In this week’s episode of AA Beyond Belief the Podcast, I speak with Courtney S., the webmaster for Secular AA, a new service organization created by the Board of Directors of ICSAA that consolidates the functions previously performed by WAAFT Central, Agnostic AA NYC, and WAAFT IAAC.
Secular AA now maintains the worldwide agnostic AA meeting directory that was previously managed for the past sixteen years by Deirdre S. at agnosticaanyc.org. It serves as a repository of information, resources, and experience that was previously housed by WAAFT Central, and it is responsible for the biennial international convention of agnostics, atheists, and freethinkers in AA formerly known as WAAFT IAAC.
Secular AA is coming of age. We agnostics, atheists, and freethinkers of Alcoholics Anonymous, we secularists are now more organized and united than at any time in our long history. We are leveraging our resources more efficiently, taking advantage of this newfound synergy to continue with our great contribution to AA, as described by our Fellowship’s co-founder Bill W. “We are widening the gateway so that all who may suffer might pass through, regardless of belief or lack of belief.”
There are three websites under the umbrella of Secular AA, each serving a specific purpose: secularaa.org, secularaa.com, and secularaa.net. Let’s now take a look at each site.
SecularAA.org
At secularaa.org, you will find resources and information of interest to people who are seeking a secular experience in Alcoholics Anonymous. There are resources available to help start secular AA meetings, such as meeting scripts, pamphlets, and flyers. There is a system for finding others in your community who may be interested in starting a secular AA meeting. There are histories of agnostic AA groups and photographs of meeting spaces. There are links to agnostic AA group websites and, other resources of interest to secular people in AA. If you are looking for a secular AA roundup or convention, those will be listed here as well. This site is a one-stop shop for all things secular AA.
Secular AA describes itself in this statement found on the About page: “Our scope is International to serve the Secular AA community. We are an International network that supports the Agnostic, Atheist and Freethinker in AA. Our purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety, to widen the gateway to recovery, and to help make AA ever more inclusive.” (About Secular AA)
Secular AA Meeting Directory
My favorite feature is the meeting directory. The site uses a program for the meeting list that is used by Intergroups and AA Central Offices all over the world. The New York City Intergroup and the Toronto Intergroup, for example, both use this program, as do many others.
The developers at Meeting Guide created a mobile application that will automatically update meeting information after an AA Intergroup or Central Office updates their meeting list. This way users will have access to the most up-to-date meeting information. If every entity in AA that lists meetings used this program, any individual using the app would have the most current meeting information no matter where in the world they may find themselves.
The directory includes a sophisticated search feature, using filters and a text search box. When you first access the site, the default view will be of the meetings that are occurring on the particular day you access the site. To find a meeting in a specific location, time and day, you will need to use the filters.
I created this short video as a tutorial on how to use the new international meeting directory.
SecularAA.com
This site is devoted solely to the International Conference of Secular AA. All information about ICSAA will be posted here. Ticket sales will be processed securely through the site. Courtney has installed state of the art ticketing software that will help with accounting and make the experience easier for the end user. There is information on the site about the host city, which in 2018 is Toronto, Ontario. If you would like to tour Toronto, there will be useful information about the city and other events that will be taking place around the time of our convention.
SecularAA.com describes itself on the About page with the following statement:
The International Conference of Secular AA will host the 3rd International ICSAA in Toronto on August 24-26 of 2018. The Host Committee welcomes Conference Participants to visit one of the cleanest and friendliest large cities in North America. Our city has a well-known history of Tolerance and Free thought. A great location to fellowship with our friends in the Secular (Without God) AA movement. Come join us and be welcome!
SecularAA.net
This site is devoted to the business of the Board of Directors of Secular AA and ICSAA. Much of the information is accessible only to Board members, but this is where information can be found to view meeting minutes and financial information about the organization. Because the board consists of people from around the world, the meetings are done via video conference, and those meeting can be accessed at this site. Board members also can post board business in the forum on the site.
You can find contact information for board members on the Contacts Page.
Thank you for listening to the podcast. I hope that you have found this informational and useful. Please don’t hesitate to send any questions that you may have through the Contact Page at SecularAA.org.
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