C.A. WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE 2009
LITERATURE, CHIPS & FORMAT COMMITTEE
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INTRODUCTION AND OPENING COMMENTS:
It is great to be back with you this year! Do you enjoy reading, writing, or editing? Do you have a passion for C.A. literature? Do you ever wonder how that literature gets to the table? Is it important to you what message is being carried to the still-suffering addict? Have you ever read a piece and felt a particular thought or reference should have been included? Or, if you’re anything like me and other members of LCF, is it important to you that the message in our literature is well presented in its layout, formatting and grammar? If you answered “yes” to any one of these questions, let your heart guide you to the Literature, Chips & Format Committee! We invite you to join us!
The Literature Chips & Format committee’s goal is to follow the mandates of this Conference to both create new literature and update our existing literature to better carry the message of Cocaine Anonymous. We work via e-mail and bi-monthly conference calls throughout the year to collaborate on our multitude of projects. Subcommittees are formed to facilitate and follow through on each project. Committee members then decide which subcommittee(s) they would like to join and someone volunteers to take the lead on each project.
We work from a comprehensive projects chart that gives an overview of all our pending projects. This past year, our to-do list included two books, one workbook, seven new concepts, and seven substantive revisions to existing pieces. While we’ve made significant progress this past year, our committee membership falls far short of what is needed to adequately address our workload. Several of our dedicated members work tirelessly and are eager to exercise the spirit of rotation (that’s another way to say they’re nearing burnout!). We are fortunate to have a few non-delegates contributing to one or more pieces, but with only a handful of main committee members consistently working together, it has been difficult to make substantial progress on our projects. Again this year, we realized the need to focus our energies on a few specific projects, and we were delighted to get four pieces to Point 10 in time for the SR 14 mailing:
- A. is for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual or Transgendered Addict (new concept);
- I Am Responsible Card (new concept);
- Self-Test (revision of existing pamphlet); and
- We Can Recover (revision of existing reading).
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We look forward to reviewing the Fellowship’s feedback on these pieces and hope to bring them to the floor for approval later this week.
COMMITTEE INTRODUCTIONS:
Chair: Cynthia Cronkhite
Vice Chair: Jeannette Johnson
Co-Secretaries: NONE!If you have abilities in this area and a willingness to serve, WE NEED YOU!
Meditation Book: Patty Flanagan (administrative lead) and Cynthia Cronkhite (committee lead)
Trustee: Trevor Scheible
WSOB Liasion: Patty Flannagan
Additional Members: Susan Doch, Kellie Federici, Ernest Martin, James Parris, Kellie Federici, Susan Doch, Siobhan Ayer, Cynthia Scheible, Kurt Lynn,Siobhan Ayer, Cynthia Scheible, Yves White, Ian Young, Yves White, Ernest Martin, James Parris, Kurt Lynn
REFERRALS THAT WERE WORKED UPON DURING THE YEAR:
#5827: The current 071118.PDF format has an error in the following page “(optional: it is also a custom to read who is a cocaine addict?- or alcohol. Please strike – or alcohol or put “Alcohol” separated.
Response: This portion of the format was updated at the 2008 Conference to read, “(OPTIONAL: It is also a custom to read Who is a Cocaine Addict?, Who is a C.A. Member?, or Alcohol. I have asked (________) to read for us.)” The new language is contained in the current version of the meeting format available for download at www.ca.org.
Overview of Pending Projects and Progress Made During 2008-2009
Meditation Book:
The concept for this book was approved in 2003. The subcommittee is using a separate Yahoo group to distribute and review submissions. We have received a total of 205 submissions over the last 6 years. Cynthia C. is committee lead to facilitate conference calls and group consciences. Patty F. is administrative lead responsible for ‘anonymizing’ and uploading submissions.
- Workshop at CAWS 2009 resulted in several new submissions; local conventions encouraged to hold similar events.
- Flurry of additional submissions received since May 2009.
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- Writing submissions is another way to help C.A. be self-supporting.
- Still need to peruse both previously published material and writings not used for other projects for potential meditation book material.
Other Pieces in Approval Process:
In an effort to be more accountable as well as to solicit additional participation, we are once again providing more detail than simply referencing a point in the approval process. Projects on the ‘front burner’ have been given priority designation as referenced in the introduction to this report. These projects are pamphlets unless otherwise indicated:
| Project | Notes |
| 12 Principles | Concept approved in 2002. At the 2008 WSC, we discussed adding this material to the 12 Steps & 12 Traditions book and simply titling it “12.” No recent activity reported. Trevor S. is subcommittee lead. |
| 12 Step Workbook | Concept approved in 2004. Separate Yahoo group established; some preliminary discussions have taken place. Kellie F. is subcommittee lead. |
| 12 Steps & 12 Traditions book | Concept approved in 2003. Separate Yahoo group established; some preliminary discussions have taken place. Hoping to gain access to WSBT archives for possible material and to create flyer seeking input from the fellowship. Trevor S. is subcommittee lead. |
| Anonymity | Concept approved sometime prior to 2002. No recent activity reported. Susan D. is subcommittee lead. |
| Book Approval Process | Concept approved in 2004. Preliminary draft based on HFC II experience was overly complicated. No recent activity. Cynthia C. is subcommittee lead. |
| Crank/Methampheta- mines (front burner) | Concept approved sometime prior to 2002 report. Current drafts in progress. Need new subcommittee lead. |
| Suggestions for Relapse Prevention & Recovery (front burner) | Pamphlet removed from circulation in 2002, but piece still appears in HFC I. Subcommittee discussions and drafts in progress. Jeannette J. is subcommittee lead. |
| The 7th Tradition | Per referral 5590 submitted in 2008, a subcommittee has been formed to update this piece. Patty F. is subcommittee lead and is seeking input from the WSC Finance Committee. |
| The First 30 Days (front burner) | Draft revisions circulated 3/29/09; awaiting Conference’s decision regarding changes to We Can Recover before proceeding, as goal is to eliminate inconsistencies between the two pieces. Susan D. is subcommittee lead. |
| Tips for Staying Clean & Sober | Decided to put in revision process during 11/9/08 conference call. Need new subcommittee lead. |
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| Project | Notes |
| To the Newcomer | Decided to put in revision process during 11/9/08 conference call. Need new subcommittee lead. |
| Young People in Recovery | Concept approved in 2004. Drafts being circulated. Siobhan A. is subcommittee lead. |
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Pieces in Publication Process:
LCF has been working with the WSO to help ensure that all material previously approved by the Conference makes it through the publication process and into the hands of the Fellowship. The notes below indicate where we are in the hard copy publication process. None of these pieces have been published on ca.org:
| Project | Year of Last Conference Action | Notes |
| Choosing Your Sponsor | 2008 | Revisions to the existing pamphlet were approved in 2008. Several typeset drafts have been exchanged, with LCF’s latest corrections/ |
| Dos and Don’ts of 12th- Step Calls for Addicts | 2008 | New pamphlet approved in 2008. Several typeset drafts have been exchanged, with LCF’s latest corrections/ |
| Newcomer booklet | 2004 | Approved for publication in 2004. Issues with formatting and publication costs delayed production. Piece was printed in 2007 without going through the publication process. Updates made in the interim by the Conference to individual pieces have been incorporated into a pdf layout. Waiting to see whether any changes made by the 2009 Conference need to be incorporated before proceeding. |
| Tips for Staying Clean & Sober | 2004 | Revisions to the existing pamphlet were approved in 2004. Several typeset drafts have been exchanged, with LCF’s latest corrections/ |
| To the Newcomer | 2007 | Revisions to the existing pamphlet were approved in 2007. Several typeset drafts have been exchanged, with LCF’s approval sent to the WSO on 8/7/09. |
| Yes, You Can Start A C.A. Meeting | 2007 | New pamphlet approved in 2007. Several typeset drafts have been exchanged, with LCF’s latest corrections |
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Pieces in Need of Housekeeping:
Minor corrections and/or updates that fall under LCF’s housekeeping authority need to be made to the items listed below. It has been agreed between LCF and the WSO to hold off on these housekeeping issues until the outstanding publication issues referenced above have been resolved:
A Higher Power
Being of Service
Crack
Having Fun in Recovery
Hope, Faith & Courage Volume II Meeting Format
Meeting in a Pocket
Self-Test for Cocaine Addiction (unless updated at 2009 WSC)
The First 30 Days
The Home Group
Tips for Staying Clean & Sober Tools of Recovery
Traditions Group Inventory
CLOSING COMMENTS:
This committee’s projects require due diligence in order to work through the concepts and ideas, books, coins and pamphlets we have to consider, create or edit, develop and produce. None of it can happen without you. We offer you an opportunity to give back to our fellowship in a way that is immensely rewarding! We remain committed to facilitating the expression of our fellowship’s hope, faith and courage through the writing of material for distribution. We are doing our best to remain accountable and realistic in terms of our existing project load and the advisability of taking on any new concepts. The work we do is incredibly important in terms of carrying the message to the addict who still suffers.
We encourage and look forward to new members joining our committee. We are especially in need of people who are willing to participate both at the Conference and throughout the year. If you’re not able to participate full-time in the main committee but there’s a particular piece you’d like to work on, please let us know; we’d be delighted to have your help! The work we do in this committee is tangible in terms of the new and revised literature that is set on the table at your local group, hospital and institution. Our members are the vessels and our literature and chips are the tools used to relay the message. Help us help our members around the globe carry the message of Cocaine Anonymous!
Thank you for allowing us to be of service
– Cynthia Cronkhite
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LCF Chair
Bob Lemon: Has there been any thought of trying to reduce the numbers of steps that it takes to get a piece of literature approved and published?
Cynthia Cronkhite: LCF tried to streamline the process and was revised in 2006 and is still incredibly cumbersome. But it does work when there are enough committee members to work on the process.
Jenn Scheible: On back table of 12 traditions and 12 concepts, did it come from LCF?
Kevin Murphy: it came from Patrick Potter.
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