Dear Members of Alcoholics Anonymous in the Coastal Bend and the surrounding communities,

I write to you with deep respect, gratitude, and hope. In my time among you, I have come to appreciate the strength, compassion, and quiet commitment that exist throughout our fellowship. I have also come to believe that one of the greatest gifts we can offer one another is a renewed understanding of the service structures that help carry the message of recovery to the alcoholic who still suffers.

This letter is written in that spirit. It is not meant to criticize or divide, but to invite reflection, understanding, and action. At times, fear and misunderstanding can quietly weaken our sense of common purpose. Yet our Traditions remind us that our common welfare must come first, and that personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity. The Responsibility Declaration speaks plainly and powerfully to this truth: “I am responsible. When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always to be there. And for that: I am responsible.”

Here in Corpus Christi and throughout the Coastal Bend, that responsibility is supported in very real ways by the Coastal Bend Intergroup Association. Many members know their home group well. Fewer have the opportunity to see the daily work that happens behind the scenes to keep meetings connected, literature available, phones answered, and newcomers welcomed. Yet this service work is not separate from recovery; it is one of the ways recovery is made possible for others.

Intergroup exists because there are needs too large or too complex for any one group to meet alone. It serves as a shared instrument of cooperation, created and sustained by A.A. members for the benefit of the fellowship as a whole. Through this structure, groups remain connected to one another, information is kept current, and help can reach those who need it most—often at moments when time matters greatly.

When a suffering alcoholic reaches out in confusion, fear, or desperation, they are rarely thinking about service structure, office hours, committee work, or funding. They are simply hoping that someone will answer. They are hoping that somewhere, someone in Alcoholics Anonymous will understand. Intergroup helps make that possible. It helps ensure that the hand of A.A. is present not only in principle, but in practice.

This includes practical and essential services: maintaining accurate meeting information, helping distribute A.A. literature and medallions, coordinating communication between groups, supporting Twelfth Step efforts, and making it possible for calls for help to be answered at any hour. It also includes the steady labor of trusted servants, volunteers, and special workers who give their time and energy so that the fellowship can remain available and responsive. Their work is often quiet and unseen, but it is vital.

It is understandable that members and groups may sometimes have questions, concerns, or differing views about how service entities function. Thoughtful discussion is part of healthy group conscience. But in all such discussions, it is worth remembering that the purpose of our service structures is not power, prestige, or control. Their purpose is service—plain and simple. Their purpose is to help preserve unity, support the groups, and extend the reach of recovery to the person who has not yet found us.

For that reason, I believe we are being called—not with anger, but with sincerity—to renew our support for the Coastal Bend Intergroup Association and for the work it carries out on behalf of all of us. Support can take many forms. It may mean volunteering for hotline service, joining committee efforts, participating in fundraising events, encouraging your home group to stay informed and involved, or making sure that your group remembers Intergroup when discussing Seventh Tradition contributions. It may also mean simply speaking more openly in meetings and group conscience gatherings about why this work matters.

So I ask each member, each home group, and each trusted servant in the Coastal Bend and surrounding communities to pause and consider what part they can play. Let us not leave this responsibility to a few willing hands when it belongs to all of us. Let us strengthen the bridge between the newcomer and the meeting, between the late-night phone call and the sober voice that answers, between the isolated alcoholic and the fellowship that can help save a life.

If you are able, please share this message with your group, your sponsees, and your friends in the fellowship. Bring it to meetings, discuss it in group conscience, and let it serve as an invitation to deeper understanding and greater participation. The future strength of our local A.A. community depends not only on our willingness to recover, but also on our willingness to remain united in service.

With respect, gratitude, and faith in our shared responsibility,
Nathan K., Member