Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings in Illinois

What Is Alcoholics Anonymous?

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international fellowship of people who want to recover from alcoholism. AA groups provide peer support for maintaining sobriety through following the 12 steps.

St. Edmund Church

188 S Oak Park Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302

• Open Speaker Meeting: Mondays at 7:30 PM. This meeting features a speaker who shares their personal story of recovery.
• Closed Discussion Meeting: Wednesdays at 7 PM. This is for AA members only to share their experiences.
• Big Book Study: Saturdays at 10 AM. Members read from and discuss the AA central text titled “Alcoholics Anonymous.”

First Presbyterian Church

321 S 7th St, Springfield, IL 62701

• Open Speaker Meeting: Tuesdays at 8 PM. A member speaks about their journey with alcoholism and sobriety.
• Step Meeting: Thursdays at 6:30 PM. Focuses on understanding and working one of the 12 steps each week.

Church of the Holy Spirit

1902 Daimler Rd, Rockford, IL 61108

• Daily Reflections Reading: Sundays at 10:30 AM. Attendees read from the AA book “Daily Reflections” containing passages on each step.
• Closed Discussion Meeting: Fridays at noon. Only AA members share their experiences staying sober through the program.

The 12 Steps of AA

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) outlines a 12-step program to help members achieve and maintain sobriety. The steps aim to motivate members toward positive change across Illinois.

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable. Members admit addiction has taken control and caused life problems.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. Members open up to belief in a higher power for guidance.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him. Members commit to making their higher power the priority.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Members take an honest look inward at their lives and choices.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. Members share shortcomings with their higher power and others.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Members become willing and open for their higher power to inspire positive growth.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. Members actively seek their higher power’s help and guidance for self-improvement.
8. Made a list of all the people we had harmed and became willing to make amends with them all. Members inventory those impacted by their choices and are open to making efforts for reconciliation.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Members actively work to make things right with those people without causing further harm.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it. Members regularly self-reflect to catch and correct issues early.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out. Members actively strengthen their spiritual connection to align themselves with their higher power.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs. Members apply lessons learned to help and inspire others in their lives.

Getting Started with AA in Illinois

Use the meeting search on udetc.org to find local meetings in your area. Both in-person and online/virtual meetings are available in most places across Illinois.

Attending Your First Local AA Meeting

There are two main types of AA meetings in Illinois:

• Open Meetings: Anyone is welcome to attend, including non-alcoholics. These meetings focus on AA principles and personal stories.
• Closed Meetings: Only those who have a desire to stop drinking may attend. These meetings go deeper into emotional challenges and the AA program.

When attending your first local AA meeting:

1. Arrive early and introduce yourself as a new member of the local AA community. This will help you meet supportive people.
2. Share your experiences if you feel comfortable. There is no pressure to share.

You may receive welcome keychain tags at your first meeting to mark milestones in your recovery journey:

• 30 days
• 60 days
• 90 days
• 6 months
• 9 months
• 1 year
• 18 months
• Years 2-30