Highlights of 2020 CoDA Service Conference Massachusetts Delegates’ report
There are 17 CODA meetings in all of Massachusetts. An online survey went out to get feedback from members in our state regarding decisions being made at the world level for CoDA. Sixteen people participated in the survey. Thanks to all who participated.
Because of the COVID situation, the Conference that was going to be in Ottawa, Canada, this year was instead held as a totally virtual meeting on Zoom. CoDA members from many different states in the U.S. attended, as well as members from Russia, Italy, Iran, UK, Mexico, Guatemala, and Israel.
Some of the proposals passed and announcements made:
Service is the suggested focus for the year 2021. There is a request that every CoDA meeting, every committee and the CoDA board mount a campaign emphasizing service as a basic part of recovery.
In the meeting handbook where there is mention of Four Parts of the CoDA program, it will be expanded to 5 parts; namely:
Attending meetings
Sharing and Fellowship
Working the Steps
Sponsorship
Service
A new Service Prayer was approved and will be available on the website with the other CoDA prayers.
A new booklet was submitted by Canada called, “The Service Concepts : Alive and Strong” is a potential new piece of literature that is posted on the CoDA.org website so the Fellowship can read and give feedback about its contents during the coming year.
Note: Service Concepts: Alive & Strong!” is posted on the coda.org website under “Member Services”, “Service Materials” & “Free Pamphlets” at this link:
https://coda.org/member-resources/draft-voting-entity-literature/
This year, 2020, the Service Conference approved a change to Tradition 11 as follows: “Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion. We need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, films, television, and all other public forms of communication.”
Note: Any change to the 12 Steps, 12 Traditions, and Twelve Service Concepts, requires a two year process of voting at the annual CoDA Conferences. Therefore, only if this passes again at the 2021 CSC, by 3/4 vote, will it become effective.
Before any group conscience decision that is made at the CoDA Service Conference, the group will pause for 30 seconds to ask for Higher Power’s guidance before the vote is taken, followed by the Serenity Prayer.
Next year’s CoDA Conference is in Ottawa,Canada July 25 to Aug 1, 2021. The goal is that it will be an in-person event, but it will be offered as a hybrid meeting, so people who don’t want to travel can attend remotely. In 2022, Rapid City, South Dakota will host the annual conference.
World level Events Committee wants to put on a virtual CoDA Convention with workshops in the Fall 2020 with a small fee
Due to the COVID situation, the 7th tradition income for CoDA World has reduced by ½ therefore, the CoDA budget for 2021 removed face-to-face meetings of committees.
More CoDA News:
There is a new link on coda.org for Past Voting Entity Literature that successfully completed the 2-year approval process:
https://coda.org/member-resources/past-voting-entity-literature/
The website for CoDA in the United Kingdom contains many (free) recordings from past conventions, including workshops by Ken & Mary (CoDA co-founders) in 2019. https://codauk.org/ken-and-mary-2019/
With gratitude in service,
Tiana and Judi T, Massachusetts. Delegates (version Oct 2, 2020)
