Month: May 2015

The Larger Picture – Overview of SCA and the ISO Conference by the Director at Large

This year’s ISO Conference was a resounding success in the view of the ISO Director at Large. The delegates worked well together in a cohesive manner, and tackled the agenda effectively and efficiently. A healthy group conscience was clearly evident throughout the conference. We approved pertinent literature submissions, referred other literature back for additional work, and rejected one piece of draft literature, plus a suggested wording change to one of the Tools of SCA. There was a searching discussion of the limits of the authority of the Executive Committee, and its individual officers, together with the role and authority of the annual ISO Conference itself. Of particular note was a resolution affirming that SCA’s Third Tradition includes all those wishing to recover from sexual compulsion in any and all of its manifold forms of expression, which was passed unanimously.

Focus of the Director at Large report presented to the 2015 ISO Conference and recommendations made to ISO were:

  • Define/expand job description of Director at Large
  • Expand job descriptions of Inreach, Outreach and Fiduciary Committees
  • Continue to support SCA fellowship history project, and its independence
  • Define what constitutes an SCA group and intergroup
  • Continue to prioritize definition and explanation of SCA Steps and Traditions
  • Continue to hold, strengthen and promote quarterly ISO and ISO Committee calls
  • Publicize available service positions
  • Develop ISO Service Manual
  • Promote commitment, stability and continuity in ISO service
  • Formulate plans to improve ISO’s fundraising efforts
  • Continue to prioritize, encourage and support SCA website redesign and upgrade

Conclusion & Summary

The Tools That Help Us Get Better tell us that “Service is a way of helping ourselves by helping others.”  Much of the report had a common thread: ISO needs to promote and support service in general, but also particular areas of service. ISO also needs to encourage commitment, stability and continuity in service. In the way we go about doing service, both as a service board and as individual Trusted Servants, we should not lose sight of the Traditions and core principles of the program. Some ISO service positions and areas need to be better defined.

SCA has no paid special workers. Just as we are self-supporting in financial terms, so must we be self-supporting in the service that is done to keep all the varied areas of the fellowship going. In order to carry the message of recovery, the fellowship needs strong Seventh Tradition contributions from all quarters.

In service,

Kevin B