MEMBERS
MBI is an Eastern Massachusetts service body of Overeaters Anonymous. We represent over 60 local OA meetings to our regional board, OA Region 6.
Goals of MBI
MBI's stated purpose is to perform the following service:
- To further the OA program in accordance with the Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions of OA.
- To maintain a Communication Center for MBI. Specifically excluded is the endorsement of any outside enterprise, as outlined in Tradition Six.
- To provide a forum for the selection of MBI Chairs.
- To provide unity of groups and organization of meetings registered with MBI.
- To host Marathons and Workshops as deemed necessary by MBI.
- To work for OA as a whole within the Committees appointed by MBI.
Organization of MBI
MBI Consists of representatives from local MBI meetings, an executive board and seven standing committees. The board members and committee chairs are listed below for 2010. Please contact all officers through the MBI Office.
- Chair: Gerry B., Natick
- Vice-Chair: Bernadette, Quincy
- Corresponding Secretary: Bobbie M., Waltham
- Recording Secretary: Helen
- Treasurer: Jean B., Somerville
The entire MBI body meets one Sunday a month at the Stoneham Senior Center, 136 Elm Street, Stoneham Massachusetts, at 9:15 AM. The meeting is held in the room across the hall from the 7:30AM meeting. Visitors are always welcome, and those wishing to do service will find many ways to get involved at the intergroup level.
Jan. 24th, Feb. 21st, March 21st, April 11th, May 16th, June 13th, July 18th, Aug.. 15th, Sept. 19th, Oct. 17th, Nov. 21st, Dec. 19th
June 2010 Highlights
May 2010 Highlights
April 2010 Highlights
March 2010 Highlights
February 2010 Highlights
January 2010 Highlights
December 2009 Highlights
November 2009 Highlights
October 2009 Highlights
September 2009 Highlights
August 2009 Highlights
July 2009 Highlights
June 2009 Highlights
May 2009 Highlights
April 2009 Highlights
March 2009 Highlights
February 2009 Highlights
January 2009 Highlights December 2008 Highlights
November 2008 Highlights
October 2008 Highlights
September 2008 Highlights
August 2008 Highlights
July 2008 Highlights
June 2008 Highlights
May 2008 Highlights
April 2008 Highlights
March 2008 Highlights
February 2008 Highlights
November 2007 Highlights
Speakers Wanted. MBI is in search of compulsive overeaters willing to speak in front of groups in public forums - available during the workday, and/or weekends. We are looking for members who are Traditions savvy and who have demonstrated all three levels of recovery for six months or more. Please contact the OA Office, (781) 641-2303.
Meeting Transition Tips - Download as PDF
Sometimes meetings drop in attendance or go through a "transition" phase. Perhaps the following suggestions can help meetings when attendance is low or as a way to keep it from getting "stale":
- If a meeting is currently a discussion meeting, think about having a speaker once a month.
- Have a "bring a friend" night. Ask members to bring an OA friend (or 2) to attend the meeting for just one night. It helps remind people the meeting is there and active. Plus it’s a great way to hear new sharing.
- Hold an anniversary meeting. Typically, 2-3 people (that don’t typically attend the meeting) share their story for about 15-20 minutes each and have a "moderator" do the format. Even if you don’t remember the month the meeting actually began, choose a month to celebrate its existence! Give out a door prize and buy a couple of balloons to make it festive. It’s a great way to build fellowship and community for the meeting.
- Encourage more participation/sharing, invite members with 21 days or more of abstinence share on a tool. Change the wording in the format to say "We invite those members with 90 days or less of abstinence to read a tool and those with 21+ days (or 30+ days if your meeting so chooses) of abstinence to share on a tool."
- Hold a Public Information Night (contact MBI office for information). Make sure the meeting is listed in the public service/announcements section of that town’s local paper (call the MBI office for more details/directions).
- If it’s already a speaker meeting, once a month have the speaker bring a friend to co-qualify where each person shares their story.
- Ask an existing meeting to bring a "commitment" to the meeting: every other month ask a larger meeting to bring a few people to qualify and/or share at the meeting.
- Have a "literature" meeting once a month. Some meetings read 2-3 pages out of the AA or OA Big Book or the daily reading of the For Today or Voices of Recovery book and then people with the suggested 90 days of abstinence share on the reading. It creates a great focus for the meeting and the reading part "uses up" the extra time if there are not enough people to share.
- Have a list of themes or topics for a once a month focused meeting. Themes or topics would be those that we hear at 12 Step Meetings, such as how people use the following tools to work their program: "One day at a time", "Serenity Prayer", "OA first, family second, job third", "First things first", "Abstinence first the rest will follow", etc.
- If you have trouble filling the 1 1/2 hours, cut the meeting down to 1 hour or change the time completely, (from 7 pm start to 6 pm start to catch those coming from work).
- Change start time to 15-30 minutes earlier or later (maybe those who'd like to come but cannot make the current time regularly due to work schedules). Sometimes this 15-30 minute later start time can make a major difference in whom/how many people can attend.
- Move the meeting closer to a major route or bus or train line without changing the town it's in.
The 12 Step Committee