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In Overeaters Anonymous, the Twelve Steps serve as the spiritual principles
that support our personal recovery from compulsive overeating. The Twelve Traditions aid us,
individually and collectively, in maintaining unity of purpose within the
Fellowship. The Twelve Concepts of OA Service, adopted by the World Service
Business Conference (WSBC) in 1994, help us apply the Steps and Traditions in
our service work, which is an important part of the OA program. The Concepts
define and guide the practices of the service structures that conduct the
business of OA.
These Concepts depict the chain
of delegated responsibility we use to provide service throughout the world.
Although they focus on OA world services, the Concepts direct all OA?s trusted
servants to well-considered actions for group participation, decision making,
voting and the expression of minority opinions. The Twelve Concepts support our
primary purpose of carrying OA?s message of recovery to the still-suffering
compulsive overeater.
The
Twelve Concepts of OA Service
Concept One
Unity: The ultimate responsibility and authority for OA world
services reside in the collective conscience of our whole Fellowship.
Concept Two
Conscience: The OA groups have delegated to the World
Service Business Conference the active maintenance of our world services; thus,
the World Service Business Conference is the voice, authority and effective
conscience of OA as a whole.
Concept Three
Trust: The right of decision, based on trust, makes effective
leadership possible.
Concept Four
Equality: The right of participation ensures
equality of opportunity for all in the decision-making process.
Concept Five
Consideration: Individuals have the right of appeal and
petition in order to ensure that their opinions and personal grievances will be
carefully considered.
Concept Six
Responsibility: The World Service Business
Conference has entrusted the Board of Trustees with the primary responsibility
for the administration of Overeaters Anonymous.
Concept Seven
Balance: The Board of Trustees has legal rights and responsibilities
accorded to them by OA Bylaws, Subpart A; the rights and responsibilities of
the World Service Business Conference are accorded to it by Tradition and by OA
Bylaws, Subpart B.
Concept Eight
Delegation: The Board of Trustees has delegated to
its Executive Committee the responsibility to administer the OA World Service
Office.
Concept Nine
Ability: Able, trusted servants, together with sound and appropriate
methods of choosing them, are indispensable for effective functioning at all
service levels.
Concept Ten
Clarity: Service responsibility is balanced by carefully defined
service authority; therefore, duplication of efforts is avoided.
Concept Eleven
Humility: Trustee administration of the World
Service Office should always be assisted by the best standing committees,
executives, staffs and consultants.
Concept Twelve
Guidelines: The spiritual foundation for OA service
ensures that:
Selflessness
(a) No OA committee or service body shall ever become the seat of perilous
wealth or power;
Realism
(b) Sufficient operating funds, plus an ample reserve, shall be OA?s prudent
financial principle;
Representation
(c) No OA member shall ever be placed in a position of unqualified authority;
Dialogue
(d) All important decisions shall be reached by discussion, vote and, whenever
possible, by substantial unanimity;
Compassion
(e) No service action shall ever be personally punitive or an incitement to
public controversy; and
Respect
(f) No OA service committee or service board shall ever perform acts of
government, and each shall always remain democratic in thought and action.
For more information about the
Twelve Concepts, read the pamphlet The Twelve Concepts of OA Service, available from our
online catalog.
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