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Service provides an easy lift for the 500-pound telephone.
I was at a tool meeting the other day and the subject was the telephone. Someone mentioned the old expression “500-pound telephone“ and I identified. My inner voice, the one that needs to beat me up, says you might be bothering them. What are we gonna talk about? I don’t wanna be a nuisance. And the call never gets made. But the truth is, I have a service job that requires outreach to other members. Sometimes we text but very often we call. Inevitably, in addition to taking care of business, we talk feelings and program and food and life. The byproduct of all this is I’ve made friends, good friends, probably friends for life. I feel connected—cemented into my program and I love it.
So next time that 500‑pound telephone looms, remember: service is the gym where we lift it together — one call, one check‑in, one shared honest minute at a time. The weight gets lighter, the friendships stronger, and the only thing that ever gets truly heavy is the gratitude in our hearts. Pick up the phone — you might just benchpress your best day yet.
—Mike M.
Learn more about all the tools here
| oa.org announces the launch of its
newly updated website | Overeaters Anonymous’ website (oa.org) presents a hub that balances welcoming design with practical recovery resources. The homepage clearly states OA’s mission and guides newcomers with a prominent “Start here” call-to-action and an accessible meeting finder, making it easy to locate local and online groups. Content is organized into logical sections—program information, Lifeline personal stories, and a bookstore—so both first-time visitors and long-term members can quickly find literature, meetings, and tools. The site also has an event calendar that’s easy to navigate and is similar to our own Ocean & Bay event calendar. Visual design favors clarity over flash: modest imagery and readable typography support accessibility. Overall, oa.org is an effective, empathetic resource for people struggling with compulsive eating; it successfully combines practical functionality with the supportive tone central to twelve-step recovery. The site’s wealth of literature, meetings, and personal stories provides meaningful, immediate support. Thank you oa.org | New In-Person Meeting in Cranston | There’s a new in-person meeting called “You Are Never Alone,” on Tuesdays from 6:30–7:30 PM at Praise Tabernacle, 30 Park Avenue, Cranston, RI. For questions, contact Angela at 401-578-0175 or Jerry at 401-862-5806. More information can be found at https://oceanandbay.org/meetings | Please consider writing down your thoughts and sending them to us. We’d love to print them in our newsletter. Thanks a lot. | |
Spend a few minutes on each prompt to reflect on how connection has shaped your recovery and service.
Writing Exercise #1--5 minutes
Describe a moment in your recovery or service when you could not do it alone.
What happened? Who showed up? What changed because they showed up?
Writing Exercise #2--5 minutes
Where do you see the Power of WE in our service body today? Where could we lean more into WE?
Writing Exercise #3--5 minutes
Which one of these ways of living the Power of WE feels most relevant for you right now, and why? What would leaning into it more intentionally actually look like?
Writing Exercise #4--5 minutes
What is one concrete way you will carry the Power of WE forward - in a meeting,
a conversation, or a service commitment?
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One of the most precious gifts Overeaters Anonymous gave me was permission to build my own GOD — a loving, nurturing presence I could rely on when food was no longer working. When I got to OA I felt loved and accepted exactly as I was. I learned later that Love, in order to be Love, must be unconditional. The God of my understanding is unconditional and refuses to judge me. Judging me would be bad for me, and God doesn’t want that. Today, when life calls for a decision, very often I pause and give that loving, nurturing presence a voice in my life. And life is so much better that way.
—Mike M.
| The following “ad” is a tongue-in-cheek parody | Introducing Prayer Aspirations: the tiny, pocket‑sized relief for those midnight cravings. One prayer dissolves potato chip temptations. Formulated by Higher Power, it’s non‑fat and gluten‑free. Highly effective when used daily. Side effects may include spontaneous gratitude, improved outlook on life and awkwardly serene grocery shopping. Not a substitute for real fellowship, therapy, or vegetables. Available along the road of Happy Destiny. Try Prayer Aspirations today. | |
Find connection, recovery, and growth at our Overeaters Anonymous events: Step Studies, retreats, anniversary celebrations, and interactive workshops exploring fellowship, humility, relapse prevention, spiritual experiences, and more. Whether you’re new to the program or deepening your journey, these meetings offer shared experience, practical tools, and compassionate support to help you stay well.
Ready to join the next meeting that could change your day—or your life? Click here to see upcoming OA events and reserve your spot: discover a supportive community, meaningful conversation, and the next step on your recovery path.
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Ocean & Bay Sticker Store and More
| Ocean & Bay Intergroup has made use of an on-demand e-commerce store to sell a variety of items. What began as a simple idea to design and print a sticker to help spread the message of recovery has turned into an opportunity for you to purchase Ocean & Bay-branded merchandise. That's because every design we created can be applied to pillows, T-shirts, water bottles, community message boards, and so much more. So take a look at our store and feel free to take what you need and leave the rest. | |
Here is a way you, an OA member, can help carry the message of recovery from compulsive eating. If you belong to a religious institution in your community, please ask them to include this simple message in their fliers, bulletins, newsletters or on their community bulletin boards...
Do you have a problem with food? There is a solution. We can help.
Overeaters Anonymous
Meeting lists available at: www.oceanandbay.org
CALL 401-264-0606 Email: questions@oceanandbay.org
OA.org
For more information, call or text Mary Jane • (401) 499-9883
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oa.org has such an extensive document library that we've decided to feature a new document each month. This month's featured document is called: Virtual Welcome Room
The Virtual Welcome Room, in oa.org’s Document Library, is an interactive visual guide for newcomers and members with clickable links to OA resources — the OA Quiz, Lifeline blog, OA-approved literature, the Twelve Steps and Traditions and much more.
A note of interest: Ocean & Bay’s Creative Team played a small part in the creation of the illustration of the Welcome Room.
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Enhance Your Program with a New Journal
| | Tranquility Retreat - Living in Balance | | |
June 19, 20, & 21, 2026
18th Annual Retreat
Incarnation Conference Center
253 Bushy Hill Road, Deep River, CT 06417
Enjoy the serenity in a beautiful, natural setting situated on 700 wooded acres with hiking trails, farm and a lake. Hiking, canoeing, kayaking, craft activities available.
View the flyer/Registration Form
Or register online Here
| | Every OA meeting in the Ocean & Bay Intergroup is expected to send a meeting representative to the monthly Intergroup meeting. In the 7th tradition spirit of being self-supporting, this includes giving service. At your next business meeting, choose a member to represent your meeting at the Intergroup monthly meeting. Let your meeting’s voice be heard. Please contact Nancy at chair@oceanandbay.org if you have any questions. | | |
The PIPO Committee meets on the 3rd Monday of every month at 10:00 a.m. This month that’s Monday, May 18th. All are welcome.
Here is the Zoom info:
Zoom ID: 875 7170 5051
Passcode: 776158
We’d love for you to join us.
| | Service Bodies here to help with your recovery. | | |
SPECIAL FOCUS MEETINGS
You are welcome at any OA meeting, and we hope you’ll try many of the meetings on our Intergroup and oa.org meeting lists! Some of our members find they also benefit from OA meetings with members who share similar experiences, so we are sharing this list of some of the special focus resources that are available in OA.
100 Pounders: Click Here
American Sign Language & Closed Caption – This meeting offers ASL interpretation Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. Eastern: ASL Tues 8pm
Anorexics and Bulimics in OA – special focus meetings: Anorexics/Bulimics in OA
Asian-Pacific Islander OA: Click Here
Atheist, Agnostics, Secular - special focus meetings: Click Here
Bariatric Surgery: Click Here
BIPOC (Black, Indigenous & People of Color) – special focus meetings: BIPOC Intergroup
Health Issues: Click Here
LGBTQ special focus meetings for OA: bit.ly/ckslist and Click Here
OAMen.org is dedicated to distributing information about meetings, resources, and support for men in OA: Men in OA
Young People in OA – resources for those under 30 who suffer from compulsive eating include Meetings for young persons and https://oayoungpeople.org/
For more special focus meetings, you can go to OA.org:
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go to Find a Meeting
- select a type of meeting (face-to-face, online, telephone, or non-real-time)
- click on "additional search options" and select the desired special focus
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Mission & Vision Ocean & Bay Intergroup is dedicated to supporting individuals in need of recovery from compulsive eating (e.g.: overeating, bulimia, anorexia) through carrying the OA message and empowering all meetings within the Intergroup.
Strategic Goals
1. Help members strengthen their personal recovery
2. Increase the number of sponsors
3. Increase the number of newcomers
4. Increase the retention of newcomers
5. Help those in relapse
6. Inspire people to give more service
7. Increase outreach activities, including outreach to members and healthcare professionals
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Please note that every effort has been made to adhere to OA's policy for newsletter publications. Opinions and experiences expressed within are those of the individual writer and not OA as a whole.
SUBMISSIONS: This is your newsletter! We welcome your contributions of news items or commentary.* Deadline: 15th of each month. Example: Deadline 5/15 for June newsletter.
Please email : newsletter@oceanandbay.org
*May be edited as space allows.
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Ocean & Bay Intergroup
PO Box 2243, East Greenwich, RI 02818
Note: Make checks payable to Ocean and Bay Intergroup
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