MEETING GUIDELINES

Suggested Guidelines for RCA Recovery Meetings (Please adapt for your own group purposes.)
Pass out The Preamble, How It Works, The Twelve Steps, The Twelve Traditions, and The Promises for members to read. (Readings may include as well: The Reflections; Characteristics of Functional/ Dysfunctional Couples.) 

"Welcome to the __________________ meeting of Recovering Couples Anonymous. This is an (open/closed) meeting. Both singles and couples are welcome. (Or "This meeting is for couples only/closed to a special group," etc.) 
My name is _______________ (give your name) and I'm a member of Recovering Couples Anonymous. "We hope you will find in this Fellowship the help and friendship we have been privileged to enjoy. 

Let's open the meeting with a moment of silence, followed by the Serenity Prayer. In this group, the Serenity Prayer uses the words we and us." (Group recites the Serenity Prayer.) 


"A member will read the RCA Preamble." (Member does so.) 

"A member will read How It Works." (Member does so.) 

"A member will read the Twelve Steps of RCA." (Member does so.) 

"A member will read the Tradition of the month. Or all Twelve Traditions, if this is your group's conscience." (Member does so.) 

Optional readings. Groups usually seek to balance the time allocated for the various readings with the time allocated for couple-sharing. 

"Now is the time we introduce ourselves as couples. I'm (give your name) and I'm part of this recovering couple. (Partner gives his/her name.) Please greet us as a couple." (The group greets the couple: "Hello, ______ and _____!") (Other meeting attendees give their names.) 

"We will circulate our meeting's phone list. People who put their names on this list are willing to receive program calls. Phone calls are a helpful program tool. Leave your number if you like." (Secretary-couple circulates the phone list.) 

Rules of the house, (e.g., no smoking, where to park, safety guidelines about cross-talk, literature, bathrooms, coffee, etc.) 

"The format of these meetings is __________________. (Monthly format: Speaker Couple one week; Step Study another week; Reflections the third week; etc.) "The format of tonight's meeting is ____________." (Secretary announces the format.) 

"This is the time for sharing our experience, strength, and hope. If one member of a couple shares, the other member may share next if she or he chooses. Please keep your sharing brief. We ask that we avoid cross-talk. Avoiding cross-talk means that when we speak, we address the meeting as a whole." 

If this is a Speaker Couple meeting, the Secretary says, "The Speakers will have about ten minutes each to share on a topic they have chosen. Now let's welcome our speakers for tonight." (Secretary introduces Speakers.) If this is a Step Study/Reflection/Tradition meeting, the Secretary asks whoever has the Step/Reflection/Tradition to read; then the Secretary opens up the meeting for sharing. "Will whoever has the particular reading please read it and then the meeting will be open for sharing." 

Speakers speak, and/or members share. 

At about 15 minutes before closing, the Secretary may say, "Would any of our newcomers wish to share? Or anyone with a real need to share?" 

The Secretary ends the sharing at five (5) minutes before the close of the meeting. 

"Now we practice the Seventh Tradition, which states that Every RCA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions. Our contributions go for rent and literature, and for support of our World Service Organization." 

If this has been a Speaker Couple meeting, the Secretary says, "Let's thank our Speakers." 

Announcements: "It's time for RCA announcements and other 12-Step- related announcements. Our next business meeting will be __________. Are there any other RCA-related announcements or any other recovery- related announcements?" Members give their announcements. 

"A member will now read The Promises." Member does so. Secretary distributes copies of The Unity Prayer. 

"Let's end our meeting with The Unity Prayer." (Or the Serenity Prayer or another prayer.) 
The meeting is now over.