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: The Suggested Reading and Writing Meeting Format includes readings of the Twelve Steps of OA, the Twelve Traditions of OA, the Twelve Concepts of OA Service, the Tools of Recovery (abridged), and the OA Promise. Find, print, and/or download these resources in the Document Library on oa.org. Links to these resources are both embedded and listed at the end of the meeting format.
The meeting to begin at [time] __________.
1. Opening
“Welcome to the [day and time] __________ reading and writing meeting of Overeaters Anonymous. My name is __________. I am a compulsive eater and your leader for this meeting. Please silence your phones at this time.”
2. Serenity Prayer
“Will those who wish, please join me in the Serenity Prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”
3. Welcome
“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.
“Are there any compulsive eaters here besides myself?
4. 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.”
5. 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])
6. Reading
Ask someone to read the Twelve Steps of Overeaters Anonymous, then ask another volunteer to read the Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous. Some meetings may also decide to read the Twelve Concepts of OA Service or to read the Concept corresponding to the month of the year.
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. Meeting Format
“This meeting is a reading and writing format where we bring our OA literature, Step studies, or Big Book and spend self-directed time reading and writing. We write for fifteen minutes and then break to share our work with each other for fifteen minutes. We will do two rounds like this today.
“The Tools of Recovery pamphlet tells us, ‘Putting our thoughts and feelings down on paper, … helps us better understand our actions and reactions in a way that is often not revealed by simply thinking or talking about them’ (p. 3).
“We read OA-approved books, including The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, Second Edition; Alcoholics Anonymous, Fourth Edition (the Big Book); OA’s daily readers For Today and Voices of Recovery, Second Edition; OA pamphlets; and the Lifeline blog. Reading literature daily reinforces how to live the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of OA.”
9. Meditation
“We will now have a three-minute period of meditation to bring ourselves fully into this room and invite our Higher Power to guide us in our work.” [Set timer for three minutes.]
10. Reading and Writing Period #1
“Our first study period starts now. If you do not have or did not bring OA literature with you today, you are welcome to look in our meeting binder under the ‘writing prompts’ tab for something to work with.” [Set timer for fifteen minutes.]
11. Sharing Period #1
“We will now have fifteen minutes to share on what we have read and written.
“Feedback, cross talk, and advice giving are discouraged here. 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.
“We ask everyone to respect this group conscience. This meeting has decided that the chair for each meeting has the discretion to suggest to anyone sharing that they are off-topic or speaking too long. The meeting asks you to accept this suggestion in order to keep the meeting on track.
“The meeting is now open for sharing on what you read and wrote.” [Set the timer for fifteen minutes and/or time shares at two minutes each, or whatever is equitable.
12. Seventh Tradition/Announcements
“According to our Seventh Tradition, we are self-supporting through our own contributions. Expenses are __________, __________, and __________. We send regular contributions to our intergroup or service board, our region, and the World Service Office to help carry the message to other compulsive overeaters. Give as if your life depends on it! We encourage OA members to give as much as they are able, to help our group be self-supporting. The suggested contribution is US$5.00 or more.
“As we do this, are there any OA-related announcements to share?”
13. Reading and Writing Period #2
“Our second study period starts now.” [Set timer for fifteen minutes.]
14. Sharing Period #2
“We will now have our second sharing period for fifteen minutes. Please remember to avoid feedback, cross talk, and advice giving, and focus your share on what you read and wrote.” [Set the timer for fifteen minutes and/or time shares at two minutes each, or whatever is equitable.]
16. Closing
“In conclusion, we would like to stress the importance of anonymity to this group. The Steps are essential to our recovery; our freedom to share deeply at these meetings is important to working the Steps. 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.
“As a reminder, the opinions expressed here today are those of individual OA members and do not represent OA as a whole.
“If you would like, as you leave here, make a note of what you would like to add to your action plan for the coming week based on what you read and wrote.
“After a moment of silence, will those of you who wish please join us in __________.” [Select one of the following suggested closings listed on oa.org: Serenity Prayer, Seventh Step Prayer, Third Step Prayer, or the OA Promise (‘I put my hand in yours…’).]
Find, print, and/or download the resources mentioned in this meeting format in the Document Library on oa.org:
- The Twelve Steps
- The Twelve Traditions
- The Twelve Concepts of OA Service
- The Tools of Recovery (abridged)
- The OA Promise
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.
©2019 Overeaters Anonymous®, Inc. All rights reserved. Rev. 1/2024.
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