In-Person Convening

It is suggested that the LifeRing books be available for purchase at all In-Person LifeRing Meetings. Pamphlets should be available for handouts.

• LifeRing-Convenors is an online community for current LifeRing convenors -- meeting starters, meeting facilitators, organizational support people -- and those who have been or are considering becoming LifeRing convenors. This forum is private (unlisted), and only members of the group can post messages here. If you are a convenor or co-convenor and have not been invited to the Convenors' email group, please email <service@lifering.org> and ask to be added.
• In-Person Meeting Format for attendees (reference only).
• For more comprehensive information about general principles of convening, please read How Was Your Week - The Convenor's Handbook. See a review of the book here. 
• The Convenor Starter Kit description can be found here.
• A list of Opening and Closing Statements. Download these statements and edit them as necessary to reflect your LifeRing meeting
• Excerpts from HWYW (convenor cliff notes)
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for new Convenors
• Ideas for Meeting Discussion Topics
• Meeting Attendance Verification Form
• Plan for keeping track of meeting treasury
• Download LifeRing Stationery
• New 8.5x11 "Empower Your Sober Self" Posters for download (see below)  
• Sample LifeRing flyers to advertise new meetings (see below).
• Directional signs and door signs for your meeting needs (see below).
• LifeRing Logo Artwork (see below).
• Convenors are entitled to a $5.00 discount on the purchase of  How Was Your Week. Please email publisher@lifering.org for more information. A free PDF version available of an older edition can be found here. There is also a kindle version available from Amazon.
• For information on ordering additional books and brochures, click here.
• Free LifeRing brochures (PDFs that can be downloaded and printed).

• Box or briefcase. If your meeting space provider allows you to store stuff at the meeting site between meetings, you'll want a box.   If the provider won't let you store things at the meeting place, you'll need a briefcase or some other way to carry things back and forth.
• Signup Sheet (optional).  Some convenors like to maintain an email/telephone list of their group attendees. This can be downloaded here.
• A few file folders: one for blank signup sheets, one for filled signup sheets, one for the opening statement, one for spare leaflets and miscellaneous. Some rubber bands will be useful to keep the bundles of handouts together.
• Clipboard. To circulate the signup sheet.
• Pen or pencil. For the signup sheet.
• Collection basket. Almost anything will work in a pinch, but a nice collection basket can be bought cheaply from import stores or from many variety stores.
• Money book. Some little notebook to record and add up the weekly basket collection amounts. It needn't be fancy.  You need to track basket money and book money separately.
• Envelopes.  For holding the money that you collect in the basket. Write the date and the amount on the outside of each. That way you won't mix meeting money up with your own money.   When it comes time to send the surplus to the Service Center, you can put the meeting money together with your own money and write a personal check for the meeting money to LifeRing and mail it to the Service Center.
• Sheet Protectors. For the opening statement, the door sign, and any direction signs you may post.
• Surgical Tape. Neater than masking tape and reusable many times, for posting door and directional signs indoors. Available at any drugstore. Avoid regular Scotch tape, it's messy.
• Coffee pot ... oops, almost forgot a coffee pot. Actually, most of our meetings don't serve coffee. No big reason, they just don't. Just think how big an organization we would be if we served coffee and cookies ...
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• Current Bylaws
• A sample Meeting Charter      Email your Regional Representative for a charter for your meeting
• On rare occasions, a meeting location may need a Certificate of Insurance.  Email office@lifering.org for a certificate for your meeting.