Closing Prayer

I had a question earlier this week from someone about the closing prayer at a meeting.  It was about the use of The Lord's Prayer and wasn't that an issue as it is generally recognized as a "Christian" prayer.

This took me back to my first days in Al-Anon.  You know the first meeting I attended regularly, and what I now consider my home group, used the Lord's Prayer in their closing.  Honestly it kind of freaked me out on a couple of levels.

First the whole God or Higher Power thing freaked me out when they read the Steps.  But I was in such pain, and they said "as I understood him" that I kept coming back.

Second was that I remembered the Lord's Prayer.  As if it had been drilled into me like the periodic table or formulas I used in engineering were.  I hadn't been near a church in decades, and yet the words to the prayer came out of my mouth as if I had been saying them daily for those decades.

Over time, I learned to accept that when I said the words "Our Father" in the prayer I was speaking to my HP and to the group's HP.  My HP is still not well defined for me and that is okay. 

Eventually someone came along in our group and suggested at a Group conscience meeting that we change to the Serenity Prayer.  We discussed it and we did make the change.  The key is that we decided as a group what we wanted to do.  Concept 4 says "Participation is the key to harmony."  This is so incredibly true in Al-Anon.  If you participate, you gain so much.  Maybe it doesn't get done your way, but the feelings you get from participating and listening to others is tremendous.

The Service Manual actually leaves it up to the groups to decide how to close their meetings.  It specifically says "Will all who care to join me in closing with the _____ prayer?"  It is purposely left blank for each group to decide on this part of their meeting, sticking with Tradition 1 that the greatest progress for all comes from unity.

Enjoy your meetings this week.  Each one is as unique as the people who participate.  For that I am grateful.

Hugs,
Angela B.