Welcome to Sunrise Serenity

Since 1992, we have met at St. Paul’s Church at 27 Pleasant Street in Brunswick, Maine (entrance and parking on Union Street) for an Open Discussion Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous. Due to the onset of COVID 19, the Group ceased in person meetings and converted to a virtual Zoom Platform format in March of 2020. Our meetings are currently held every weekday morning, Monday through Sunday, from 7:00-8:00 am. Discussion is based on a reading from the book Daily Reflections, except on Wednesdays when a section from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous is read and discussed, and the 3rd Friday of each month when the tradition for that month from Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions is read and discussed. Sunrise Serenity has a tradition of anniversary celebrations following Book of Daily Reflections readings. A recent addition to our meeting schedule includes a Beginners Meeting on Saturday morning from 9:00-10:00AM. Daily attendance at our meetings averages about 40, from a growing membership of over 100.  We have begun also meeting in person, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church Brunswick, Maine. Please join us!

History:The Sunrise Serenity Group in Brunswick, Maine was founded in 1992. A local friend of Bill W. returned from Florida where he had been attending a daily 7:00 a.m. meeting. Unable to find a similar morning meeting in the Brunswick area, he decided to start one. Our friend shared his idea with a few fellow program members, one of whom was a member of St. Paul's Church on Pleasant Street in Brunswick, and they were able to secure a room at the church for two days a week, Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 7:00 a.m. This was the beginning of the Sunrise Serenity Group. Another friend saw a flyer on a bulletin board for the first meeting of this new group to be held on February 14, 1992. This was his first AA meeting as well as the group’s first meeting! (This same fellow is still an active member of the group 25+ years later, and celebrates his anniversary on the group’s anniversary date). Several other men and women joined Sunrise Serenity soon after, and as “founding members” were instrumental in guiding the group towards the meeting format in use today. Sunrise Serenity’s first business meeting was held in May 1993. Since then, the group has greatly expanded and now meets seven days a week. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday the group reads from the book Daily Reflections, followed by discussion. On Wednesday a section from the first 164 pages of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous is read, followed by discussion. The group currently holds its business meeting on the third Friday of each month at 6 a.m. On the third Friday of each month following the business meeting the group departs from the Daily Reflection and reads the tradition corresponding to that month from Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. A beginners meeting was also added in January 2021, on Saturday from 9:00-10:00AM. On February 14, 2002, Sunrise Serenity’s 10-year anniversary was celebrated with over 80 attending. Many of the original members of the group were on hand to share their experience, stories from over the years. One man told of a time in his early sobriety when he lost the treasury; not knowing what to do, he came forward and told the truth that he had no idea what had happened to it, and asked the group what to do. The group decided to move on, Let Go And Let God, and from that day on honesty has been a guiding principle at Sunrise Serenity. That group treasurer remains a regular attendee at Sunrise Serenity (and still has no idea about what happened to that money!) Most days now you will find a diverse group of 40-50 attending Sunrise Serenity meetings, with attendance swelling as summer residents arrive. Each year the group holds a Spring Breakfast. It has drawn hundreds of people over the years and has proven a popular springtime event. On February 14, 2017 over 50 people gathered (the day after a big snowstorm) to celebrate Sunrise Serenity’s 25th anniversary. Throughout the years, many obstacles have helped to shape and strengthen the group. Storms, power outages, money troubles and even access to the church have posed challenges. Thanks to all those that have practiced the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions throughout the years, as well as those who have remained Honest, Openminded and Willing, the Sunrise Serenity Group remains a strong and important part of Alcoholics Anonymous District 6 of Maine Area 28.