Intergroup Purpose
When several groups form in an area, they soon realize that they can better perform together rather than separately. So the groups form an Intergroup that is directly responsible to the groups it serves. Intergroups spring from a need to provide service for a number of local groups and help distribute information about OA in a community.
Separate “Intergroups” make up “Regions” and then the Regions(10 in all) combine to make up the World Service Organization (WSO). The Utah Soaring Intergroup is part of Region 3 which serves Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah.
Utah Soaring Intergroup
The Utah Soaring Intergroup provides a common body for the coming together of the OA groups in Northern and Central Utah. We’re not restricted to Utah, nor do we represent all groups in the state. If your group is closer to Utah Soaring Intergroup, you might consider the benefits of aligning with us. You’ll see this happening in Southern Utah, where the cities there are closer to the Las Vegas Intergroup and are tied to it.
Intergroup Benefits
This banding together of the groups provides many benefits. We can do as a body what is not possible at the group level. Some of Utah Soaring’s duties are:
- Maintaining a website to keep the membership informed about meetings and events and informing the general public of the purpose of OA. The website provides up-to-date directories of all nearby meetings and other information.
- Maintaining the OA listings in the local telephone books, handling telephone and mail inquiries, and routing them to local groups.
- Providing a hotline for the public to call for information about the program, meetings, and just fellowship and caring.
- Sponsoring and arranging workshops, retreats, conventions, and other events for the membership.
- Handling public information requests from local news media, arranging radio or TV spot announcements or programs about OA, and furnishing OA speakers for outside organizations.
- Raising funds and sending delegates to the regional assemblies and the World Service Conference, OA’s annual business meeting. Here the delegates listen, take notes, vote, and bring back the information to the Intergroup.
- Maintaining committees to help such as Activities, Communications (Hotline, website, etc., Group Development, Public Information and Professional Outreach, etc.
- Helping to find sponsors for new members.
Join Us!
We have many, many ways to serve the fellowship beyond the group level. Most important is your group’s representative to the intergroup, the “Group Rep.” You can be the link between your group and what is happening at the local, regional, and world levels of OA. Our Group Rep page details the responsibilities, tools, and support for Group Reps.
There are also our committees. These form the important face of our local OA and serve our groups, the fellowship, and the general public. Take a look at our Contacts page to get a list of the committees. Are you passionate about how we can improve any of these areas? Call or email the Committee Chairperson! What? There is no chairperson listed. A remarkable opportunity for you to serve!
Last, there is the Service Board. The six trusted servants in these positions are elected by the fellowship each year and guide our Utah Soaring Intergroup. Some positions require a bit of intergroup experience, but not all. If election time is rolling around (September onward), take a look at the Service Board page and see if there is a way for you to play a valuable role in the fellowship in the coming year.
