MEETINGS BREAKDOWN

The meeting guide is a list of all the meetings held in the Tidewater Intergroup area. There are multiple ways to access the meeting guide:

The meeting guide is updated and maintained by the TIC Office and the Web Committee on a rolling basis. Changes on the website will appear immediately, and the Meeting Guide App updates within 48 hours of when the changes are actually published on the website. The printable meeting guide is updated weekly on Fridays. Please refer to the date printed on the meeting guide’s cover page.

If you have any questions, please email info@tidewaterintergroup.org or contact the TIC Main Office at (757) 490-3980.

PRINT MEETING GUIDE

ONLINE MEETING GUIDE

MEETING GUIDE APP

Types of AA Meetings

See the list chart below for a description of the different types of meetings.

NOTE: OPEN MEETINGS can be attended by persons who do not identify as alcoholics, such as students, concerned loved ones, etc. CLOSED MEETINGS are for those with a problem with alcohol ONLY.

Meeting Type	Brief Description
*Open Meeting	Anyone may attend, including people who are not alcoholics.
*Closed Meeting	For people who have a desire to stop drinking.
Discussion Meeting	Members discuss a topic related to recovery and sobriety.
Speaker Meeting	One or more members share their experience, strength, and hope.
Step Meeting	Focuses on one or more of the Twelve Steps.
Big Book Meeting	Studies and discusses Alcoholics Anonymous (the Big Book).
Traditions Meeting	Studies and discusses AA’s Twelve Traditions.
Literature Meeting	Uses AA-approved literature as the basis for discussion.
Meditation Meeting	Includes meditation or quiet reflection, followed by discussion or sharing.
Beginner/Newcomer Meeting	Designed to help people who are new to AA understand the program.
Question & Answer Meeting	Members ask questions about AA and recovery, with group discussion.
Step Study	A more focused, often systematic study of the Twelve Steps.
Topic Meeting	The group selects a recovery-related topic for members to discuss.
Service Meeting	Focuses on AA service, group responsibilities, and carrying the message.
Men’s Meeting	A meeting specifically for men.
Women’s Meeting	A meeting specifically for women.
Young People’s Meeting	Geared toward younger AA members; age guidelines vary by group.
LGBTQ+ Meeting	A meeting intended to provide a welcoming space for LGBTQ+ members.
Online/Virtual Meeting	Held by video or telephone rather than in person.
Hybrid Meeting	Members can participate either in person or remotely.

Note: Meeting names and formats differ among AA groups. Some meetings combine several formats—for example, a Big Book discussion or a Step/Speaker meeting.

MEETINGS BREAKDOWN

Types of AA Meetings

Meeting Resources