Birth of a Narcotics Anonymous Area
The birth of the Heart of Tennessee Area of Narcotics Anonymous, like most entities, derived from the mother of all invention: necessity.
In mid-2015, the Middle Tennessee Narcotics Anonymous community was served by only two Area service structures—Greater Nashville and Middle Tennessee areas. Responsible for serving almost 100 groups and over 200 meetings, some members believed that the services were hampered by the sheer volume of groups and trusted servants alike. With 50 or more addicts present at Area meetings, discussions could easily get bogged down. And hearing all viewpoints, as the Ninth Concept calls for, was sometimes challenging.
Meanwhile, as an outgrowth of the hyper-centralization of Middle Tennessee services, outlying and distant groups struggled connecting. Thus, the stage was set for something new to complement recovery in this neck of the woods.
Some of us members from Murfreesboro and Nashville met to discuss the possibility of forming a new Area Service Committee. Though oblivious to the fact, we didn’t know what we were doing; we moved forward anyway. From those first talks, a vision emerged. We sought to:
- Expand area service to outlying and isolated NA communities
- Create a smaller, more manageable service structure focused on the NA Traditions and Concepts over local guidelines
- Foster an environment where trusted servants and newcomers alike are valued and respected
After roughly a year of monthly meetings, brainstorming, discussion, and planning, the flint rock struck true, and, on March 13, 2016, the HOT Area fire started. And those embers took flight and spread. Through persistence and under the resonating theme that every voice mattered, our Area slowly grew from three, to four, to five, to eventually eight groups being served in seven counties. Our meetings may have been small, but the love transferred in each meeting was anything but.
Our First Steps
The HOT Area’s intimate setting did much for how we did the business of Narcotics Anonymous service. Being small, our discussions progressed freely—no rush. Each group service representative issued full group reports, sharing their group successes and challenges. To remind us of core service principles, we even hosted a signature Concept Study at the start of each meeting. All too often, a member present (often a newer one) would guide discussion by pointing to one of the passages we studied.
Since we had few trusted servants to perform the full battery of subcommittee work, we fulfilled projects on a case-by-case basis, tasking a point of accountability for each job.
In fact, HOT Area to this day doesn’t have subcommittees. We have coordinators who focus on specialized elements of service—like Hospitals & Institutions, Outreach, and Public Relations. Then, these coordinators and other interested members meet once a month at the Fellowship Development meeting.
In this well-attended meta-subcommittee meeting, everyone participates as a vital member of every service being provided. Moving away from solidified roles has enabled our small body to fluidly shift direction to creatively tackle obstacles.
More will be revealed
All in all, this NA service committee has truly been a wondrous thing to play a hand in building. Working together as a family, we have
- performed dozens of PR events and orientations;
- hosted activities from Murfreesboro to Manchester;
- assisted neighboring areas in the execution of their own PR events;
- helped startup groups with initial literature; and
- even kicked off a program called Nomadic Addicts, where over three dozen addicts made 90-day commitments to attend outlying groups once a week.
Yet, what truly drives the spirit of the HOT Area of Narcotics Anonymous is not WHAT we do; it’s HOW we do it. By breeding an attractive service environment through mutual respect and appreciation, members tend to come back. Thus, we have continued to grow one service meeting at a time.
So, if you get the chance, come on down to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where HOT Area meets and see if you don’t get the fire. All NA members are welcome to attend and participate. But, we ask all who do come to bring the same love for addicts they would show at any regular recovery meeting. As with all things NA, keep coming back because more will be revealed!!!