AA Winners - Stick with the Winners

Brainstorming and Hearing Your Needs and Approaches

to

Old School 12 Step Christian Recovery Meetings

[the Stick with the Winners Class]

Dick B.

Copyright  2012 Anonymous. All rights reserved.

Here are some heads-up pieces of information useful to hearing YOUR needs and Workshops.

·         Organizing, establishing, and formatting an old school A.A. Christian Fellowship Group

1.      Organizational meeting to select group name, place, time, purpose, preamble, literature needs and location, listing, format, first secretary.

2.      Turning to God and seeking His help and wisdom in holding and adopting

A written “group conscience” with minutes of the decisions, and covering

The foregoing and any other needed points.

3.      Calling Ken and me as content providers; acquiring How to Conduct “Old-School” 12 Step Recovery Meetings Using Conference-approved Literature: A Dick B. Guide for Christian Leaders and Workers in the Recovery Arena (Available now for a short while on the center page of the dickb.com website as a $9.95 download); and acquiring the Stick with the Winners class (soon to be available on the DickB. ChristianRecoveryRadio.com website pages).

·         A letter just sent to a long-time “winner” Christian recovery leader, who founded some James Club, and is coming to Maui soon.

1.       Thanks so much for the rapid reply.

2.       We know tons about Maui because we’ve lived here for 22 years, and have been coming here with our family for long stays since 1968.

3.       Thanks for the clues as to your knowledge and your possible budget.

4.       First, the Sheraton is beautiful, even more expensive than ever, and far far removed from the rest of the Island. Good place to visit, even swim, stay, and eat, but not to stay at the center.

5.       Second, there are lots of expensive hotels up there in Lahaina area and also down here in Kihei-Wailea.

6.       Kihei is where we live. Best beaches. Less humidity by far. Seldom rains. Beautiful sunsets. 30 minutes from the Airport.  40 minutes from Lahaina. As near as you can get to the Crater and to the Iao Needle. And still well situated to see and sup at the big hotels in Wailea and Kaanapali- Lahaina. Hana is perhaps an hour and a half ride on tortuous roads, and often ignored – though attractive.

7.       Helicopter rides. Rodeos. Bike down the mountain. Scuba. Trips to Lanai with flying fish and turles. Windsurfing about 40 minutes away at Hookipa, Surfing everywhere. Movies. Inexpensive shopping center 30 minutes away. How good can it get!

8.       John, I’m delighted to see the James Club still alive, and I hope we can get you enthused over our old school guidebook, meetings, and classes. That’s our focus.

9.       I hope you can and will participate in one of our workshop-conferences in the SF Bay Area. Or Orange County at His Place Church and possibly Mariners.

10.   Where do you stay? Days Inn (also Maui Oceanfront). 2980 South Kihei Road. Very very close to us and to the ocean. Very reasonable. And grocery stores accessible too.

11.   We are working up our guide books and doing class films right now. We welcome visitors and ideas and support as well as resources such as old or new copies of DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous (Pamphlet P-53), and A.A. Comes of Age as well as extra copies of  the3rd or  4^th editions of the Big Book.

12.   We are urging the formation of area community collaboration efforts where leaders like you arrange with other churches, fellowships,  12 Step groups, etc. to hold history-Bible oriented-Big Book meetings on alternative nights so that new people get more than one shot a week.

Please send us your phone number ASAP. Thanks again.

Workshops, Meetings, Training Talks, and Conferences

Workshops, Meetings, Training Talks, and Conferences

on

“Old-School” Christian Recovery

Programs, Fellowships, Groups, and Meetings

By Dick B., Executive Director

The International Christian Recovery Coalition

www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com

© 2012 Anonymous. All rights reserved

During and after our January 2012 meetings in Southern California, my son and I came to two important realizations:

1.      A major reason why the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” was so successful in helping “seemingly-hopeless,” “medically-incurable,” “real” alcoholics who thoroughly followed the Akron program was that the fellowship was “living the Book of Acts.” (See especially Acts 1-6; and, in particular, note the focus on the word “daily” throughout Acts.)

[For the seven points of the pre-Big Book Akron program, see the A.A. General Service Conference-approved book, DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, 131. For 14 key practices of Akron’s “Christian fellowship,” see Dick B. and Ken B., The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3^rd ed., 54-57 (available at www.DickB.com).]

2.      Both meetings listed in the A.A. Meeting Schedule and Christian Recovery meetings not so listed could benefit greatly by increasing their emphasis on key ideas in A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature which show early A.A.—particularly in Akron and Cleveland—as First Century Christianity in action. Alcoholics Anonymous (the “Big Book”), The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous pamphlet (Item #P-53), and DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, for example, contain many such examples.

Along these lines, my son Ken and I have just completed a new book we believe will be very helpful to those overseeing, participating in, or desiring to organize both A.A. Meeting Schedule-listed meetings and non-listed Christian Recovery meetings. The title is: How to Conduct “Old-School” 12-Step Recovery Meetings Using Conference-Approved Literature by Dick B. and Ken B. (available at www.DickB.com). This new resource provides details about how to organize or “fine-tune” both kinds of meetings by providing details on:

a.       How to structure meetings which emphasize A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature;

b.      Possible meeting topics (with many examples provided);

c.       Key sections of A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature focusing on the roles played by God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible in early A.A.’s astonishing successes, and why numerous observers stated that early A.A. was like First Century Christianity;

d.      The highly-successful, seven-point, early Akron program;

e.       16 practices of the early Akron “Christian fellowship”;

f.       Christian efforts that preceded and influenced early A.A. and which were successful in helping alcoholics, addicts, and others with life-controlling problems; e.g., the Young Men’s Christian Association, the Salvation Army, Christian evangelists (such as Dwight L. Moody, Henry Moorhouse, Henry M. Moore, and Allen Folger), rescue missions (such as Calvary Mission in New York, where both Ebby Thacher and Bill W. accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior), and A First Century Christian Fellowship (also known as The Oxford Group, of which Rev. Sam Shoemaker was a chief American leader).  

We have also begun producing a number of videos based on the contents of the new book that will soon be available as part of a new class in a password-protected section of the www.ChristianRecoveryRadio.com Web site (along with many free Dick B. radio presentations, audio talks, and other videos).

In order to share with International Christian Recovery Coalition “Participants” in other parts of the United States and in other countries, we will be holding a number of meetings in Oahu, Hawaii (March 22-25), Northern California (March 29-31), and Southern California (May 14-21), with the highlight’s being “The First 2012 North American Conference of the International Christian Recovery Coalition” at the new His Place Church facility in Westminster, California, Friday through Saturday, May 18-19, 2012. Conference details are available here: http://www.dickb.com/conferences/May2012_NorthAmericanConference.shtml. Hope to see you there!

In addition to sharing what we have been learning along the lines discussed above during our upcoming meetings in March and May, we plan on focusing a good deal of our efforts on learning about what various Christian Recovery leaders and workers in the areas we will be visiting have been doing. In particular,

What we would like to learn:

·         Your thoughts about how to present (with your own program and format)—in your training, meetings, talks, and materials—“old-school,” early A.A. “Christian fellowship” principles and practices.

·         Your suggestions about making this subject a plan for a group, a weekly meeting, workshops, training classes, fellowships, 12 Step programs, and talks.

·         Your comments on integrating your program into a mold that fits present-day 12 Step programs and ideas, that presents the “old-school” A.A. principles and practices, and captures the importance of daily activities patterned after those of First Century Christians in the Book of Acts and the “old-school” “Christian-fellowship” in Akron.

·         Special programs, formats, needs, problems, and questions you may have.

·         Your own present activities and desires, and how to integrate them with this subject

·         Whether you agree as to the value of a special group which offers or encourages daily fellowship among like-minded believers—including such activities as a weekly training meeting, a weekly Bible study, one or more 12 Step meetings, another’s Christian fellowship meeting, meals and feeds and coffee gatherings, outreach meetings, recreational events, and movies or films.

What we would also like to share with you:

·         What other Christian recovery programs, meetings, fellowships, and groups are doing around the world.

·         What we suggest about how to organize, format, and conduct an “old-school” A.A. Christian-oriented recovery fellowship and program

·         The options, contacts, resources, programs, and outlines presently available.

·         How you can, if you wish, conduct “old-school” meetings in such a way as to use a Conference-approved foundation, a procedure consistent with the Traditions, an autonomous status, and advance solid, truthful, accurate, comprehensive knowledge of the origins, history, founding, “old-school” Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship,” its successes, and their applicability to recovery today.

Gloria Deo

Old School Christians in A.A. Workshops-Meetings

Workshops, Meetings, Training Talks, and Conferences

on

“Old-School” Christian Recovery

Programs, Fellowships, Groups, and Meetings

By Dick B., Executive Director

The International Christian Recovery Coalition

www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com

© 2012 Anonymous. All rights reserved

During and after our January 2012 meetings in Southern California, my son and I came to two important realizations:

1.      A major reason why the original Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” was so successful in helping “seemingly-hopeless,” “medically-incurable,” “real” alcoholics who thoroughly followed the Akron program was that the fellowship was “living the Book of Acts.” (See especially Acts 1-6; and, in particular, note the focus on the word “daily” throughout Acts.)

[For the seven points of the pre-Big Book Akron program, see the A.A. General Service Conference-approved book, DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, 131. For 14 key practices of Akron’s “Christian fellowship,” see Dick B. and Ken B., The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 3^rd ed., 54-57 (available at www.DickB.com).]

2.      Both meetings listed in the A.A. Meeting Schedule and Christian Recovery meetings not so listed could benefit greatly by increasing their emphasis on key ideas in A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature which show early A.A.—particularly in Akron and Cleveland—as First Century Christianity in action. Alcoholics Anonymous (the “Big Book”), The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous pamphlet (Item #P-53), and DR. BOB and the Good Oldtimers, for example, contain many such examples.

Along these lines, my son Ken and I have just completed a new book we believe will be very helpful to those overseeing, participating in, or desiring to organize both A.A. Meeting Schedule-listed meetings and non-listed Christian Recovery meetings. The title is: How to Conduct “Old-School” 12-Step Recovery Meetings Using Conference-Approved Literature by Dick B. and Ken B. (available at www.DickB.com). This new resource provides details about how to organize or “fine-tune” both kinds of meetings by providing details on:

a.       How to structure meetings which emphasize A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature;

b.      Possible meeting topics (with many examples provided);

c.       Key sections of A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature focusing on the roles played by God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible in early A.A.’s astonishing successes, and why numerous observers stated that early A.A. was like First Century Christianity;

d.      The highly-successful, seven-point, early Akron program;

e.       16 practices of the early Akron “Christian fellowship”;

f.       Christian efforts that preceded and influenced early A.A. and which were successful in helping alcoholics, addicts, and others with life-controlling problems; e.g., the Young Men’s Christian Association, the Salvation Army, Christian evangelists (such as Dwight L. Moody, Henry Moorhouse, Henry M. Moore, and Allen Folger), rescue missions (such as Calvary Mission in New York, where both Ebby Thacher and Bill W. accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior), and A First Century Christian Fellowship (also known as The Oxford Group, of which Rev. Sam Shoemaker was a chief American leader).  

We have also begun producing a number of videos based on the contents of the new book that will soon be available as part of a new class in a password-protected section of the www.ChristianRecoveryRadio.com Web site (along with many free Dick B. radio presentations, audio talks, and other videos).

In order to share with International Christian Recovery Coalition “Participants” in other parts of the United States and in other countries, we will be holding a number of meetings in Oahu, Hawaii (March 22-25), Northern California (March 29-31), and Southern California (May 14-21), with the highlight’s being “The First 2012 North American Conference of the International Christian Recovery Coalition” at the new His Place Church facility in Westminster, California, Friday through Saturday, May 18-19, 2012. Conference details are available here: http://www.dickb.com/conferences/May2012_NorthAmericanConference.shtml. Hope to see you there!

In addition to sharing what we have been learning along the lines discussed above during our upcoming meetings in March and May, we plan on focusing a good deal of our efforts on learning about what various Christian Recovery leaders and workers in the areas we will be visiting have been doing. In particular,

What we would like to learn:

·         Your thoughts about how to present (with your own program and format)—in your training, meetings, talks, and materials—“old-school,” early A.A. “Christian fellowship” principles and practices.

·         Your suggestions about making this subject a plan for a group, a weekly meeting, workshops, training classes, fellowships, 12 Step programs, and talks.

·         Your comments on integrating your program into a mold that fits present-day 12 Step programs and ideas, that presents the “old-school” A.A. principles and practices, and captures the importance of daily activities patterned after those of First Century Christians in the Book of Acts and the “old-school” “Christian-fellowship” in Akron.

·         Special programs, formats, needs, problems, and questions you may have.

·         Your own present activities and desires, and how to integrate them with this subject

·         Whether you agree as to the value of a special group which offers or encourages daily fellowship among like-minded believers—including such activities as a weekly training meeting, a weekly Bible study, one or more 12 Step meetings, another’s Christian fellowship meeting, meals and feeds and coffee gatherings, outreach meetings, recreational events, and movies or films.

What we would also like to share with you:

·         What other Christian recovery programs, meetings, fellowships, and groups are doing around the world.

·         What we suggest about how to organize, format, and conduct an “old-school” A.A. Christian-oriented recovery fellowship and program

·         The options, contacts, resources, programs, and outlines presently available.

·         How you can, if you wish, conduct “old-school” meetings in such a way as to use a Conference-approved foundation, a procedure consistent with the Traditions, an autonomous status, and advance solid, truthful, accurate, comprehensive knowledge of the origins, history, founding, “old-school” Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship,” its successes, and their applicability to recovery today.

Gloria Deo

Preview: A.A. Old School Studies and Workshop

International Christian Recovery Coalition

Our Forthcoming Workshops, Meetings, Training Talks, and Conferences

On

Old School Christian Recovery Programs, Fellowships, Groups, and Meetings

Dick B.

Our Planned Focus is on Four Varieties of “old school” Book of Acts Programs for those who want God’s help in overcoming alcoholism, drug addiction, and life-controlling problems.

·         Those already conducting 12 Step programs and wanting an “old school” A.A. Conference-approved foundations and approaches.

·         Those exploring, desiring, and planning to organize and present “old school” 12 Step programs without concerns about satisfying “conference-approved” or “Twelve Traditions” issues.

·         Those already leading or attending “ Christian recovery fellowships” and wanting to include “old school” A.A. First Century Christianity at work meetings

·         Those wanting to organize, lead, train others for, and learn the content for Christian Recovery programs or fellowships or groups or meetings that the elements, principles, and practices of First Century Christianity at work in recovery.

______________________________________________________________________________

The proposed fundamental resources include the group’s choice of the Bible, Specified “conference approved” literature, Explanatory books and articles and our new Guidebook and Films covering each proposed class

What we would like to learn:

Your thoughts about how to present (with your own program and format)–in your training, meetings, talks, and materials on learning and applying Old School Early A.A. Christian Fellowship principles and practices.

            Your suggestions about making this subject a plan for a group, a weekly meeting,

workshops, training classes, fellowships, 12 Step programs, and talks.

Your comments on integrating your program into a mold that fits present-day 12 Step programs and ideas, that presents the old school A.A. principles and practices, and captures the importance of daily activities patterned after those of First Century Christians in the Book of Acts and the old school Christian Fellowship in Akron.

            Special programs, formats, needs, problems, questions you may have.

            Your own present activities and desires and integrating them with this subject

Whether you agree as to the value of a special group which offers or encourages daily fellowship among like-minded believers—including such activities as a weekly training meeting, a weekly Bible study, one or more 12 Step meetings, another’s Christian fellowship meeting, meals and feeds and coffee gatherings, outreach meetings, recreational events, and movies or films.

What we would like to tell you and enable you to learn:

            What other Christian recovery programs, meetings, fellowships, and groups are doing

            What we suggest about how to organize, format, and conduct an old school A.A.

Christian-oriented recovery fellowship and program

            The options, contacts, resources, programs, and outlines presently available

            How you can conduct old school meetings in such a way, if you wish, as to use a

conference-approved foundation, a procedure consistent with the Traditions, an

autonomous status, and advance solid, truthful, accurate, comprehensive knowledge of the origins, history, founding, old school Akron A.A. Christian Fellowship, its successes, and their applicability to recovery today.

Questions for a single anti-AA Writer

Does this writer attend A.A. meetings, groups, seminars, or conferences? Does this writer believe in God? Has this writer confessed with his mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in his heart that God raised him from the dead? Has this writer read the 43 books and over 850 articles published by Dick B.? I have.
Has this writer ever reached out to a newcomer in a meeting? Has he ever welcomed one? Has he ever given his phone number to one? Has he ever led anyone in Alcoholics Anonymous to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? Has he ever spoken at an A.A. meeting, conference, or group? I have.
Has he ever read the multiple biographies and autobiographies of Bill Wilson, of Dr. Bob Smith, of Lois Wilson, of Anne Ripley Smith, of Dr. William D. Silkworth, of Clarence H. Snyder, of Grace Snyder, of Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., of Frank N.D. Buchman, of Mrs. Samuel Shoemaker, of Rowland Hazard, of Garrett Stearly, of Cebra Graves, of Frank Amos, of Norman Vincent Peale, of Ebby Thacher, of Father John C. Ford, of Sister Ignatia, of Father Ed Dowling, of Russell Firestone, of James D. Newton, of Eleanor Forde Newton, of Dwight Moody, of Ira Sankey, of F.B. Meyer, of Allen Folger, of Henry Moorehouse, of Henry Drummond, of Billy Sunday, of George Williams, of General Booth, of Jerry McAuley, of S.H. Hadley, of Francis Clarke, of Amos Wells, of Sherwood Eddy, of Henry B. Wright, of Robert E. Speer, of T.S. Elliott, of Ethel Willetts, of Carl Jung, of William James, of Judge Walter Smith, of Mrs. Walter Smith, of Gilman Wilson, of Helen Wilson, of Fayette Griffith, of T. Henry Williams, of Clarace Williams, of Henrietta B. Seiberling, of Sue Smith Windows, of Robert R. Smith, of Professor Weatherford, of B.H. Streeter, of L. Parks Shipley, of James Houck, of Victor Kitchen, of A.J. Russell, of Harold Begbie, of Stephen Foote, of Garth Lean, of Michael Hutchinson, of T. Willard Hunter, Cecil Rose, of Bunny Austin, of Harvey Firestone Sr., of Russell Firestone, of Bill Wilson's grandfather "Willie," of Dr. Tunks, of Joe McQuany, of Charlie Parmley, or of the Shoemaker circle in New York, the Shoemaker circle in Pittsburgh?
I have. In fact, I have interviewed most of these people, and read the books of most of them.
Has the writer ever spoken to A.A. secretaries, treasurers, General Service Representatives, Delegates, Trustees, archivists, and office workers? I have.
Has the writer ever personally met, talked at length with, and questioned A.A. newcomers? I have. Has he ever sponsored an AA? I have. Has he ever spoken at a Celebrate Recovery meeting, an Alcoholics Victorious conference, an Overcomers conference, an Overcomers Outreach, Inc. Conference? a treatment center, a Christian treatment center, a group of Christian Counselors, at Betty Ford, at Christian churches, to Christian recovery fellowships, to conferences of Christian leaders and workers from all over the world, to wardens, state and federal elected leaders and substance abuse research leaders, to officials, addictionologists, universities and colleges, interventionists, Hazelden executives and workers, Christian Protestant ministers, Jewish Rabbis, Roman Catholic priests, or pastoral counselors, or Salvation Army officers, or YMCA workers, or Christian Endeavor members and leaders, or rescue mission leaders and workers? I have.
Has this writer ever visited and researched at the Griffith House Library, Wilson House, East Dorset, Vermont; or the Dr. Bob Core Library at North Congregational Church, St. Johnsbury, Vermont; or St. Johnsbury Academy; or Burr and Burton Academy; or the St. Paul's Library in Akron, Ohio; or the Seiberling Gate Lodge library in Akron; or the Episcopal Church Archives in Austin, Texas; or the Shoemaker Room at Calvary Episcopal Church in Pittsburgh; or the Brown University Collection; or the headquarters of the Oxford Group in Washington, D.C.; or the libraries and collections of Oxford Group leaders such as George Vondermuhll, Jr.; or the Buchman home in Pennsylvania; or the offices and library of the Alcoholics Anonymous General Service Office in New York; or the Princeton Alumni archives; or The Pittsburgh Experiment offices and archives; The Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation leaders and its original "golf club crowd," or the Hartford Seminary Library; or the Bierce Library at the University of Akon; or the libraries at Dr. Bob's Home, or the present and retiredf archivists at Dr. Bobs Home, of the Akron Intergroup; or Golden Gate Seminary and San Anselmo Seminary in Marn County, California; of the records of Calvary Church in New York, Calvary Church in Pittsburgh, and St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Akron, of university professors and librarians?
I have. In fact I have donated over 30,000 books, manuscripts, papers, articles to them.
If John L. has answered no to twenty of the foregoing questions, or to most, or to all, there's a question for him. When are you going to start learning instead of opining, reporting instead of condemning, advocating instead of libeling, telling truthful facts instead of occasionally quoting some other anti-A.A. writer? If the answer is equivocal, evasive, negative, or confusing to us, then you have a lot of traveling, interviewing, reading, learning, and thinking to do.
Will he?

Bill Wilson of A.A. - The Younger Years

Alcoholics Anonymous HistoryA.A. Cofounder Bill W.:
His Younger Years at a Glance

Dick B.
© 2012 Anonymous. All rights reserved.

The A.A. Backdrop

Bill Wilson was born in East Dorset, Vermont, November 26, 1895. His parents were married in the East Dorset Congregational Church. That church lay on the green between The Wilson House and the Griffith House. Bill was born, and his parents lived briefly, in The Wilson House. His paternal grandparents had been among the founders and attenders at the church. Bill was raised in the Griffith House by his maternal grandparents who considered the church their family church. Bill got sober in November 1934 and never drank again. He died on January 24, 1971. A.A. literature records: “All his life, Bill retained, as did Dr. Bob, a deep affection for and identification with the people of Vermont. . . . [H]e enjoyed sharing with friends many delightful anecdotes about his early years” [The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous: Biographical Sketches Their Last Major Talks (New York, NY: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 1972, 1975), pp. 25-27]

Bill W.’s Unusual Christian Experiences as a Youngster in Vermont

From Bill W.: My First 40 Years: An Autobiography by the Cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous (Center City, MN: Hazelden, 2000); and Dick B., The Conversion of Bill W.: More on the Creator’s Role in Early A.A. (Kihei, HI: Paradise Research Publications, Inc, 2006)

Bill’s Grandpa, Willie Wilson: Willie had been a founder, officer, and regular attender at East Dorset Congregational Church, owning Pew 15. He was also a chronic alcoholic. Before Bill Wilson was born, Grandpa Willie ascended nearby Mt. Aeolus, cried out to God for help, had a spiritual experience, rushed down to the little church, seized the pulpit, and said he had been saved. Grandpa Willie never drank again for the remaining eight years of his life. Bill Wilson’s mother told Bill this story over and over again [The Conversion of Bill W., 24-27, 115, 123]

Bill’s Witnessing of Conversion, Revival, and Temperance Meetings. Bill mentioned that, as a youngster, he had witnessed conversion meetings, attended revivals, and attended Temperance meetings. [The Conversion of Bill W., 8, 10, 26-27, 30, 32, 72, 74, 118]

Bill’s Maternal Grandparents Fayette and Ella Griffith. The Griffiths attended the East Dorset Congregational Church, and—with Emma Griffith, Bill W.’s mother—regarded the little church as the family church. Bill attended this church and its Sunday school during the period he was being raised by the Griffiths. His parents had separated. His mother had sent him to live with her parents. And Bill’s Grandpa Fayette enrolled Bill in the Sunday school next door where he attended church with the Griffiths [The Conversion of Bill W., 6-10, 24-32]

The Confession, Creed, and Teachings of the East Dorset Congregational Church: Our personal visit to this church with its long-time Treasurer and our inspection of the records showed that the church taught about salvation and the importance of studying the Word of God.

Bill’s Bible Study with Grandpa Fayette and with his friend Mark Whalon. There is now documentation that Bill Wilson studied the Bible with his grandfather and also with his friend Mark Whalon [The Conversion of Bill W., 6-19, 29-32, 71-75]

Bill’s Four Years at the Burr and Burton Seminary in Manchester, Vermont. Bill attended this Congregational-influenced Academy for four years, up to the time of his anticipated graduation. He went to the required daily chapel, just as Dr. Bob had at his Academy. Also, as required, Bill attended the Manchester Congregational Church each week. (And there is strong evidence that Dr. Bob had regularly attended North Congregational Church, St. Johnsbury, while attending his Academy.) Bill took a four-year required Bible study course at Burr and Burton. And Bill became president of the school Young Men's Christian Association; his girl friend Bertha Bamford became president of the school Young Women's Christian Association; and the two attended school YMCA activities, and daily chapel, together. [My son Ken and I gleaned most of this information from an extended interview of archivist Frederica Templeton of Burr and Burton, from the recent book she had written about the Academy, and from a review of the school’s extant archives and records. [See Frederica Templeton, The Castle in the Pasture: Portrait of Burr and Burton Academy (Manchester, VT: Burr and Burton Academy, 2005)]

The Unexpected Death of Bill’s Girl Friend, Bertha Bamford, and Bill’s Turning His Back on God for many subsequent years. Shortly before Bill’s impending graduation, Bill’s lady love Bertha died unexpectedly. Bill was devastated. He went into one of his many deep depressions. He never graduated from Burr and Burton. And he figuratively turned his back on God. [See Susan Cheever, My Name is Bill: Bill Wilson—His Life and the Creation of Alcoholics Anonymous (NY: Washington Square Press, 2004), 54-55.] For a number of years, he characterized himself thereafter as a “conservative atheist” or as an “agnostic.” [See Dick B., Turning Point: A History of Early A.A.’s Spiritual Roots and Successes (San Rafael, CA: Paradise Research Publications, 1997), 96; Alcoholics Anonymous (New York City: Works Publishing Company, 1939), 56-58; and Bill W.: My First 40 Years, 50.] This ended at Calvary Rescue Mission, where Bill went to the altar, accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, and wrote "For sure I'd been born again." Or it may have ended at or before his spiritual experience during his fourth hospitalization at Towns where he had his “indescribably white light” experience and never drank again. There Bill had experienced the presence of God in his hospital room and exclaimed: "So this is the God of the Scriptures" [Bill W.: My First 40 Years, 29-31; and Dick B., The Conversion of Bill W., 90-103].

We strongly believe that there are two vital starting points for any quest pertaining to Bill's younger years and Christian upbringing in Vermont. The first is Bill's autobiography "My First 40 Years" recently published by Hazelden. The second is "The Conversion of Bill W.," www.dickb.com/conversion.shtml

The wealth of documents backing up this picture can be found in "Turning Point" www.dickb.com/Turning.shtml.

www.DickB.com; DickB@DickB.com

Calif and Hawaii Old School A.A. Meetings Workshops

The Blooming, Booming Responses and

Expanded Plans of the Christian Recovery Movement

By Dick B., Executive Director

International Christian Recovery Coalition

Copyright 2012 Anonymous. All rights reserved

Just since our visits in Southern California in January of this year, we have had an increasing volume of messages from those wanting to participate in our planned meetings this spring. So the following is the way things are going and being planned as of February 29^th.

The Basic Approach Is Announced in This New Guide

How to Conduct “Old-School” 12-Step Recovery Meetings Using Conference-Approved Literature: A Dick B. Guide for Christian Leaders and Workers in the Recovery Arena

By Dick B. and Ken B. (2012)

There Is No “One Size Fits All” Plan

An A.A. or N.A. meeting listed with a local office may conduct and adopt a “Group Conscience” stand and also then establish a regular meeting founded on “Conference-approved” literature. A Christian recovery fellowship may choose to reach out to alcoholics, addicts, prescription drug abusers, and others with life-controlling problems. A Christian, Christian-Track, or other type of treatment program—limited by expense and time constraints—may decide to prepare “graduates” for the long haul beyond the discharge date. Groups like Teen Challenge and Celebrate Recovery may recognize and plan for the “daily” or “24/7” or Christian fellowship after-care needs of its Christian graduates or weekly meeting attenders in order to keep all of them in full bore recovery or recovered mode; continuing service to others; and sustained spiritual growth loop—all being often-accepted components of real, life-long, Christian healing, abundance, and ultimate salvation. Detox programs, interventionists, counselors, after-care facilitators, alumni gatherings, and sober living operators and managers may emphasize a variety of ways in which recovered “clients” or “students” can build on the strength of First Century Christian and early Akron A.A. “Christian fellowship” principles and practices.

Program Content Which Each Servant Can Adopt, Adapt, and Then Apply as Desired

The emphasis here is on fostering long-range deliverance, sustained fellowship and service, and effective and continued reliance on the power, love, forgiveness, guidance, healing, and will of God “in all our affairs.” Early Christian outreach extended first to the Jews. Then to the Gentiles. Then to both as members of the “body of Christ.” Included among these groups were the lost, the poor, the sick, the deaf, the blind, and even dead who were still being raised—just as Jesus had raised the dead.

The Present Plans for Implementing This “Old-School,” First Century Christianity Success Story in Forthcoming Hawaii and California Gatherings This Spring and Summer

And Here Is Where We Will Be Listening, Assembling, Teaching and Facilitating with You

[Details Still Need Further Attention and Firming, But This Will Show You the Plans]

For Maui, Hawaii:

County of Maui Salvation Army Partnership with our Coalition: to learn the existing 24/7 program at the Lahaina Outpost, The Salvation Army, 131 Shaw Street, Lahaina, Hawaii, 96761. (Initial two-hour meeting at our Kihei Office, Friday, March 2, Noon-2:00 PM)

Speaking on the Second Step and A.A. roots at a regular A.A. meeting in Kihei: followed by a meeting to discuss plans for a new “old-school” recovery meeting to be formed in the near future. (Saturday, March 3, 7:00 AM—with a private after-meeting)

For Oahu, Hawaii:

An evening meeting in Honolulu, Thursday, March 22 (6:00 PM) evaluating and initiating Christian Recovery Movement hands-on outreach to alcoholics and addicts in three different Christian recovery efforts: (1) The long-standing men’s outreach to alcoholics and addicts led by an NA-oriented Christian skilled men’s group leader. (2) The plans of this leader’s pastor who is extending outreach in Oahu as well in China, Japan, and the Pacific Rim. (3) The current work of an Oregon-based faith-centered Christian fellowship pastor in Germany and Europe. All three are looking for ways to utilize First Century Christian practices, to adapt early A.A. “old-school” fellowship techniques, and to present 12-Step approaches with individuals needing direct help and structured practices with long-term recovered Christian living as the aim.

For Cornerstone Fellowship—Livermore Campus, Livermore, California

Workshop/Participation/Study Meeting for all (Thursday, March 29, evening).

For Golden Hills Community Church, Brentwood, California

Workshop/Participation/ Study Meetings with Leaders and public (Friday, March 30,

afternoon and evening).

For San Francisco Bay Area, California –

Dialogue with leaders of recently renamed CityTeam International and its ministry to the

“lost” in Nicaragua and West Africa (Either morning, March 29, or on March 31).

In Kihei, Maui, Hawaii –

 A meeting of several days with Rob W. from Utah (April 2-6) – Planning and funding

In Southern California:

We will be in Orange County, California (arrive on Sunday, May 13 and depart on Monday, May 21). Quartered at the beginning and end at The Costa Mesa Marriott Hotel, and during the week at a private home in Orange County. The agenda for any and all includes the following planned:

Individual meetings with:

Rev. Michael Liimatta, City Vision College, Kansas City, Missouri

                        Wally Lowe, Christian businessman, Vero Beach, Florida

                        Russell Spatz, Christian attorney and speaker, Miami, Florida

                        Robert Turner, M.D., Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina

                        Gary Martin, Mariners Church, Planning regular “Old School” training meetings, Irvine, California

                        Pastor Joe Furey and Roger McDiarmid, His Place Church, Westminster, California (the location of our May 18-19 major conferences)

                        Rev. James Moody, Manna House Ministry, Jamestown, Tennessee

                        Bob Noonan, Marriage and Family Counselor, Orange, California

                        Danny Simmons, Sons of Thunder and Book Distribution, Costa Mesa, California

                        Rev. Bill Wigmore, Chairman of Episcopal Diocese of Texas Recovery Committee, Austin, Texas

                        Gary Moates, attorney, Houston, Texas

                        Richard Skolnik, Recovery Historian and believer, Nesconset, New York

                        Other local and out of area visitors and speakers

                                     

Conference on Friday evening, May 18 and all day Saturday, May 19, at His Place Church, Westminster, California: focused on participation, panels, workshop, classes, programs, questions and answers, and full leadership sharing

            [Orientation, Leader presentations, Panel, and Q and A – Friday evening;

                        Main Conference – Saturday all day – Music, prayer, Orientation by Dick B. and Ken B., lead speaker, orientation, leader speakers, and panel with Q and A.]

           Working with individual and group Christian Recovery leaders on formats and content for regular meetings, guides, videos, Conference-approved literature, and other resources on how best to employ all these to help directly those suffering alcoholics and addicts rely on God for help today; to learn the First Century Christianity practices in Acts of the Apostles; to learn how early “old school” A.A. practiced these principles with such great success; and to suggest how these foundations can be or are being used today hands-on.

The Actual Programs We Will Be Outlining, Discussing, Formatting, and Planning

·         A program of your own fashioning on How to Train, Teach, Cooperate, and Disseminate Christian Recovery programs, conference information, and media—programs that will emphasize God’s power and Christian recovery efforts.

·         Sample suggested programs suitable for and tailored to each particular Christian, treatment, sponsorship, and supportive approach and area.

·         Training the Trainers so that others may pick up the torch and move it forward.

·         Distributing free literature through benefactors.

·         Continuing dissemination by blogs, forums, newsletters, videos, radio, audio, conferences.

Coming Shortly: Dates, Places, Times, Contacts, Programs, Subjects, and Resources

To produce effective results, in the most compact way, we will welcome your phone calls and emails in advance; welcome any literature or suggestions you have; welcome your donations to help defray expenses; and welcome any particular approach you wish to take with your own program, practice, fellowship, and church.

DickB@DickB.com

Gloria Deo