Delegate Report August 29th 2026
Good afternoon friends, first I want to thank District 18 for putting together a wonderful assembly here today. I also want to take a moment to thank our out-of-town guest presenters today for the willingness to come provide us with some wonderful sessions today. I also want to extend my appreciation for Sue’s willingness to stand as Area 43’s nominee for Northeast Regional Trustee. I have several activities to report on from this month.
The 5th edition hard cover big book has an anticipated date of availability for next February. The hard cover book will return to the classic jacketed cover at a cost of $20.00.
The Final Conference Report (FCR) is scheduled to be prepared next week in digital format and roughly 6 weeks following the digital version the printed book option should be made available. It will be listed on the AA.org bookstore with a cost of $5.00. Once it is made available for purchase, I will share a direct link to the store for purchase.
The new updated Service Manual should be available later this Fall, however I don’t have a date for that yet and will continue to provide updates as I receive them regarding our literature.
The quarterly release of the current Proposed Agenda Item (PAI) grid was sent out earlier this week and has been posted to the Delegate Corner for anyone interested in viewing it. One important thing to remember when looking at this grid is that it is NOT the agenda for the 77th General Service Conference. It is simply a status grid of items that have been submitted by members, groups, Districts, and Areas.
The PAI submission form asks us to consider the level of group conscience we want to seek before making a submission. Although every submission is received and reviewed with the same care, reaching a high level of group conscience suggests a need from the Fellowship. It also indicates that the topic has received careful discussion. This is important for the same reason that we do our work in committees.
Many of the current items submitted—nearly three-quarters—have come from individuals or groups rather than full Districts or Areas. Sometimes it may seem that we need to rush to submit something to “beat the deadline.” Although I understand that desire, it is important to remember that the Conference is a year-round process, and the good news is that there will be another Conference next year. We always have time to complete a thorough process of seeking group conscience because anything submitted after the September 30th deadline will be placed on the next Conference’s PAI grid for consideration.
On Thursday, I attended an “All-Conference Sharing Session” where one member noted that most of what has been submitted so far has nothing to do with carrying out Twelfth Step work. I found this point interesting and, upon a second review, realized it was true. It is something to think about.
If any member or group here wishes to consider a PAI, please let me know. I am happy to sit down with anyone, assist in writing a thorough and thoughtful proposal, and walk you through the entire process. I do not want anyone to think that simply because the deadline is in September, we do not have time. We do, and it is okay if a proposal rolls over. If you feel strongly about something that would benefit A.A., it is never too late, and I am more than happy to be a resource for you.
The General Sharing Session I mentioned earlier had presentations on concepts 1-6 and the Conference Charter. The overall theme that came out of this at least for me was the word responsibility. Whether it be in making decisions or participating, it all leads us back to some level of responsibility. A statement I found particularly meaningful was that responsibility Is not a burden that any of us carry alone, but rather it is love in action.
Now I’m going to share something that brings me some pain to discuss. Several times over the past month I’ve come to hear of some instances where Staff members at OUR General Service Office have been victim to verbal abuse by members of our fellowship, I’ve listened to accounts of the same for several fellow Delegates. We just heard this morning about safety in AA and it’s something we continue to discuss. I continue to think over and over that what’s more important than the work we do is how we treat each other. We can disagree in Alcoholics Anonymous, but we must find a way to do it without being disagreeable.
Last weekend, I was able to attend the Eastern Canada Regional Forum. I am pleased to report that we were well received by our friends to the North. These forums are a great way to expand my community, and I always come away having learned more than I expected. We had the opportunity to hear reports from our General Service Board, the Grapevine Board, A.A.W.S., and A.A. around the world.
Speaking of A.A. around the world, I put together some display boards in the back featuring “A.A. Around the World,” along with information about GSO and Grapevine. I invite you all to stop by and check them out. Reflecting on last weekend, I cannot help but think how fortunate we are to have the leadership of the GSB and the hardworking staff of GSO and A.A. Grapevine.
One of the subjects always reported on at Forums is, of course, our finances. We are currently on track with contributions, and nothing has changed in the midyear reforecast. Although we are currently slightly under budget, it is worth noting that projects are on hold because of a lack of resources. We are reaching a point where cutting the budget could mean removing essential services that our Fellowship relies on to carry out direct Twelve Step work. Although we can develop excellent ideas for tools to support that work, we will not receive those tools if we do not make the necessary resources available.
For additional information you can find this month’s self-support letter on the Delegate Corner on NHAA.net.
As a reminder to everyone if you have any questions, concerns or comments having anything to do with the General Service Conference, The General Service Board, the bottom of our triangle or anything related to service in A.A., please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. Communication up and down the triangle is an extremely important part of how our structure works, and it can be difficult to get answers to questions that aren’t asked. It is difficult to carry the voice of members if they don’t share their thoughts. So please use your voices and ask the questions. I am happy to make myself available to your districts and groups.
Area 43 will be once again hosting 12 Concepts for World Service and the AA Service Manual – a weekly virtual series beginning September 14th. All information is posted on the events Calander of the NHAA.net website.
https://nhaa.net/event/virtual-study-of-aa-concepts-aa-service-manual/
I want to end with a Quote from our Board Chair from the closing remarks at last weekends Regional Forum in Easter Canada. “Our Big Book Says to trust our higher power and always to look for those we might help. What if we left here determined to make sure all who suffered from alcoholism felt welcome in Alcoholics Anonymous, no matter what other circumstances they may have in their life that might make them feel different. What if we approach our singleness of purpose as an inclusive invitation, a warm embrace with a hot cup of coffee and a piece of literature that says we already thought of you and we were waiting for you to get here, read this. You might see your story rather than some kind of demand of conformity”.
Thank you all for letting me be of service.
Alex L
Area 43 Delegate
