Carries the groups' conscience
Through its G.S.R.s, the Assembly is the Area's “interim repository of the collective group conscience” — and the Delegate takes it to the General Service Conference.
Mid-Southern California Area 09
About Area 09
One of 93 areas of A.A.'s General Service Conference — linking the A.A. groups of Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, Long Beach and the South Bay with A.A. as a whole, in English and Spanish.
22 Districts16 English-speaking · 6 Spanish-speaking
4 CountiesOrange, Riverside, San Bernardino and part of Los Angeles
21 Standing & coordinate committees19 standing · 2 coordinate
1958 Year the Area was formedAs “California Southern Coastal”
93 Areas in the U.S. and CanadaEach sends one Delegate to the Conference
15 Areas in the Pacific RegionFrom Alaska and Hawaii to Arizona
Who we are
A link between the groups and A.A. as a whole
Mid-Southern California Area 09 is one of 93 areas of the General Service Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous in the United States and Canada, and one of 15 areas in the Pacific Region. We serve the A.A. groups of Orange and Riverside counties, most of San Bernardino County, and the part of Los Angeles County south of Rosecrans Avenue — Long Beach, the South Bay, the Harbor area and Catalina Island.
The Area is how those groups take part in A.A. as a whole. Each group elects a General Service Representative (G.S.R.); the G.S.R.s meet in their districts; and at the Area Assembly they elect the Area officers, including a Delegate who carries the Area's conscience to the General Service Conference each spring and reports back.
Service to the Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous shall be the primary purpose of General Service in the Mid-Southern California Area.
Two languages, one Area
Spanish-speaking districts support the Spanish-speaking groups and English-speaking districts support the English-speaking groups, so the whole Area is covered by both. Groups that meet in other languages are supported by the English-speaking district where they meet.
Supported by A.A. members
The Area accepts contributions only from A.A. sources and carries out no fund-raising of any kind.
How to contributeWhere we serve
From the beach to the desert
Area 09 covers all of Orange and Riverside counties, most of San Bernardino County, and the part of Los Angeles County south of Rosecrans Avenue — including Long Beach, the South Bay, the Harbor area and Catalina Island.
Each pin marks where a district holds its business meeting. Select a pin to open that district.
What the Area does
Carrying the groups' voice — and the message
Elects its trusted servants
Every two years the Assembly elects seven Area officers, including the Delegate, by the Third Legacy Procedure.
Meets every month
Assemblies and Area Service Committee meetings rotate among the districts, in person and online.
Carries the message
Area committees reach professionals, correctional and treatment facilities, the public, older alcoholics, remote communities and young people.
Holds service events
The Pre-Conference workshop, the Foro and the Servathon — hosted by districts on the Area rotation.
Keeps the record
Minutes, motions and reports are published in English and Spanish, and the Archives Committee keeps the Area's history.
How it is organized
The upside-down triangle
Our Panel 76 logo is A.A.'s service structure turned upside down: the groups are on top, because in A.A. final authority rests with the groups.
- A.A. groups Final authority
- G.S.R.s One for each group
- Districts 22 in Area 09
- Areas 93 — we are Area 09
- General Service Conference Our Delegate votes here
- General Service Board 21 trustees
The Area Assembly
G.S.R.s, district officers, committee chairs, Area officers and past Delegates. It elects the officers, including the Delegate, seeks substantial unanimity on important decisions, and meets at least three times a year.
Assemblies and ASCsThe Area Service Committee (ASC)
District officers, committee chairs, Area officers and past Delegates meet between Assemblies to discuss issues, gather each district's conscience and set the next Assembly's agenda. G.S.R.s are strongly encouraged to attend.
Area businessThe Area officers
Seven trusted servants form the Executive Committee: Delegate, Alternate Delegate, Chair, Secretary, Treasurer A/P, Treasurer A/R and Registrar. They are elected in October of odd-numbered years and serve two-year terms.
Meet the current panelArea committees
Seventeen standing committees — from Archives and Literature to Public Information, Corrections and Treatment — and two service schools (GSR School and DCM School), plus two coordinate committees: Intergroups/Central Offices and Hospitals & Institutions.
All committeesDistricts
The G.S.R.s of each district elect a D.C.M. Larger districts have sub-districts, each with its own D.C.M., and a D.C.M.C. who chairs the district and links it to the Area.
All districtsThe Delegate
Goes to the General Service Conference each spring “prepared to express the ‘conscience’ of the Area”, votes in the best interests of A.A. as a whole, and reports back to the Area.
Delegate's cornerWhen we meet
The second Sunday of most months
Area meetings rotate among the districts, so each month a different district is the host.
- Usually 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM Pacific time, with registration from 8:00 AM.
- Most meetings are hybrid — in person and on Zoom. Each meeting's place and Zoom details are in the calendar.
- Committees and the D.C.M. School meet during the committee break-out.
- A Monthly Service Study & Committee Sharing Session meets online on the third Thursday evening.
- January AssemblyAudit committee appointed
- February ASCNew-panel orientation in even years
- March ASCDistrict Pre-Conference workshops
- April Pre-ConferenceFeedback for the Delegate on Conference issues
- May AssemblyThe Delegate's report-back
- June ASC
- July ForoGeneral service topics, since 1992
- August ASC
- September AssemblyBudget for the coming year
- October ASCElection Assembly in odd years
- November ServathonThe Traditions and all kinds of service
- December ASC
- Assembly
- Area Service Committee (ASC)
- Pre-Conference
- Foro
- Servathon
This is the usual pattern. Each year's dates, places and host districts are set in the approved Area calendar.
History
Since 1958
A few milestones from the Area's own history, “The Chronicles of Mid-Southern California Area 09”, written by the Archives Committee.
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1958
The Area is formed
Approved by the 8th General Service Conference in April 1958, the new area was carved out of the California Southern Area at an assembly in Santa Ana on September 7 — as “California Southern Coastal”, with 10 districts and 105 G.S.R.s.
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1959
The first Delegate
The Area's first Delegate attends the 9th General Service Conference.
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1960
International Convention in Long Beach
The 3rd A.A. International Convention comes to Long Beach, with Bill W. and Ebby T. About 14,000 A.A.s light matches at the closing meeting.
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1961
New districts
Districts 11, 12 and 13 are created. (District 13 later merges with District 2, and District 11 is now part of District 8.)
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1971
A new name
Southern Coastal California becomes Mid-Southern California — MSCA 09.
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1973
The first Servathon
The Area holds its first Servathon in January 1973.
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1980
PRAASA in Anaheim
The Pacific Region A.A. Service Assembly meets in Anaheim — and again in Irvine in 2004.
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1982
Archives Committee
The Archives Committee is formed, and the Area newsletter begins to be translated into Spanish.
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1985
The first Spanish-speaking district
District 20 is created to serve all of the Spanish-speaking meetings in the Area.
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1986
The G.S.R. Preamble
Written in Area 09 by Goldene L. and accepted by the Area Assembly.
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1992
The first Foro
The Spanish-speaking districts start the annual FORO de MSCA, focused on general service.
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1994–95
Asking for La Viña
MSCA 09 writes to G.S.O. asking for a Spanish-language Grapevine — a step toward La Viña.
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2002
A national workshop
Area 09 Archives co-hosts the 7th National Archives Workshop in San Bernardino with Areas 05, 08 and 93.
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2008
Six Spanish-speaking districts
District 25 is created from District 24, completing today's six Spanish-speaking districts, 20 to 25.
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2009
A home for the Archives
The Archives Committee moves into its current repository in Riverside.
Sources: The Chronicles of Mid-Southern California Area 09 (Archives Committee, 2009) and the Area Guidelines, Revision P (2023). Members are named by first name and last initial.
Read at our meetings
Two preambles
Read at the start of most A.A. meetings
The A.A. Preamble
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.
The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.
Written in Area 09 in 1986
The G.S.R. Preamble
We are the General Service Representatives.
We are the link in the chain of communication for our groups with the General Service Conference and the world of A.A.
We realize the ultimate authority is a loving God as He may express Himself in our Group Conscience.
As trusted servants, our job is to bring information to our groups in order that they can reach an informed group conscience.
In passing along this group conscience, we are helping to maintain the unity and strength so vital to our fellowship.
Let us, therefore, have the patience and tolerance to listen while others share, the courage to speak up when we have something to share, and the wisdom to do what is right for our group and A.A. as a whole.
Keep exploring
How A.A. service works
From the group to the General Service Board.
Trusted servants
Officers, committee chairs and D.C.M.C.s, with service addresses.
Districts
Find your district and its business meeting.
Committees
What each Area committee does and how to help.
Area business
Assemblies, agendas, motions and minutes.
Contact
A role-based address for every service position.
About Area 09