THippy

For whatever reason, I decided to have another look at Alanon meetings in my area and I guess I clicked on something I never clicked on the other half dozen times because TAH DAH!!! there are weekday daytime meetings every single day of the week! I knew it couldn't be right that there was only one.
Maybe I just wasn't ready to see it yet. I think I'll go tomorrow.

New question:
Do you feel that the location has any bearing on how the meeting goes?
Alano club versus church basement, etc, etc?
Organized religion is not my cup of tea. Will a meeting in a church be religious?

hopepraylove

For me, the location makes no difference. Same message is being carried in all locations. It's been an absolute blessing and life changer for me. I hope you'll experience the same. Congrats on being ready

Mango blast

Two meetings I've been to at churches in other cities felt more religious to me. I haven't felt that way at the church locations in my home city.

If I keep an open mind is usually when I get the most out of it. There was a meeting I really didn't like once for some really obscure reasons. A year later I went back and found it to be a very good meeting for me that I went to many times.

slowclimb

The meetings I've gone to are all in churches. But it's the basement, the common gathering room or a small conference/classroom. There is sometimes some postings or decor from the church that are religious but I don't think it has any impact on the meeting itself.

Glad you found a daytime meeting. That's when I go as well

redatlanta

For me the difference is in geographical location rather than the building. For instance the mid town meeting's are generally more around my age range, and seem a little more liberal with a diversified group. The meetings on the north side of the city are an older crowd, more conservative and maybe have a titch more of the "religious" feel???? Neither are wrong. Take what you want and leave the rest..

Mountainmanbob

No. I hear some of the most ungodly things said in meetings held in churches.

Actually, I find this to be a very sad fact.

MM

LexieCat

Meetings in churches have ZERO to do with the church. Churches have traditionally been hospitable to groups like AA and Al-Anon, providing meeting space (for a small monthly rent). Typically they have gathering spaces or classrooms or something that aren't being used, that's all.

What makes the group what it is are the members and those who attend the meetings.

honeypig

Yes, this is so important to remember. Alanon uses the 12 steps and other general principles no matter what meeting you go to, but the interpretation of these things varies person by person and meeting by meeting.

There are also different formats, such as step study meetings which specifically focus on one step at each meeting, book study meetings which will focus on readings from a particular Alanon book each meeting, meetings that start with silent meditation, etc. The online listing will usually specify the format if it is other than the general sharing type.

Give yourself a chance to get into it, and do try several different meetings. As others have mentioned, groups can be composed of very different sorts of folks, some that you feel comfortable with and others that you don't as much.

Glad you're going to give it a try!