Motion 24-1: Changing the Business Meeting from Mondays to Sundays

This measure passed. There were 37 votes with 26 people voting Yes, I agree.


The form below was used for voting from March 21st to April 4th, 2024

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Name
That the SMR monthly Business Meeting be moved from Mondays to Sundays
If the motion does not pass, would it be worthwhile to have a Town Hall type discussion of the issue?

Original Motion

Motion 24 – 1: Changing the Business Meeting from Mondays to Sundays

This motion is being recommended by the Business Meeting Study Group. 


Issue:  We make the motion that the monthly SMR Business Meeting be moved from the third Monday of the month to the third Sunday of the month.

Background: Having Monday Business meetings may limit participation. A weekend day may allow more members to be involved. Mondays were originally chosen at a time when much of the world was in lockdown, due to the Covid pandemic.


Please offer comments below – pro or con, questions or suggestions or personal experience. The comments will comprise our discussion of the issue and will include any type of Minority Opinion. If the motion has not been seconded already in the comments, please note if you would second this motion. The comment period will be open for 3 weeks. Return to the Business Meeting Practices page for additional clarity.

Comments close on March 19th.

Thank you for participating in reaching a Group Conscience. (NOTE: It may take a day or two for your comments to appear on the webpage.)

36 thoughts on “Motion 24-1: Changing the Business Meeting from Mondays to Sundays

  1. Mary Ellin says:

    I think this makes sense in terms of including a larger number of members and wider age range. I personally attend local meetings in my other fellowship on weekends so will not be able to attend but support the proposal.

  2. Anonymous says:

    I have an interest in giving service by participating in the business meetings. For me, Sundays work better. So glad this question was put out to the group – thank you!

  3. Rebecca, CO says:

    Yes! I’d like the meeting to change to Sundays. I think an extended meeting on Mondays is too much for those of us starting off our work week.
    Thanks

  4. Anonymous says:

    We have fewer members on the weekend. And most weekenders cannot attend the weekday meetings when much is discussed before, during, and after the meeting. There is also the issue of for church going Christians, Sundays may be challenging.
    Could we alternate Sundays and Mondays to hold the business meeting?
    January/Sunday
    February/Monday
    etc
    I am a proponent of keeping it simple yet I think creating a calendar that allows opportunities for the most members’ participation is key to our peer group.

  5. Margot Beth says:

    This change makes sense to me. I am more likely able to attend a Sunday meeting than a Monday morning meeting.

    1. Anonymous says:

      Me too. But I do not feel called to attend business meetings now anyway. I think this meeting is so beautifully organized and scripted as is. I serve as a breakout room leader and that’s as much as I feel I can offer now. I trust others for these business decisions now.

  6. Margot Beth says:

    I am more likely to be able to attend a Sunday meeting than a Monday morning meeting. Thanks for thinking about changing the day.

  7. Birgit says:

    Thank you for the proposal. I think it is much more inclusive to have the business meeting on Sundays, as most of us who still work probably work during the week. So we could change to Sundays, try it e.g. six months, and then evaluate together which solution works best.

  8. Brian eM says:

    I would suggest the Business Meeting be split into two meetings. One for reports only and the second for motions for group business meetings.
    I don’t think having business meetings right after the meeting is healthy and may lead to some dysfunction in the meeting, leading to blaming dis-regulated members who may have been activated by some of the really sensitive topics discussed in our meditation meeting.
    For this reason, if having the business meeting after the meeting is chosen, having the meetings on the 15th where the topic is always on the Promise of the Month or on the 2nd to last day of the month where the topic is the Tradition of the Month.
    If split into two meetings, the days may help all of us be more available for business.

    1. Anonymous says:

      I really appreciate this comment. Yes, of course, we’re sometimes coming into the business meeting after very heavy topics. Also, I didn’t realize the 15th was always a promise. That would be a good day to meet. And, if it’s always the 15th, the day will rotate. Anyway, I’m not sure if its possible, but this really made me think outside the box.

  9. Inga says:

    In my physical home group, we change between two alternate weekdays to enable everyone to participate, and important decisions have to be dealt with at least at two subsequent business meetings.

  10. anonymous lloyd T says:

    One idea that has been really helpful to me over the long haul, is the idea that ‘we’ (a group) can try something out on a trial basis and if it – work, we can return to what we were doing before. or move on. for example, we could try the sunday business meeting for a set period of time, say 3 months and see how it works, and then revisit the idea. if group conscience likes it, we could continue. if people become mortified, we can return to Mondays, or even pick a different day. *editors note: the word ‘mortified’ was used specifically to try to add some ‘humor’….GHLR…..:-)
    I learned this concept in another program, and it had a profound impact on me, as the alcoholic home I grew up in, we NEVER ‘changed our minds’ or did things on a trial basis, it was all or nothing, all the time…….thanks for your service, and for the effort it took to make a magical page like this where we all have a chance to contribute. grateful.

    1. Lisa M says:

      I prefer Sundays because of my work schedule. I like the idea of alternating the focus of the meetings to have a business meeting one Sunday and a group conscience or town hall meeting the next month on Sunday.

  11. Anonymous says:

    I would propose something else. That the business meeting remain on the 3rd Monday of the month, but that it be held from 7:30 to 8:30 or 9 (EST). Scheduled during the regular meeting time. I have attended groups that have done this. It is only once a month and assures more participation for those who wish to participate and that is the bedrock of a business meeting. It could also be scheduled on another day during regular meeting time (7:30 to 8:30 or 9 EST) if others desire that.

  12. Anonymous says:

    The only way I could do a Sunday would be if the business meeting was held during the regular meeting time. This i think would actually be better in general no matter what day is chosen.

  13. Anonymous says:

    I like the idea to alternate between Mondays and Sundays. A couple questions:
    1) Could the business meeting occur immediately after the meeting, forgoing the newcomer session?
    2) Could we set/enforce our group boundaries around the meeting? (I notice that things tend to go off the rails and the allotted time is often expanded.)

  14. Anonymous says:

    Either is good for me. Some good ideas here regarding some folk’s Sunday church obligations or alternating monthly between Monday and Sunday. Is Saturday an option? It seems like a low attendance day so maybe not so great.
    Thanks for all your good work!

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