent of finding a service position. 

I approached the chair of the meeting, and asked if there was anything available. She was so pleased with my enthusiasm, and told me that the meeting needed someone to make teas and coffees for them. I said yes immediately. 

A lot of service is saying yes immediately when the opportunity arises. It doesn’t give me too much time to think it over – being an alcoholic, thinking is my ultimate problem. 

Service has so many benefits to keeping us sober, primarily the act of putting others before ourselves. It pushed me out of my comfort zone – I didn’t think I was talented at making teas or coffees, usually making them a tad too weak! But the members of my fellowship never minded (openly at least), just pleased to see me again, week after week, and witness my recovery grow. 

The chair that I spoke to that first meeting is now a dear and precious friend to me. I got to know members of the fellowship by making their tea and coffee every Friday night for a year. I was given the privilege of being one of the first people to greet newcomers at their first meeting, and those returning to the fellowship, and provide some small comfort with a hot drink, a warm smile and kind words of support. Some people might find making the drinks demeaning, but I loved making a contribution to my fellowship and knew it was just the first step along the road of recovery. 

As I reached my first year of sobriety, I knew that I would soon need a new service role. I had been told that service roles have a time limit, and it was best to move on to allow others to have a chance and to avoid being stuck in a position. As I had started following instructions, whilst sober, I agreed – making tea and coffee was such a good entry position for newcomers, I knew it would be selfish to hold on just because I was comfortable. 

A member that I trusted greatly approached me and asked if I would be the group service representative at intergroup for a meeting. I agreed immediately, and began attending intergroup. It gave me the opportunity to meet other members throughout the county and engage more closely with the events going on across the district. I was surprised to myself to be considered a welcome addition to intergroup, being a newcomer and also young when I got sober. I took notes on service positions and brought them back to the fellowship, and kept notes on attendance and any other issues to bring back to intergroup. 

I began chairing a meeting at one and a half years sobriety, which I considered a great privilege. It was another step way out of my comfort zone, but I wanted to play a consistent service role in my home group’s meetings. It was a challenging role to facilitate meetings, to set my own feelings aside and remember that I was not ‘in charge’, but serving my fellow members. I was again able to greet newcomers with a friendly smile and explain the meeting to them, settling them down with kind words and allowing myself a little hope for their future. 

After a year of chairing, I again surrendered my role and began seeking another position. This endeavour I found much harder: it felt like each role had found me! I took up a temporary position of GSR for another member who could no longer fulfil the role, but I was ambivalent about taking up the role full time. I felt it was a step back in terms of service and might prevent me from seeking out other meetings, which I really wanted to do. I attended intergroup again, and it was the AGM. I found myself wavering about putting myself forward for anything, until my sponsor, sitting next to me, tapped her pen on the meeting agenda. “You would be good at that”, she said – it read ‘public information officer’. 

I had considered this role over a year earlier, and received a great deal of encouragement from other members, who had approached me about the possibility. I had some connections in the community, mainly from the local universities, and I was already providing them with some support. I had demurred, not feeling ready to commit to the role when I already had a great deal on my plate, of work and study. However, now my hand shot up – to the shock of the chair and everyone present. Public information officer had been a vacant role for a significant length of time and everyone expressed their gratitude that it was to be filled. 

I still felt a scared – I still often do – and worry I won’t be good enough at the role. However, I found that the role is like everything else in recovery – get into action, and just do it. I e-mailed lots of individuals and services as part of a public information event, introducing myself. This has allowed me to make contact with a foodback and two councillors, who as a result of my invitations, have in turn invited me to speak with their staff and with them about alcoholism and the role of AA in the community. Another member who has held the role put it best: just knocking on doors and someone will eventually answer. It is very much trial and error, and I hope to pass on whatever I learn to intergroup, and any future public information officers. It has been another vital and fulfilling service role during my recovery, enhancing my service not only to my fellowship and intergroup, but to my wider community and future members of Alcoholics Anonymous. 

I would whole-heartedly encourage every individual in AA to seek out service positions, no matter how anxious, frightened or small we may feel. We have already shown great courage by entering the doors of AA and staying in meetings – I feel that I need to constantly build on that courage through service to keep me sober and keep me in the programme. 

November Share

Name: Chris

Home Group: Carlisle

Sobriety Date: 6th February 2012

When I’d finally had enough and made the decision to throw in the towel, my sponsor gave me a short list of suggestions to follow, it had worked for him and others before him. One of those suggestions was – get a home group, and get a service position at that group. He told me service is where alcoholics repay AA for what it’s so freely given to them – it’s where we “pay our rent”. In return for which, AA freely gives a solution to our lifelong problem, along with unconditional love, patience and tolerance. And service keeps us included and gives us purpose. The quality of my recovery is directly proportional to my attitude towards recovery. If I selfishly want to stay sober, I have to UNselfishly help others. The home group is the first place I began to make this change. I learned some service positions are open to anyone. Greeters welcome anyone new to the meeting, ensuring newcomers and visitors feel included. At the same time, these greeters (the one at my home group is 6 weeks sober) are reinforcing their own sobriety. They help themselves to feel included and help themselves to feel they have a purpose. When I first put the drink down, I found myself in an awkward phase where sobriety felt fragile. My home group invited me into “Tea & Coffee” service, which is actually brilliant service – I got to speak to everyone, which I would otherwise have been reticent to do. All I had to do was bring milk, unpack tea and biscuits from a box, serve up, and pack away at the end. Not a big ask. Pride became an issue for a moment, my huge plans for the kitchen area were not well received – teaching me the humbling lesson of “getting over myself”. My pride was further deflated when it was explained each position is for a fixed length of time (it may be 3 months, it may be 2 years). When your time is up – move on and find a new group with open service positions. This practice of moving on helps everyone : Others get an opportunity, We learn to stick to our guns, we state we’ll finish on a given date and we step aside on that date – our egos remain right-sized, we don’t see ourselves as indispensable. Moving on stops things feeling stale We sponsor the next position holder into the service position, and we see that someone will always be available to sponsor us into our next one There’s always more service to be done. And if it works, then why wouldn’t I be in service? For example, if the greeter doesn’t turn up one day, I can go and help out. I can put the chairs away, or pick up litter. I need to remember, I am paying my rent for my wonderful life, and in return I get included and get a purpose. And this ensures what was available for me continues to be available for those to come. I am taught humility. This helps keep me sober. It is a component of being freed of the bondage of self. My life is immeasurably better …

October Share

Name: Trevor A

Home Group: Newcastle

Sobriety Date: 4th May 2005

It was May 2005 when I landed in AA, feeling suicidal and depressed. The people at my first meeting convinced me that I had found a way out of the despair and anguish that I was feeling daily. At that first meeting it was suggested that I attend as many meetings as I can and ring the men who had kindly given me their number if I was suffering and thinking of drinking. After I had attended the meeting at what I now call my home group a few times I was encouraged to help setting up the meetings and help with the washing up and closing up. At about 3 months into my recovery, I asked a guy if he would be my sponsor and he said he would be honoured to do so if I was willing to do service but if I wasn’t willing to do service then I would need to find another sponsor. I am so grateful for my sponsor and the service he has encouraged me to do over the years I have stayed sober. My first service position was making the tea and coffee, I now see that this service position was very important to my early recovery because it gave me a purpose to attend meetings whether I was feeling like it or not because I did not want to let anyone down, I had done plenty of that in my drinking days. Throughout the years I have been sober I have taken on all the service positions that are available at group level and I am now active in service at intergroup and have been for a few years. I will be forever grateful to the men and women who did service at my first meeting, those people showed me that I could break the chains of alcoholism and lead a happy and productive life, living life on life’s terms. The three legacies of AA are service, unity, and recovery. I honestly believe that without service I would not be sober today. Service in AA has given me everything that I could have wished for and more. I cannot not imagine recovery without service. To have the honour and privilege of doing service in our fellowship gives me the humility I was so sadly lacking before in my life. Service has given me an acceptance of myself and a confidence that I can overcome anything that life throws at me. It is an honour for me to carry this amazing message of Alcoholics Anonymous. Thank you to all AA’a who have encouraged me to give away freely what has freely been given to me. I am eternally grateful.