Welcome to Assembly

Welcome guests, representatives, service volunteers, committee chairs, board members, and trustees to the Virtual Region 2024 Assembly. I want to thank you, and the service bodies you represent, for your commitment in Carrying The Message, to the growth of the Virtual Region, and in your support of Overeaters Anonymous.  

This has been a time of growth for the Virtual Region, and we would like to welcome our newest service bodies, the Rainbow Specific Focus Service Board and OA Recovery Virtual Intergroup. Although our Rainbow Service Board faced attacks from members through email, calls for service resulted in Rainbow filing all of its board positions. The Virtual Region supports all of our service bodies and members, in line with our Unity With Diversity Policy.

This does not mean we have to agree on everything. We do not. This does not mean we understand everything. We do not.  This does not mean that we do not not make mistakes (I consider many mistakes little miracles from Higher Power). We make them.  We grow in our personal recovery, in membership, and in support of our service structures, by being honest, willing, and humble. At each assembly we are reminded to practice patience, tolerance, love, and kindness. Let us practice these principles in all our service.  

We continue to grow through outreach from dedicated members. Our convention was a recovery and outreach event that reached thirty-nine countries, and it was your support that made that possible. Just as it is your participation that made our Newcomer Open House possible and supported the region’s workshops and studies. Thank you.

 Please  take the time to read the committee and board reports and feel free to ask questions at the assembly, board, and committee meetings.  Bring your ideas to the assembly by reviewing the motions in advance and advising the secretary and myself of any amendments you plan to make. You may hear something at the assembly that strikes new ideas or changes your view on something. There are ample support materials and presentations available prior to the assembly that will support you in speaking pro or con, in making amendments, in asking questions, and in voting.

Please invite guests and members to learn how they can serve, visit and invite unaffiliated meetings, affiliated meetings and announce the upcoming assembly at you service body meetings. Consider if you would like to stand for election, or nominate someone, as region secretary, a committee chair, , or committee 

 secretary, or/and how you, or your service body, can support the region’s committees. The Virtual Region is steadfast in its commitment in supporting recovery through all of our service bodies with workshops, studies, intergroup officer training, carrying the message outreach, newcomer open houses, and through training for intergroups.

Those of us who live this program don’t simply carry the message; we are the message. You can do this by carrying this with you beyond the assembly, back to your service bodies, meetings, sponsees, and to members you know.  You can carry the message of hope and recovery, to your service bodies and meetings, by personally using our public service announcements, outreach resources from OA.org, and from Carry The Message, on the OA Virtual Region website. 

Working the Miracle of recovery in Unity,

Virtual Region, Clair M