The Los Angeles Intergroup has entered into a year-long group inventory process which asks two simple questions:  “Is our group aligned with the Twelve Traditions?” and “What can we do to carry the message to the sexual compulsive who still suffers?”

Of course, If I had titled this entry “The Importance of the Third Tradition” you would no doubt have skipped it with a big fat yawn.  But after our Intergroup meeting, I had a discussion with Peter C. about a surprising  direct link between the Third Tradition and the SCA program.

Irma Livoni was an AA member, in Los Angeles,  who was kicked out of that fellowship by a self-appointed group. Why? In a letter dated December 6, 1941 from the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles Group of Alcoholics Anonymous, Irma was kicked out “for reasons which should be most apparent.”  According to Peter, she was sleeping around in AA. Sexually compulsive perhaps?

She received her letter the on December 8, 1941 — the day after Pearl Harbor. Los Angeles was totally blacked out because there was a real fear that the Japanese would attack the mainland. She’s all alone. It’s Christmas time. The end of the world and the only group that had offered any hope to Irma had just kicked her out.  Much of this has been whitewashed on the internet sites but according to Peter, Irma went to the roof of her building and jumped to her death. Irma’s sponsor in AA was Sybil Corwin. (Sybil is an important part of AA history herself) Sybil wrote to Bill W about the incident.

No one knows to what extent Bill W. was referring to Irma Livoni when he wrote the Twelve Traditions ten years later.but the phrases seem to apply:

 “. . . experience taught us that to take away any alcoholic’s full chance was
sometimes to pronounce his death sentence, and often to condemn him to
endless misery. Who dared to be judge, jury and executioner of his own
sick brother?”

Before my conversation with Peter, the Third Tradition was just this wise, yet dryly stated reminder that we have to put up with all the annoying people that show up at our meetings (present readership aside of course!) But when Peter told me this story, it hit me. This all happened not too far from where we were having lunch!  I got chills on the back of my neck and the tradition became REAL for me.

A sexual compulsive in Hollywood, acting out,  killed herself when she was kicked out of the AA program.  The empathy and compassion her suicide brought forth from the good people of AA served as the basis, in part, for the Third Tradition. This is not something we have blindly adopted or cut and paste into our meeting formats

As Peter noted,  the sexual compulsive is directly tied to the AA Third Tradition. In fact, I would argue that sexual acting out is one of the reasons the Third Tradition exists.

Why am I writing this now?  Because we all have the opportunity to work the steps with Peter! He will be conducting a First Step Workshop in Los Angeles at Plummer Park, 7377 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood on Saturday, July 24 from 9 am to 4 pm.  The suggested donation is $10. No one will be turned away. Bring your AA Big Book and Twelve & Twelve, a notebook and a pen.   

Even better, no matter what you say or do, you can’t be kicked out!

We’re experimenting with a Twitter feed, but there’s a problem — all our followers are publicly identified. This can automatically create an anonymity problem!

As a result, you can search for our tweets (we’re @scanneronline on Twitter) but cannot follow us without permission. If you have an anonymous Twitter account and ask to follow us, we’ll approve it; otherwise, you can subscribe to our RSS feed (see the link at the far right) or search for our tweets.

Feedback welcomed!

Wayne in New Mexico reports:

I started an SCA meeting here in Las Cruces in April of 2001 after being a part of SCA-St Louis for 10 years. We are keeping the Sunday evening meeting from 5 to 6 PM at the Unitarian Universalist Church at 2000 South Solano, Las Cruces, NM 88001.

We are begining a GLBTQ meeting at the new Las Cruces GLBTQ Center,1210 North Main Street, Las Cruces, NM 88001. The time is Monday night from 7 to 8 PM. 

Who: All members of SCA, from the New York fellowship and beyond
When: Friday-Sunday, Sept. 10-11-12.
Where: Incarnation Center, Ivoryton, Connecticut.

Retreat begins with: Dinner at: 6:30 pm Friday.
Transportation: Take the 3:07 Metro-North train from Grand Central to New Haven, where you will be then picked up by luxurious school-bus coach to woodsy Ivoryton, about 30 minutes beyond New Haven.*
Retreat ends with: Our bus will return you to New Haven on Sunday in time for the 4:32 Metro-North train back to Manhattan.
Cost: $200, which includes all accommodations, activities, meals and the coach from New Haven to Incarnation Center.** You will need to purchase Metro-North train tickets separately.
Accommodations: Everyone gets their own room!
What to bring: Yourself, willingness and a bathing suit! (Getting in the water is optional, of course)
What to expect: Fellowship, workshops on the steps, good food, an opportunity to take time out and work on your recovery, fun games and laughter! Oh, and swimming too! The exact schedule of events will be determined closer to the retreat date.
Registration: Spots are limited; first come, first served. A $100 deposit will hold your place. Payment in full*** is due by August 15. Contact SCA.NY.Retreat@gmail.com

The fine print:
*You must catch the 3:07 Metro-North train from Grand Central to New Haven if you want to catch the complimentary coach to Incarnation Center. We cannot guarantee that anyone will be able to pick you up at another time at the train station. A taxi to Ivoryton will be expensive. Please plan accordingly. Train schedules are subject to change; we will send you an e-mail reminder the week of the retreat with current departure times.
**Scholarship funds are limited. Scholarships up to $100.00 will be given out based on availability of funds, the order in which requests are received and how recently applicant has received a retreat scholarship. Donations to the scholarship fund are gratefully welcomed.
***Important Cancellation policy: Full payment for the retreat is due August 15. If you must cancel (we hope you won’t!), if you notify us by September 1 you will get 100% of your money back. If you notify us by September 5, you get 50% back. After that, no refunds are possible. However, you may sell your spot to another program member.

There is a service position available to anyone who has at least a year on a sexual recovery plan.

Volunteers from anywhere in the United States or Canada are needed to respond to the calls that come in on our 800 number. It is a two-day commitment every week and should take no more than 10 minutes of your time. If you are interested, please contact outreach@sca-recovery.org, 1 212 799 0952, 1 646 415 1542. I am the Chair of ISO’s Outreach Committee.

This series of workshops is for the NEWCOMER or a member WHO’S STILL STRUGGLING. 

Our goal is to provide a safe space to actually work the steps on a monthly basis. We begin July 24 with Step 1, continuing through January with Step 12. 

We will study, write and share through each step using the AA Big Book and AA 12 & 12.
 
Location:  Plummer Park (Art Room 1), West Hollywood, CA
 
Schedule
Sat    7/24     Step 1   9:00‐4:00 Sex & Love Addiction (all-day retreat)
Sat    8/28     Steps 2/3    9:00‐12:00        Find a Higher Power
Sat    9/25     Steps 4/5    9:00‐4:00 Uncover the Real Problem (all-day retreat)
Sat    10/23    Steps 6/7   9:00‐12:00        Release Defects of Character 
Sun   11/21     Steps 8/9   9:00‐12:00        Repair the Damage to Others
Sun   12/19     Steps 10/11      9:00‐12:00       Prayer and Meditation
Sat     1/22    Step 12      9:00‐12:00        Sponsorship, Practice These Principles

Materials:      AA Big Book, AA 12 & 12, Pen/Pencil, Large Spiral ring notebook
Cost:    $10 per session (suggested donation to help pay printing costs).
None turned away for lack of funds. Net proceeds go to SCA/LA Intergroup.

For more information: A flyer is being distributed at meetings.

Berlin has three active meetings, some with new times or locations, and has new contact information. Here is the update:

TUESDAY 8:00 PM – Lausitzer Strasse 8, “Stadtteilzentrum”, Berlin –
Kreuzberg
THURSDAY 11:30 AM – Lausitzer Strasse 8, “Stadtteilzentrum”, Berlin –
Kreuzberg
FRIDAY 6:00 PM – Buelowstrasse 106, Nollendorfplatz, “Mann-O-Meter”,
Berlin-Schoeneberg
CONTACT: scaberlin@gmx.net

Jump start your recovery and jump into service!

WHEN: Saturday,
June 19, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

WHERE: SHARE!, 425
South Broadway, Los
Angeles, California 90012

• Monthly
  workshop for newcomers,
  
• Monthly workshop for Spanish language
  newcomers,
  
• Literature “If you were sent here by the courts”
  with FAQ,
  
• Court Forms uploaded to web site,
  
• business card driving
  traffic to website,
  
• New website and phone number updated in all
  public information materials — frontiers, blade, Adelante, village
  newsletter, court outreach letter, therapists outreach letter,
  
• Updated procedures and committee for answering Google voice calls,
  
• Media response plan.
  
• Media contact information updated on website,
  
• Newcomer “best practices” document,
  
• Sample meeting script
  language and “welcome message” and procedures,
  
• Updated
  intergroup meeting list {including email and phone number) with
  current secretary, treasurer and intergroup rep for each meeting,
  
• New
  meeting drop kit,
  
• List of possible new meeting locations and times,
  
• Updated Spanish language information on website,
  
• H&I committee
  procedures and pool of speakers for speaker panels,
  
• refreshed and
  updated court outreach campaign,
• Refreshed
  and updated therapists and psychiatrists outreach campaign.

SCA on an international level has been involved in the Interfellowship Forum
since
the early ’90’s.  The basic principle of this forum is to enable
cooperation
between the “S” fellowships. In the spirit of cooperation, we note
the following information received from the New York Intergroup of Sex Addicts Anonymous.

————————-

Want to write and/or direct an SCA show?

Two important dates coming up to prepare for the SCA-NY Holiday Party, to be held on Sat., Dec. 11.

Sat, June 12th – General Information Meeting / Optional
Sat, June 26th – Public Vote on Show Proposals / Required for Writers/Directors (or send proxy)

Why meet/decide so early?  It’s best to give writers enough time
to write their work, and commence casting in the Fall.  A few months of rehearsal and we’re already square
at December.

This is not a call for actors/performers.  That will be announced at a later date.
Please DO come though to the meeting, if you want a voice in deciding the future show.

Any questions, please speak to Brian S, Jeffrey W or Tony D in SCA meetings.