How to Invite an AA Speaker to Your Group
A speaker agrees to come next Thursday. On arrival, they learn the talk is twice as long as expected and the meeting is being streamed. A short invitation can prevent that surprise. It also gives a person enough information to decide whether to say yes.
Write a specific invitation
Start with the information someone would need before checking their calendar. “Would you be interested in sharing for about 20 minutes at our Thursday 7 p.m. open AA meeting on November 19? We leave time for discussion after the talk. The meeting is in person, and we don't record it.” Give the location or time zone and say who will answer questions.
If your group asks speakers to talk about a step, a reading or their experience of getting sober, explain that early. Send the relevant passage or the first question the chair normally uses. Ask which details the person would like in the introduction, and offer to show them the wording in advance.
A.A.’s meeting overview explains the distinction between open and closed meetings. Include your group’s actual format in the invitation so the person knows who may attend. If they want help budgeting their time, share our guide to preparing an AA speaker talk.
Invite people for different reasons
Think about who has spoken at your group lately and what experience members would like to hear. You could invite someone who helped set up a rural meeting, a person who joined online, or someone who can talk about their first service role. If an invitation has a particular focus, ask about their interest before announcing the subject.
Length of sobriety can help explain why the group thought of someone for a specific topic. The term “oldtimer” is used in different ways, as our article on who gets called an oldtimer in AA explains. Give new and longtime members room to share what they know firsthand.
Keep the invitation easy to decline. “If that date or format doesn't work for you, that's fine” leaves room for someone to pass without explaining their recovery, work schedule or travel limits.
Confirm the handoff before the meeting
Send the address, entrance and the name or number of the person who will meet them. Ask how they want their name to appear on any notice. If there is a remote audience, explain who can hear and see the room. Check hybrid audio and turn-taking before the speaker arrives.
Discuss photos, clips, recordings and public announcements before sharing anything about the event. A speaker who consents to an introduction in the room might have a different preference for the public listing. Use the anonymity workshop examples to help a planning team talk through these situations.
Have a reading or discussion prompt ready in case the speaker cannot make it. Confirm the plan with the chair so no one needs to explain the person’s absence to the room. Afterward, a private thank-you can mention one part of the talk that helped you.
On the day, show the guest where they will sit and how the chair will handle questions. Introduce the person using the wording you agreed on. If the agenda has changed, tell them privately before you start.
Medallions to consider
If the group wants to offer a keepsake, ask the speaker before turning it into a presentation or mentioning a sobriety date.
The photos show sample years. Check the Sobriety Time selector for the milestone you want.
Common questions
How long should I ask someone to speak?
Use your meeting’s actual agenda. Include the time for the talk and explain how you will signal when a few minutes remain.
Should the speaker bring anything?
Tell them whether the group provides a microphone, reading or chair, and ask what would make the setup easier for them.
Keep reading
To compare designs for a milestone, browse Elite Medallions and Deluxe Coins.
