Question regarding the Lords Prayer

Hello Xxxxxx,

I hope you don’t mind me emailing you with a question. I attend an online meeting based in the US. And they always finish with the Lords Prayer. Some of the folk from the UK who attend & have been part of the steering committee have questioned its use.

I live in xxxxx but attend an English speaking meeting. All over xxxxxx as far as I know, we always use the Serenity Prayer to end AA meetings. To the best of my knowledge it is chosen because that first verse of the Serenity Prayer isn’t specifically Christian (Although its origins are) & especially in the U.K., there are many different religions represented in AA.
 
I have always felt that using The Lords Prayer is somehow against the 10 Tradition as it is specifically a Christian prayer (Luke 11) Do you have any thoughts on this? I am familiar with the letter Bill wrote about the use of the Lords Prayer in AA , & of course the U.S. is more overtly Christian than most European countries.
 
Blessings Xxxxxx




Hi Xxxxx,

Nice to hear from you.
The Serenity Prayer is adopted into our A.A.W.S. General Service Conference approved literature. The LP is not.  As far as its appropriateness, it is in alignment with our Traditions and Concepts that I only have a say on this at my One And Only Home Group. That I don't get to be part of the Group Conscience of all the meetings I attend, and that every member gets to choose for himself what group to invest his time, energy and service into. That is the group where I not only have a right to give my opinion, but it is my responsibility to do so. Based on the other opinions in my home group (with mine included) that is where we get the right answer for my group.

Does that make sense? I know it's not what you were looking for, but I hope it helps.


"Traditionally, most A.A. members through the years have found it important to belong to one group that they call their “home group.” This is the group where they accept service responsibilities and try to sustain friendships. And although all A.A. members are usually welcome at all groups and feel at home at any of these meetings, the concept of the home group has still remained the strongest bond between the A.A. member and the Fellowship. With membership comes the right to vote on issues that might affect the group and might also affect A.A. as a whole — a process that forms the very cornerstone of A.A.’s service structure. As with all group-conscience matters, each A.A. member has one vote; and this, ideally, is voiced through the home group."
Found in The A.A. Group Pamphlet page 15-16

What Is an Informed A.A. Group Conscience? 
"The group conscience is the collective conscience of the group membership (not the meeting attendees) and thus represents substantial unanimity on an issue before definitive action is taken. This is achieved by the group members through the sharing of full information, individual points of view, and the practice of A.A. principles."
Found in The A.A. Group Pamphlet page 28

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