Visit INSIDE AL-ANON monthly to see news and interesting articles from Al-Anon’s World Service Office.
October 2026
Where Did the Group Bin Go?
When an existing group changes its meeting location, including transitioning from in-person to virtual, it’s important to steward the group bin/box/trunk and its contents:
Assign a group member to move and/or archive physical supplies and electronic records.
- Secure sensitive materials (both printed and electronic) such as business meeting minutes, treasury reports, and items that carry members’ personal information, such as confidential phone lists, to preserve anonymity.
- Inventory and account for all Conference Approved Literature (CAL), in keeping with Tradition Seven.
- Ensure newcomers and members can access updated meeting lists, links, locations, and support contacts.
- The Group Representative (GR) is ultimately responsible for making sure meeting details are updated throughout the links of service.
The Right CAL for the Season You’re In
Find titles that meet you where you are at al-anon.org/shop under “Topics.”
In every season—loss, relationship struggles, or healing old wounds—Conference Approved Literature (CAL) offers members’ experience, strength, and hope.
Facing crisis, grief, or loss:
Opening Our Hearts, Transforming Our Losses (B-29)
…In All Our Affairs: Making Crises Work for You (B-15
Navigating relationships:
Discovering Choices (B-30)
Intimacy in Alcoholic Relationships (B-33)
Healing within Our Alcoholic Relationships (P-95)
Living with Sobriety (P-49)
Healing childhood wounds:
From Survival to Recovery: Growing Up in an Alcoholic Home (B-21)
Members Share in The Forum
Inside Al-Anon Articles
How To Host a Writing Workshop
October Members Blog Topic
Please share with us at al-anon.org/member-blog
What Role Has CAL Played in Your Recovery?
“How has Conference Approved Literature (CAL) supported your growth? Which book, pamphlet, or daily reader do you always have on hand? Do different books support different aspects of your personal recovery, service work, and sponsoring journey?”
As always, you are also welcome to share on one or more of our Legacies. This month features Step Ten, Tradition Ten, and Concept Ten.
Sharings on the Member Blog may be used in future Al-Anon publications. New topics are being added each month!
Falling Back to Standard Time!
As Daylight Saving Time ends in North America on Sunday, November 1st, Al-Anon Family Groups Mobile App (AFG Mobile App) meeting times might be tempora rily affected. The World Service Office (WSO) is working diligently to ensure a smooth transition and overcome the challenges of managing these biannual changes.
Your patience is greatly appreciated, and members can rest assured that we will monitor the meetings throughout the day to quickly resolve any issues. We encourage participants to confirm meeting times within the AFG Mobile App as close to the meeting time as close to the meeting time as possible.
Thank You for Your Feedback
Thank you to everyone who completed the recent In The Loop survey. We appreciate your feedback and continued engagement.
Based on what members shared, the World Service Office (WSO) will be introducing several enhancements to In The Loop beginning in January. While those updates are still being finalized, we’re making one change right away: starting in October, In The Loop will move from two scheduled emails per month to one monthly newsletter.
We look forward to sharing more in the months ahead!
In The Loop, October 2026
Celebrating CAL Milestone Anniversaries
As the Al-Anon fellowship celebrates our 75th anniversary throughout 2026, we also celebrate significant anniversaries of several pieces of Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature (CAL).
75 Years:
Purpose and Suggestions (P-13): Although revised over the years, Al-Anon’s first pamphlet, written by Lois W. and Anne B., remains in print today.
“One Wife’s Story,” written in 1951, is now published as “Lois’s Story” in Part II of How Al‑Anon Works for Families & Friends of Alcoholics (B-32).
65 Years:
The Forum and Purpose and Suggestions were translated into French.
The Al-Anon Family Groups (B-5), Al-Anon’s first book, was translated into Spanish.
50 Years:
Blueprint for Progress: 4th Step Inventory (P-5) (original booklet version)
Alateen Just for Today bookmark (M-13)
30 Years:
Courage to Be Me (B-23)
25 Years:
Living Today in Alateen (B-26)
15 years:
Many Voices, One Journey (B-31)
How Al-Anon Works for Families & Friends of Alcoholics, softcover edition (B-32)
Go to al-anon.org/shop to find these titles and more.
Explore the Latest CAL Titles
Now Available as eBooks
The World Service Office continues to release Conference Approved Literature (CAL) in ebook format each month. See what’s new this month!
Most recent ebook releases:
- Lois Remembers (eB-7)
- Hope for Today (eB-27) expanded to more platforms
Existing ebooks:
- Alateen—Hope for Children of Alcoholics (eB-3)
- The Al-Anon Family Groups – Classic Edition (eB-5)
- One Day at a Time in Al-Anon (eB-6)
- Al-Anon’s Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions (Revised) (eB-8)
- Alateen – a day at a time (eB-10)
- As We Understood… (eB-11)
- …In All Our Affairs: Making Crises Work for You (eB-15)
- Courage to Change: One Day at a Time in Al-Anon II (eB-16)
- From Survival to Recovery (eB-21)
- How Al-Anon Works for Families & Friends of Alcoholics (eB-22)
- Courage to Be Me—Living with Alcoholism (eB-23)
- Paths to Recovery – Al-Anon’s Steps, Traditions, and Concepts (eB-24)
- Having Had a Spiritual Awakening… (eB-25)
- Living Today in Alateen (eB-26)
- Hope for Today (eB-27)
- Opening Our Hearts, Transforming Our Losses (eB-29)
- Discovering Choices – Recovery in Relationships (eB-30)
- Many Voices, One Journey (eB-31)
- Intimacy in Alcoholic Relationships (eB-33)
- A Little Time for Myself (eB-34)
- 2026-2029 Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual (eP-24/27)
Go to al-anon.org/shop to order.
Serve on a WSO Committee!
The World Service Office (WSO) needs your experience, strength, and hope. Have you considered serving as an At-Large member on a WSO Volunteer Committee? These Committees help provide direction regarding our Conference Approved Literature, major public outreach projects, and which sharings to include in The Forum, as well as oversee our annual audit.
At-Large members must have at least five years of continuous Al‑Anon experience to serve. Submit your résumé at al-anon.org/at-large by October 29, 2026.