We have found that consistent use of this format keeps meetings focused on OA recovery, reinforces our pro­gram, and encourages unity. It also provides a reassuring feeling of continuity—an important factor in member retention. Each group may modify this format to better suit its needs.

Note: Please open the meeting NO later than ten minutes before it starts. Earlier is better.

Moderators: When you call or log in as moderator at a virtual meeting you may be muted. Check your virtual meeting settings when you sign in.

1. Opening

“Welcome to this atheist/agnostic/secular specific-focus meeting of Overeaters Anonymous. My name is __________. I am a compulsive eater and your leader for this meeting.”

2. OA Promise

“ After a moment of silence, will those who wish to please join me in reciting the OA Promise? [At virtual meetings] Press unmute, or press *1 to unmute if dialing in by phone. [Note to moderator: Please pause for ten to fifteen seconds to give callers a chance to unmute themselves.]

“I put my hand in yours, and together we can do what we could never do alone. No longer is there a sense of hopelessness, no longer must we each depend upon our own unsteady willpower. We are all together now, reaching out our hands for power and strength greater than ours, and as we join hands, we find love and understanding beyond our wildest dreams.”

3. Diversity Policy

“As we extend the heart and hand of the OA Fellowship to those who still suffer, let us be mindful of OA’s Unity with Diversity Policy, which respects our differences, yet unites us in the solution to our common problem. Whatever problem you may have with food, you are welcome at this meeting, regardless of race, creed, nationality, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other attribute.”

4. Specific Focus

“The focus of this meeting is on the experience, strength, and hope found in Overeaters Anonymous as an atheist, agnostic, or secular member of OA. While anyone is welcome, the emphasis is for those who wish to work their OA program from the specific focus of atheism, agnosticism, or secularism.”

5. Preamble

“The following is the OA Preamble:

“Overeaters Anonymous is a Fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience, strength, and hope, are recovering from compulsive overeating. We welcome everyone who wants to stop eating compulsively. There are no dues or fees for members; we are self- supporting through our own contributions, neither soliciting nor accepting outside donations. OA is not affiliated with any public or private organization, political movement, ideology, or religious doctrine; we take no position on outside issues. Our primary purpose is to abstain from compulsive eating and compulsive food behaviors and to carry the message of recovery through the Twelve Steps of OA to those who still suffer.”

“Are there any compulsive eaters here besides myself? Is there anyone here for the first, second, or third time? Would you please [unmute and] tell us your first name so we can welcome you? If you are returning to OA, please [unmute and] tell us your first name so we can also welcome you.”

6. Abstinence and Recovery

“The definitions of abstinence and recovery in Overeaters Anonymous are:

Abstinence is the action of refraining from compulsive eating and compulsive food behaviors while working towards or maintaining a healthy body weight.

Spiritual, emotional, and physical recovery is the result of living and working the Overeaters Anonymous Twelve Step program on a daily basis.”

(Business Conference Policy Manual, 1988b [amended 2019, 2021])

7. Tools

“The OA Tools of Recovery help us work the Steps and refrain from compulsive overeating. The nine Tools are: a plan of eating, sponsorship, meetings, telephone, writing, literature, an action plan, anonymity, and service. For more information, read The Tools of Recovery pamphlet.” [Or read The Tools of Recovery (abridged).]

8. Sponsors

“Sponsorship is one of our keys to success. Sponsors are OA members committed to abstinence and to living the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions to the best of their ability on a daily basis. If you are an available sponsor or are willing to help someone get started in the program, now is the time to identify yourself. [Note to moderator: Please tell the attendees how to identify themselves, whether by raising their hand or unmuting, etc.] Please give us your name and contact information slowly and clearly out loud [or in the chat].”

9. Literature

“Only OA-approved literature is discussed at this meeting. Many OA members find that reading our literature on a daily basis further reinforces how to live the Twelve Steps.”

10. Announcements

“It is now time for OA-related announcements. We encourage you to download a complete list of our Atheist/Agnostic/Secular meetings at oa.org. From the home page, click on ‘Find a meeting,’ then ‘Additional search options,’ and find ‘Atheist/Agnostic/Secular’ under the ‘Specific focus’ dropdown menu.

“Our group conscience meeting is held on __________, immediately following our regular meeting. You are invited to stay and participate. We are always looking for leaders or moderators for this meeting. If you are interested in this rewarding service, please contact our secretary, __________, at __________ [give phone number and/or email and time zone].

“Are there any other announcements for the good of OA?”

11. Seventh Tradition

“According to our Seventh Tradition, we are self-supporting through our own contributions. We suggest sending contributions to our Secular Specific Focus Service Board, our region, and the World Service Office to help carry the message to other compulsive eaters. Our group number is __________. Please use the group number when making your suggested contribution of US$5.00 or more.”

12. Volunteer for Contact Info

“We now need a volunteer to take down attendee contact information. If someone has to leave the meeting, or misses out on information, this volunteer can contact them after the meeting to connect. [For phone meetings] Please unmute or press *1 on your phone to unmute and volunteer for this service. For those wanting to leave contact information, please remember to speak slowly and clearly. [For online meetings] Please use the chat to leave your information. [For face-to-face meetings] Please use the sign-up sheet provided.”

13. Guidelines for This Specific-Focus Meeting

“Please limit your comments to your experience, strength, and hope living with the disease of compulsive eating while working an atheist, agnostic, or secular program of recovery. We refrain from cross talk. Cross talk during an OA meeting is giving advice to others who have already shared, speaking directly to another person rather than to the group, and questioning or interrupting the person speaking or sharing at the time. Your share is very important to us, so if we cannot hear you clearly, we may stop you to let you know.”

14. Type of Meeting—State This Meeting’s Choice

Some meetings vary or combine options, as decided by group conscience. Sample options are listed below. Time for member sharing may vary depending on the group conscience of the meeting.

Topic Meetings

“This is a topic meeting. Today’s OA program topic is __________.” [Members are invited to share for three to five minutes on the topic.]

Speaker Meetings

“This is a speaker meeting.” [Leader describes their story for about twenty minutes and shares experience, strength, and hope. Members are invited to share for three to five minutes.]

Literature Meetings

“This is a literature meeting. Today we are reading __________.” [Choose from any OA-approved literature. Members may read and share or read and then share at the end.]

15. Sharing

“The meeting is now open for sharing. [For virtual and phone meetings] Please unmute or press *1 on your phone to unmute, and mute or press *1 again on your phone when you are done speaking. This allows us to have a quiet meeting. Who would like to share?” [Note to moderator: If attendees are not muting after sharing, you can mute everyone electronically or press *__________ to mute everyone, depending on the type of meeting. This is also useful when background noise becomes distracting. If you have noise on the line, it is usually because callers are unmuted.]

16. Closing

[Five minutes before close of meeting] “By attending meetings regularly and using the OA Tools of Recovery, we are changing our lives. You will find hope and encouragement in Overeaters Anonymous. To the newcomer, we suggest attending at least six different meetings to learn the many ways OA can help you.

“There are many different types of meetings, all of which are available to support your recovery from compulsive eating. We welcome you to this meeting whenever you would care to attend. There are other face-to-face meetings and virtual (phone and technology-based) meetings that you may find helpful. Information about these meetings can be found on oa.org.

“The opinions expressed here today are those of individual OA members and do not represent OA as a whole. Please remember our commitment to honor each other’s anonymity. Whom you see here, what you hear here, when you leave here, let it stay here. Let us all reach out by phone or email to newcomers, returning members, and each other. Together we get better. As OA’s Responsibility Pledge states: ‘Always to extend the hand and heart of OA to all who share my compulsion; for this I am responsible.’

“Many of us will stay after this meeting to greet newcomers and socialize, sharing literature and resources we have found helpful in our recovery.

“Thank you for asking me to be your leader. After a moment of silence, will those of you who wish please join us in the OA Promise:

“I put my hand in yours, and together we can do what we could never do alone. No longer is there a sense of hopelessness, no longer must we each depend upon our own unsteady willpower. We are all together now, reaching out our hands for power and strength greater than ours, and as we join hands, we find love and understanding beyond our wildest dreams.”

Find, print, and/or download the resources mentioned in this meeting format in the Document Library on oa.org:

OA Responsibility Pledge

Always to extend the hand and heart of OA
to all who share my compulsion;
for this I am responsible.

OA Board-approved
©2024 Overeaters Anonymous®, Inc. All rights reserved.

Overeaters Anonymous, Inc. World Service Office
Location: 6075 Zenith Court NE, Rio Rancho, NM 87144, USA
Mailing address: PO Box 44727, Rio Rancho, NM 87174-4727, USA
Telephone: +1 505-891-2664