World Service Manual 2024 pp. 80 – 84 (Adapted from Robert’s Rules of Order) The purpose of parliamentary procedure is: “…to permit a majority to accomplish its ultimate purpose within a reasonable period of time but only after allowing the minority reasonable opportunity to express its views on the question at issue.” – Lehr Fess,…
Articles
C.A. Service Sponsorship Pamphlet
2025 Service Sponsorship Pamphlet 2024 WSC Approved Service Sponsorship Much like sobriety, service is both easier and more enjoyable when we have the benefit of one-on-one guidance from someone whose knowledge and experience we trust. Fully understanding our role in C.A.’s service structure and navigating business meetings often requires asking many questions, but during a…
12 Step Speaker Workshop: Carry the Message NOT the Wreckage – Winning the Newcomer’s Confidence
CA-Speaker-Coaching-Slide-Show-Presentation-2025-04-13 Listen to the audio presentation of the slide show. 2025-04-13 – Carry the Message NOT the Wreckage Audio Share Learning Objectives List 10 strategies for overcoming the fear of public speaking. List 5 ways to conduct yourself when speaking virtually or in-person. Identify 3 major benefits of speaking to a 12 Step meeting or event. List…
Growing Your Virtual C.A. Meeting
While our literature has preserved the integrity of the A.A. message, sweeping changes in society as a whole are reflected in new customs and practices within the Fellowship. Taking advantage of technological advances, for example, A.A. members with computers can participate in meetings online, sharing with fellow alcoholics across the country or around the world….
Case Study: Covid-19 Group Inventory To Help Assess Having In-Person Meetings
Foreword to Second Edition pg xix “Soon was beset by these very problems on every side and in every group. But out of this frightening and at first disrupting experience grew that AA’s had to hang together or die separately. We had to unify our fellowship or pass off the scene.” Thinking of reopening to…
C.A. Area Advisory Committees, Boards and/or Steering Committees
A Cocaine Anonymous corporation of any Area must have for legal reasons a certain number of Directors. These vary from state-to-state or province-to-province. These Directors shall at all times be accountable to their Area Service Committee. These Directors should never be excused from the responsibility to render proper reports of ALL significant actions taken. The…
Robert’s Rules of Order Dramatization: Mock Motion Exercise
NARRATOR This presentation is designed to give C.A. Members a general understanding on how parliamentary procedure can be used at a Group, District, Area and World Conference level of services. The World Service Conference uses Robert’s Rules of Order with some modifications. You can find an abridged version of Robert’s Rules and their modifications in…
WSC PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE GUIDELINES (Adapted from Robert’s Rules of Order)
Excerpt from the C.A. World Service Manual 2022 Edition – Page 85 – 92 The purpose of parliamentary procedure is “…to permit a majority to accomplish its ultimate purpose within a reasonable period of time but only after allowing the minority reasonable opportunity to express its views on the question at issue.” – Lehr Fess,…
Pass It On” Documents: Empowering Trusted Servants TO Ensure Continuous Service
Readings: Tradition Eight: We’re Non-Professional Concept Eight: Capacity of the Trustees of the World Service Board Curriculum: “Pass It On” Documents Examples of C.A. Pass-It-On Documents
Growing Your Virtual Meeting
Growing Your Virtual Meeting While our literature has preserved the integrity of the A.A. message, sweeping changes in society as a whole are reflected in new customs and practices within the Fellowship. Taking advantage of technological advances, for example, A.A. members with computers can participate in meetings online, sharing with fellow alcoholics across the country…
CA Virtual Sobriety Chips
COVID-19 Group Inventory To Help Assess Having In-Person Meetings
Thinking of reopening to in person meetings? We suggest using the traditions as a tool to help your group decide whether you should or not. As well as looking at some risk factors associated with Covid-19. Tradition 1: Our common welfare should come first, personal recovery depends upon CA unity. What happens if someone comes…
Our Common Welfare: A Discussion of C.A. Traditions & COVID-19
Meet & Greet Your Southern Ontario World Service Delegates and North Atlantic Regional Trustees (Meeting was in two parts: Sunday, July 5th and Sunday, August 2nd) Reading: Tradition Seven Reading: Concept Seven Reading: Tradition Eight Reading: Concept Eight Discussion with GSRs, Group & Area Trusted Servants: In lieu of our COVID-19 times, conducting Twelve Step…
World Service Board of Trustees (WSBT)
DESCRIPTION: The World Services Board of Trustees (WSBT) has the broadest scope of any branch of our service structure. The responsibility of this Board is to help deal with anything that affects C.A. as a whole, either internally or externally. All things that may endanger the existence of our Fellowship or limit our growth are…
Being of Service
In addition to finding a spiritual way of life, recovery is about changing negative aspects of our personalities into positive ones. We came into the program with big egos but little or no self-esteem. We thought we were better than other people yet, at the same time, felt “less than.” We were people who took…
Being a GSR
Welcome to the service community of Cocaine Anonymous! Many of our members have found fulfillment and serenity by allowing their Higher Power to work through them in service to our Fellowship. Most of our trusted servants began their journey at the Group level by doing things like greeting members at the door, making coffee, setting…
ROBERT’S RULES
Suggested Readings The Importance of Parliamentary Procedures Robert’s Rules of Order Robert’s Rules of Order Dramatization: Mock Motion Exercise
For Fair and Orderly Meetings
Robert’s Rules is a time-tested manual of “parliamentary procedure” for conducting business at meetings and public gatherings. The basic handbook of operation for most groups, it provides common procedures for deliberation and decision-making with the full participation of the membership body. The conduct of ALL business is controlled by the general will of the whole…
THE TWELVE CONCEPTS
Suggested Readings The Twelve Concepts of Cocaine Anonymous Role of the Area Delegate/s
Taking Minutes
How to take minutes at Group Business, Area and Committee Meetings 1. Use a template. 2. Check off attendees as they arrive. Make sure you have a meeting agenda. This is usually prepared by the Chairperson. Choose your recording tool. Will you use a pen and paper or will you use a laptop computer, tablet,…
“Property and Prestige”
By Hal K., Houston TX In the spirit of the Traditions and the direction of the Concepts of World Service, it appears that many of us, as trusted servants, may want to examine our adherence to the intent of our founders of being directly responsible to those they serve. In my travels over the past…
WSC APPROVED LITERATURE, BOOKS, AND GUIDELINES
From the World Service Manual 2020 pp. 88-89 Books: A Quiet Peace Hope, Faith & Courage: Stories from the Fellowship of Cocaine Anonymous Hope, Faith & Courage Volume II: Stories and Literature from the Fellowship of Cocaine Anonymous Pamphlets: . . . And All Other Mind Altering Substances 12 Principles A Guide to the 12…
THE TWELVE TRADITIONS
Suggested Readings Case Studies Application of The Twelve Traditions of Cocaine Anonymous Traditions Group Inventory
Concept Twelve: General Warranties of the Conference
Concept Twelve: General Warranties of the Conference: (One) In all its proceedings, the World Service Conference shall observe the spirit of the C.A. Tradition, taking great care that the Conference never becomes the seat of perilous wealth or power; (Two) that the sufficient operating funds, plus an ample reserve, be its prudent financial principle; (Three)…
The Delegate’s Job is a Spiritual One!
WORLD SERVICE CONFERENCE DELEGATE Duties and Responsibilities Conference Delegates are required to have a working knowledge of the Twelve Steps, the Twelve Traditions, the Twelve Concepts of Service and the World Services Conference Charter. Prior to the Conference, the Delegate transmits SR-14 material to his or her Area through Area and District Meetings as well…
Case Study: An agnostic group rewrites the 12 Steps.
An agnostic group, based on group conscience, rewrites Steps 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 11 of C.A. into their own version? Step Two: Came to accept and to understand that we needed strengths beyond our awareness and resources to restore us to sanity. [Was: Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could…
Case Study: A Group is using non-conference approved literature in their meeting.
Suggested Readings: Cocaine Anonymous World Service Manual 2020 Edition p. 14 Cocaine Anonymous groups, meetings and service committees should only use, display, distribute or sell the following literature and materials: the WSC Approved Literature set forth in the Appendix, the books “ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS,” “TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS,” and “The A.A. Service Manual, combined with…
Case Study: What can a Group do about a disruptive member?
A member continuously disrupts group meetings with loud abusive and bullying behaviour towards fellow members and newcomers. Membership in the group continues to decline. New people coming to the meeting for the first time often do not return. Suggested Readings: AA, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, P. 143-144 The elders led Ed aside. They said…
Case Study: Does Fundraising Conflict with Tradition Seven?
Discussion Points: Fundraising conflicts with the expressed and adopted definition of the phrase “fully self-supporting” from Tradition Seven, which states, “all expenses are to be liquidated by individual contributions”. Our founders wished to be very clear. Fundraising activity interferes with our faith that a God of our understanding will direct and provide for our fellowship…
The Twelve Concepts: An Introduction
Adapted from the A.A. Service Manual Combined with Twelve Concepts for World Service p. 1-3 The “Twelve Concepts for World Service” to be described in this Manual are an interpretation of C.A.’s world service structure. They reveal the evolution by which it has arrived in its present form, and they detail the experience and reasoning…
Twelve Traditions: Introduction
Alcoholics Anonymous (The Big Book, 4th Edition) p. xix The test that it faced was this: Could these large numbers of erstwhile erratic alcoholics (addicts) successfully meet and work together? Would there be quarrels over membership, leadership, and money? Would there be strivings for power and prestige? Would there be schisms which would split A.A….
Tradition Twelve: Anonymity
Tradition Twelve (Short): Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities. Tradition Twelve (Long): And finally, we of Alcoholics Anonymous believe that the principle of anonymity has an immense spiritual significance. It reminds us that we are to place principles before personalities; that we are actually…
Tradition Ten: No opinion on outside issues
Tradition Ten (Short): Cocaine Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the C.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy. Tradition Ten (Long): No A.A. group or member should ever, in such a way as to implicate A.A., express any opinion on outside controversial issues—particularly those of politics, alcohol reform, or sectarian religion….
Tradition Eight: We’re nonprofessional
Tradition Eight (Short): C.A. as such, should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centres may employ special workers. Tradition Eight (Long): Alcoholics (Cocaine) Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional. We define professionalism as the occupation of counseling alcoholics for fees or hire. But we may employ alcoholics where they are going to perform those services for…
Tradition Six: Problems of money, property, and authority
Tradition Six (Short): A C.A. Group ought never endorse, finance or lend the C.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose. Tradition Six (Long): Problems of money, property, and authority may easily divert us from our primary spiritual aim. We think,…
Tradition Five: Primary Purpose
Tradition Five (Short): Each Group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the addict who still suffers. Tradition Five (Long): Each Alcoholics Anonymous group ought to be a spiritual entity having but one primary purpose—that of carrying its message to the alcoholic (addict) who still suffers. Suggested Readings: C.A. World Pamphlet “Yes, You…
THE TRUSTED SERVANT
Suggested Readings: C.A. Trusted Service The Importance of Service What is Service Sponsorship? C.A. Service Structure Chart What Constitutes A C.A. Group Yes, You Can Start a C.A. Meeting Group Trusted Servants
Tradition Two: Group Conscience
Tradition Two (Short): For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority — a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern. Tradition Two (Long): For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority-a loving God as He may express…
Tradition Eleven: Public Relations & Personal Anonymity
Tradition Eleven (Short): Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of all public media. Tradition Eleven (Long): Our relations with the general public should be characterized by personal anonymity. We think A.A. ought to avoid sensational advertising. Our names and pictures as…
Tradition Seven: We’re self-supporting
Tradition Seven (Short): Every C.A. group ought to be self-supporting, declining outside contributions. Tradition Seven (Long): The A.A. groups themselves ought to be fully supported by the voluntary contributions of their own members. We think that each group should soon achieve this ideal; that any public solicitation of funds using the name of Alcoholics (Cocaine)…
Tradition Nine… Creating Service Boards or Committees
Tradition Nine (Short): C.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve. Tradition Nine (Long): Each A.A. group needs the least possible organization. Rotating leadership is the best. The small group may elect its secretary, the large group its rotating committee, and the…
Concept Seven: The Power of the C.A. Purse
Concept Seven: The Conference recognizes that the Charter and the Bylaws of the World Service Board (W.S.B.) are legal instruments; that the Trustees are thereby fully empowered to manage and conduct all of the world service affairs of Cocaine Anonymous. It is further understood that the Conference Charter itself is not a legal document; that…
Concept Six: World Service Office Board of Trustees
Concept Six: On behalf of C.A. as a whole, our World Service Conference has the principal responsibility for the maintenance of our world services, and it traditionally has the final decision respecting large matters of general policy and finance. But the Conference also recognizes that the chief initiative and the active responsibility in most of…
“Pass It On” Documents: Empowering Trusted Servants TO Ensure Continuous Service
UNITY COMMITTEE – H – E – L – P !!!!! by: Tammy L. Pflugerville, Texas, USA (Newsgram – Q3 2016 p. 22) I decided to come to the Unity Committee because our Area suffers with putting on Unity Events, and struggles with keeping a Unity Chairperson. I believe that the new chairs become overwhelmed…
Yes, You Can Start a C.A. Meeting!
STARTING A C.A. MEETING Check your local C.A. Meeting list to see where a new meeting might be needed. Before starting a meeting look around Cocaine Anonymous in your District or Area, are there already meetings? Find out what days they are on and at what times. Find out how well they are attended and…
The Basics C.A. Service Sponsorship
Service Sponsorship is a concept in Cocaine Anonymous that works the same as sponsorship through the 12 step program of action. A service sponsor is a member that has engaged in sufficient amounts of service work and has been taught the material in a workshop like this one, by their service sponsor, that can pass…
The Importance of Service
The universal symbol of recovery is called the Recovery Triangle. It depicts the “Three Legacies” of our parent fellowship that have been adopted by our own fellowship–RECOVERY, UNITY and SERVICE. Unity: Is about cohesion between the different elements of Cocaine Anonymous—unity between Groups, Districts, Areas and the World body. It’s also about our unity with…
Concept Two: The Authority of Our Collective Conscience
Concept Two: The C.A. Groups delegate to the World Service Conference the complete authority for the active maintenance of our world services and thereby make the Conference — excepting for any change in the Twelve Traditions — the actual voice and the effective conscience for our whole Fellowship. CA NewsGram, Fourth Quarter 1998, Vol. 12…
Concept Eleven: Best Possible Members
Concept Eleven: While the Trustees hold final responsibility for C.A.’s world service administration, they should always have the assistance of the best possible standing committees and service boards, staffs and consultants. Therefore the composition of these underlying committees and service boards, the personal qualifications of their members, the manner of their induction into service, the…
Concept Ten: Service Responsibility and Authority
Concept Ten: Every service responsibility should be matched by an equal service authority — the scope of such authority to be always well defined whether by tradition, by resolution, by specific job description or by appropriate charters and bylaws. CA NewsGram, Fourth Quarter 2004, Vol. 20 No. 4 “Service: Responsibility and Authority“ This is one…
Concept Nine: Good Leadership
Concept Nine: Good service leaders, together with sound and appropriate methods of choosing them are at all levels indispensable for our future functioning and safety. The Twelve Concepts for World Service Illustrated p. 18 Good leadership cannot function well in a poorly designed structure…Weak leadership can hardly function at all, even in the best of…
Concept Eight: Capacity of the Trustees of the World Service Board
Concept Eight: The Trustees of the World Service Board act in two primary capacities: (a) With respect to the larger matters of overall policy and finance, they are the principal planners and administrators. They and their primary committees directly manage these affairs. (b) But with respect to our separately incorporated and constantly active services, the…
Concept Four: The Right of Participation
Concept Four: Throughout our Conference structure, we ought to maintain at all responsible levels a traditional “Right of Participation”, taking care that each classification or group of our world servants shall be allowed a voting representation in reasonable proportion to the responsibility that each must discharge. Suggested Readings: CA NewsGram, July-August, 1988, Vol. II No….
Concept One: Who is in charge?
Concept One: The final responsibility and the ultimate authority for C.A. world services should always reside in the collective conscience of our whole Fellowship. Suggested Reading: CA NewsGram, First Quarter 2006, Vol. 23 No. 1 “Who is in charge” C.A., like A.A., is run from the bottom up. Simply stated the final responsibility and ultimate…
C.A. Statement of Policy
Who may use the name “COCAINE ANONYMOUS,” the block letters “CA,” the official COCAINE ANONYMOUS LOGO* (hereinafter “logo”), future variations of the logo, the book titles: “A QUIET PEACE”, “HOPE, FAITH & COURAGE II,” “HOPE, FAITH & COURAGE: STORIES FROM THE FELLOWSHIP OF COCAINE ANONYMOUS,” and the motto “WE’RE HERE AND WE’RE FREE:” A Cocaine…
Tradition Four: What does it mean C.A. Groups are autonomous?
Tradition Four (Short): Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or C.A. as a whole. Tradition Four (Long): With respect to its own affairs, each A.A. group should be responsible to no other authority than its own conscience. But when its plans concern the welfare of neighboring groups also, those groups…
Tradition Three: Who can be a member of C.A.?
Tradition Three (Short): The only requirement for C.A. membership is a desire to stop using cocaine and all other mind-altering substances. Tradition Three (Long): Our membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism (addiction). Hence we may refuse none who wish to recover. Nor ought A.A. membership ever depend upon money or conformity. Any…
Tradition Two and the Principle of Consistent Rotation…
2019 World Service Manual p. 11 The principal of consistent rotation of responsibility is followed by all C.A. service positions. The spirit of rotation is a vital principle within our service structure which allows for non successive terms on all service positions. This enables more members to experience the true nature of service. Positions in…
Tradition One: Personal recovery depends upon C.A. unity.
Tradition One (Short): Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon C.A. unity. Tradition One (Long Version): Each member of Alcoholics Anonymous is but a small part of a great whole. A.A. must continue to live or most of us will surely die. Hence our common welfare comes first. But individual welfare follows…
C.A. Service Structure
Whether you are already involved in service, looking for opportunities to serve your Fellowship, or just interested in knowing how your fellowship accomplishes its mission, this section of the website provides a resource that C.A. members may find helpful and informative. If you have any questions regarding our service structure please review the information outlined…
Definition of Cocaine Anonymous “GROUP”
From the World Service Manual 2022 pp. 15-19 A meeting is when two or more people gather together to share their experience, strength and hope with each other. A meeting may call itself a C.A. Group when: The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using cocaine and all other mind-altering substances. It…
Concept Five: The Right of Appeal – Voicing the Minority Opinion
Concept Five: Throughout our World Service structure, a traditional “Right of Appeal” ought to prevail, thus assuring us that minority opinion will be heard and that petitions for the redress of personal grievances will be carefully considered. Suggested Reading: CA NewsGram, Second Quarter 2004, Vol. 20 No. 2 “Minority Opinion” This concept expresses the principle…
Concept Three: The Right of Decision
Concept Three: As a traditional means of creating and maintaining a clearly defined working relation between the Groups, the Conference, the World Service Board of Trustees and its service corporation, staffs, and committees, and of thus insuring their effective leadership, it is here suggested that we endow each of these elements of World Service with…
C.A. Group Servants
World Service Manual 2020 pp. 18 – 20 “For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority — a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.” OUR SECOND TRADITION C.A. groups may create such service positions, as they deem necessary…
A suggested format for resolving conflicts within the Group
This format can be used at the Group’s Business Meeting and facilitated by either the GSR or Meeting Chair. Suggested Group Business Meeting Format for resolving conflicts, schisms, cliques and strivings for power, prestige and money within the Group. Open with a prayer (“WE” version of the Serenity Prayer). Read the 12 Traditions, followed by:…
Trusted Servants, Our Leaders
CA NewsGram, 3rd Quarter 2011, Vol. 28 No.3 “Trusted Servants, Our Leaders” In Tradition Two we rely on God to be present in our group conscious decisions. As we carry out these decisions at all levels of the fellowship we rely on our trusted servants who have been given this responsibility. These trusted servants who…
Bleeding Deacon versus Elder Statesperson
A.A. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, P. 135 Does AA have any real leadership?” Most emphatically the answer is “Yes, notwithstanding the apparent lack of it.” Let’s turn again to the deposed founder and his friends. What becomes of them? As their grief and anxiety wear away, a subtle change begins. Ultimately they divide into…