What is meant by an “open” meeting? 

Any member of the public can attend an Open Meeting. You do not have to be an alcoholic, nor have a drinking problem to attend an open meeting. The Open Meeting has a chairperson, who conducts the progress of the meeting. Those who take part in the meeting have been chosen beforehand, so a newcomer need not feel intimidated.

Meetings in Cambridge generally begin with a moment of silence, followed by The Serenity Prayer. The chairperson or someone s/he has chosen then reads What is AA, qualifies briefly as an alcoholic, notes the importance of anonymity, and may mention that AA is a spiritual, as distinct from a religious, program of recovery.

Someone then reads How it Works, someone else The Twelve Traditions, and, in the Cambridge Area , Yesterday Today and Tomorrow is often read. Some groups may add additional readings such as The Promises. After some meeting business (the secretary’s announcements, handing out of chips to mark milestones in early sobriety), one or more people tell their story, which usually takes about 30 minutes. Each group is autonomous and may order the events in any way the group’s conscience sees fit. However, most open meetings generally last about an hour and 15 minutes, although attendees are encouraged to stick around, have coffee and talk to people for a while afterward. 

Open meetings are a good place to get literature about AA, including the Beginner’s Pamphlet containing the famous “20 Questions,” other AA pamphlets, the city-wide list of meetings, and hard-cover publications such as “Alcoholics Anonymous” (The Big Book) and “12 Steps and 12 Traditions” (the “12 ‘n’ 12”).