Registration is now live for the Oct 23-25 2026 Region 7 Convention, “I Put My Hand in Yours… Welcome Home”, in Bethesda, MD! For registration and hotel information, visit https://oaregion7.org/2026-convention/. Early Bird Registration ($70) deadline is Sept 23. To volunteer, contact Leslie F. at friedmal4@comcast.net
Author: oano_va
Virtual Newcomer Recovery Open House, Oct 24th and 25th
Join us for a virtual weekend of newcomer-focused meetings designed to help people learn more about Overeaters Anonymous and the possibilities of recovery.
Oct 24, 2026 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Oct 25, 2026 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Time zone: Eastern Time
Sessions will address common newcomer questions such as where to start, sponsorship, plans of eating, spirituality, meditation, and recovery from compulsive eating behaviors. Meetings will also include topics for young people, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, LGBTQ+ members, men in Overeaters Anonymous, those with other compulsions, and members with anorexia or bulimia.
Meetings will be offered in English, German, Greek, and Spanish. All are welcome.
How to Attend:
Zoom Meeting ID: 880 5127 6988
Passcode: 101112
- Languages: German, Greek, Spanish, English
- Sponsor: Virtual Region
- Link: Learn more
Volunteers Needed For Virtual Thanksgiving Marathon
Northern Virginia Intergroup will host a virtual Thanksgiving Marathon. Those interested in getting involved in the planning committee, please contact Tamikka or Jodi, or email chair@oanova.org
Newcomer Orientation
OA Newcomer Meeting every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month from 6:45 to 7:20 pm ET hosted by the DC-Metro Intergroup. Join by Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89266844581?pwd=rHKpcNaOVxna5ropNmqjh4pQPqAwTE.1 Meeting ID: 892 6684 4581 Password: 983308. https://oa-dcmetro.org/intro
Action Plan Workshop
Join us August 15, 9 AM – 12 PM for an interactive workshop designed to help participants turn recovery goals into practical daily actions. The workshop will explore the purpose of action planning, ways to make recovery actions more intuitive, SMART goals, common life activities and events, and the creation of a personalized 24-hour action plan. Participants will also be matched with accountability buddies to support follow-through. Because this is an action-focused workshop, attendees are encouraged to come prepared with an accountability buddy, a pen or pencil, an updated calendar, a dedicated journal, and a willingness to take action.For more information, click here
Other OA NoVa Announcements
The OA Foot Steps Intergroup sponsors a “Family Share” Monthly Creative Reprieve Meeting, the second Thursday of each month at 6 pm ET, where fellows share their experience, strength, and hope through the lens of their positive, creative, joyful pursuits-and how these pursuits help them build a life of joy and abstinence. https://www.oacr.net/framily-share.html
There is an OA Virtual Intergroup for Young Adults 18 to 35. Visit https://oayoungadults.org/
OA World Service asks that we read the annual appeal letter at all our meetings for four consecutive weeks: https://oa.org/documents/2026-annual-appeal-instructions-and-letter/?print=true
Service opportunities: Consider serving as a member of an Event standing committee; newsletter editor, or member of the 2027 Intergroup board! If interested, talk to Jodi, Jim, Laura, or Eileen, or email chair@oanova.org.
The November 2025 NOVATIONS NEWSLETTER IS HERE
“Enjoy reading articles on Step 11 (Sought Through Prayer and Meditation) and Tradition 11 (We ARE the Message). Check out some suggestions in the article on how to prepare for family gatherings, especially those centered around food (Family Fests or Feats). The latest issue is here.“
Living With Dying
Whether you’re dealing with your own terminal illness or a loved one’s, staying spiritually and emotionally recovered, and staying abstinent, is possible. Listen to shares of experience, strength, and hope from recovered fellows who have done both at click here.
Missing the Literature Table at Meetings?
Since many meetings are now operating via Zoom, we no longer have a “literature table” where we can peruse and purchase OA-approved literature that supports our recovery journey. To make sure newcomers and old timers know about the latest literature, you can now download this PDF document, which highlights useful OA-approved literature and directly links to the website where individuals can learn more or purchase the materials. Simply attach this document in “chat” in your Zoom meeting if you want to share it as part of your meeting. It’s a virtual literature table!
Emergency Zoom Protocol Document Now Available
Unwelcomed visitors, or zoom intruders, into meetings can be unsettling to say the least. That’s why OA NOVA wants to make sure you have the tools you need to navigate these emergency situations. Please take a moment to download the document here and review it to ensure our meetings remain safe and secure.
7th Tradition in the Time of COVID-19
How do we continue to support our meetings, Region 7, and OA World these days? Discussions among our local virtual experts and current and past treasurers indicate that the best way of managing this may be for each meeting to set up its own Paypal account. See the Electronic 7th Tradition flyer for more information.
New Literature for Sponsors and OA Members
Take a look at some of these great new resources for sponsors and everyone on the OA journey.
- NEW: Twelve Step Workshop and Study Guide, Second Edition (#960-2)
- NEW: Participant Guide for Twelve Step Workshop and Study Guide, Second Edition(#966)
- NEW: Temporary Sponsors: Newcomers’ First Twelve Days (downloadable)
- NEW BOOK! Body Image, Relationships, and Sexuality: Personal Journeys to Recovery in Overeaters Anonymous: OA members share stories about how our disease has affected the most intimate parts of our lives—impacting our relationships and even our identities. Hear how members have worked OA’s Twelve Step recovery program, leaving behind confusion and anguish to live lives of acceptance, freedom, and serenity. Item #950 (#951 for 25) is available in softcover format in the OA bookstore. Also available in e-book formats sold by Amazon Kindle and Apple Books and will soon be available for Barnes & Noble Nook. OA receives a royalty share for e-book purchases from these third-party vendors.
- Unchanged and Simply Wonderful: Sponsorship Kit, which includes A Guide for Sponsors and Sponsoring through the Twelve Steps.
NEW Resource — Temporary Sponsors: Newcomers’ First Twelve Days
Sponsorship is a vital part of the OA recovery process, as it builds a tight-knit, trusting fellowship and invests purposefully in newcomers. To this end, our newest resource intends to bolster relationships with newcomers—and instill confidence in those new to sponsoring—by partnering those new to OA with a “temporary sponsor” to guide them through the pivotal first days of their OA journey.
Stamp out feelings of intimidation about sponsorship and jump-start a newcomer’s experience with our helpful introduction to program, Temporary Sponsors: Newcomers’ First Twelve Days. This free downloadable guide is one of the newest pieces of literature to receive the Conference-approved Literature Seal of Approval during WSBC 2020. Download this new resource at oa.org/sitemap under “Group Resources” and take it to your next meeting to share with other members. Need to translate? Use Google Translate for easy translation of the document into the language of your choice without needing written permission from the WSO. The Sponsorship Committee encourages you to use this great new resource from WSO. If you try it, we would love to hear about your experience. You can email us at sponsorship@oanova.org.
OA NOVA Zoom Account Available to All
NOTE: Zoom updated its security policy and your meeting may now require a password. Check with your meeting organizer to determine if you need one.
If your OA meeting group has moved to online meetings or phone calls, or plans to, you now have an easy and free way to do so. OA NOVA Intergroup has purchased a Zoom account that it is sharing with you. Simply contact zoommanager@oanova.org to register the meeting and time you would like to use the account. See the flyer here. Meeting conflicts will be resolved in a 12-step manner. You can find updated VIRTUAL MEETING information here.
