How A.A. meetings commonly close
Silence, prayer, and declarations at the end of a meeting
Many A.A. meetings end with members joining in a moment of silence followed by a prayer, the Responsibility Declaration, or another A.A. text. The exact closing varies from group to group. This page introduces the closings a visitor is most likely to encounter and links to A.A.’s own wording and historical record.
How A.A. describes its meetings opens in a new tabFrom The A.A. Group
What visitors may hear
“Many meetings close with members joining in a moment of silence followed by a prayer.”
The same A.A. guide also names the Responsibility Declaration and other A.A. texts as possible closings. Because each group develops its own meeting format, the chair usually identifies the closing used by that group.
Read The A.A. Group official PDF; opens in a new tabWhat happens as the meeting ends
A first-visit guideAnnouncements may come first
Groups often reserve time for A.A. announcements, service information, and Seventh Tradition contributions before the final closing. The order depends on the group’s established format.
How A.A. groups organize meetings opens in a new tabThe room becomes quiet
A short silence is a common transition into the close. Some groups follow it with a prayer; others use a declaration or a reading from A.A. literature.
The chair names the group’s custom
The Serenity Prayer, the Lord’s Prayer, the Responsibility Declaration, and the Declaration of Unity are all encountered in A.A. settings. Their histories and status are not identical.
Conversation and help continue
The formal meeting may be over, but members often remain to talk, exchange telephone numbers, answer questions, and welcome newcomers.
Information for meeting visitors opens in a new tabCommon A.A. meeting closings
Meaning, history, and official sourcesA quiet pause at the close
The current meeting guide names a moment of silence as common practice. A group may pair it with a prayer or another closing, or may use it as the transition itself.
Current meeting guidance opens in a new tabA practice that varies among groups
A.A. history records groups using the Serenity Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer, among others. Official service correspondence emphasizes group autonomy and the difference between local practice and an A.A.-wide rule.
Box 4-5-9 historical record PDF; opens in a new tabA personal commitment to availability
The declaration was introduced at A.A.’s 1965 International Convention in Toronto. Its first-person wording directs attention to being available when someone reaches out for help.
Responsibility Declaration history PDF; opens in a new tabA fellowship commitment
The Declaration of Unity was adopted at the 1970 International Convention in Miami Beach. It places common welfare and fellowship unity in relation to A.A.’s future.
1970 convention record PDF; opens in a new tabA reading from A.A. literature
AA.org also describes meetings closing with another A.A. text. Groups may select a passage connected with recovery, unity, service, or the meeting’s subject.
Browse official A.A. literature opens in a new tabThe Responsibility and Unity declarations
Two moments in A.A. convention historyToronto International Convention
Responsibility Declaration
Introduced at the 30th Anniversary International Convention before more than 10,000 members. Bill and Lois led attendees in the new declaration as the convention ended.
- Voice
- First person: “I”
- Focus
- Availability when help is sought
- Author record
- Al S., former General Service Board trustee
- Verified by
- AA.org timeline and Box 4-5-9 archive
Miami Beach International Convention
Declaration of Unity
Adopted by roughly 11,000 people at A.A.’s 35th Anniversary International Convention. Its language links common welfare and unity to the lives of present and future members.
- Voice
- Collective: “we” and “our”
- Focus
- Common welfare and fellowship unity
- Convention
- July 3–5, 1970, Miami Beach
- Verified by
- Contemporary Box 4-5-9 convention issue
Read more from Alcoholics Anonymous
Current guidance and historical records| Topic | Official A.A. source | What it provides | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| What meetings are like | Information about A.A. meetings | A short introduction for newcomers, including the ways meetings commonly open and close. | Open the guide new tab |
| Official wording | A Declaration of Unity and Responsibility | The complete wording of both declarations on AA.org. | Read both declarations new tab |
| Responsibility Declaration | Box 4-5-9 historical feature | The story of the declaration’s introduction at the 1965 Toronto International Convention. | Read the archive PDF; new tab |
| Declaration of Unity | 1970 Box 4-5-9 convention issue | A contemporary account of the Miami Beach convention where the declaration was adopted. | Read the convention issue PDF; new tab |
| How groups work | The A.A. Group | Meeting formats, group membership, service roles, group conscience, and common practices. | Read the group guide new tab |
Continue with the complete sources
Read the wording in its full A.A. context
The links here open the current meeting guide, both declarations, the group handbook, and A.A.’s historical timeline. They provide the complete material behind the shorter explanations on this page and remain usable with screen readers, magnification, and browser translation tools.