Volume 67/Lead Like Andrew

"LEAD LIKE ANDREW"

Membership Newsletter

Brotherhood of St. Andrew

Welcome to Our Bi-weekly Newsletter

Volume 67, "LEAD LIKE ANDREW"

It's a quick-read, multi-topic news channel for members to see what is going on, what is planned, and what successes from the previous weeks.

Please share news, tidbits, or notices of upcoming events in your area so we may include them. We also value your feedback on this newsletter and how we may better serve you. Don't hesitate to contact

Dr. Roy Benavides (email Roy)

Jeff Butcher (email Jeff)

or Tom Welch (email Tom).

Submission consideration deadline is

Monday at 8 a.m. for the week of release.

Please share this newsletter with others

in your parish or community.

COMBINED ISSUES OF

"THE ST. ANDREW'S CROSS"

FOR

FEBRUARY-MARCH 2024

As we sift through Triennial, including the projects and priorities of our newly-elected leadership, as well as upcoming events in the spring. watch for our special combined February-March electronic and mailed issue of the St. Andrew's Cross coming to you in early March. You won't want to miss it!

From the Director's Chair

By Executive Director Tom Welch

Here we are at the last week of Lent. Rather than having giving something up for Lent this year, I added something. That something was to remember pray with special intention for our specific seven ministries; one each day with a seven day rotation. There were some unexpected results, yet they were welcomed in my journey and thoughts with you. It’s amazing what you can come up with when completely focused, isn’t it? For me, for the Brotherhood, in my prayers I imagined the possibilities and various scenarios within each of the ministries. Discipleship and mentoring continue to be the single largest area of interest among our ranks. We are constantly looking for ideas in this area. What works, what may not work and so on. Along these lines, you will see in this edition that our National Chaplain, Rt. Rev. Jeff Fisher, will speak to “what men want to hear” as our featured webinar speaker for April. We meet at the same time every month. Brothers have used some of these webinars at their own chapter meetings. The webinars are a great source for such, as are many of the links within our website.

We are about to enter into Holy Week and the great fifty days of Easter. This is an important time in the life of a parish, a time when many find new members joining the church in the weeks following Easter. That happens with some intension. Specific education offerings on Sunday morning, focus on individual ministries in the life of the church like Cursillo, ECW, DoK and the Brotherhood are all opportunities for engagement. It’s also a time for rededication to our own ministry. My prayer for each of you is that you bring a friend to church in the next few weeks. This is a glorious time of the year in the life of the church. Share it with others who may not have been to an Episcopal church before, especially a service like the Easter Vigil on Saturday night. That allows the guest to either attend their own church on Easter Sunday, or better yet, come back to your own for that glorious Sunday. See what happens, won’t you?

Monthly Webinar

March 6, 2024

Welcome Our Chaplain

Bishop Jeff Fisher

APRIL 3, 2024

Introducing our new National Chaplain:

BISHOP JEFF W. FISHER

Bro. Jeff is Bishop Suffragan in the Episcopal Diocese of Texas and the bishop for the east region of the diocese.

TOPIC:

"WHAT MEN WANT TO HEAR"

Our monthly webinars are always on the first Wednesday of each month at 8 pm/Eastern.

Here's the link:

BStA Monthly Webinar Link

In Case You Missed It!

Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Craig Coleman, Program Manager

Alzheimer's Association

replay can be found here

January webinar featuring Rev. Can. Scott Gunn,

Executive Director of Forward Movement

Click here for a replay

February webinar with Rev. Matthew S.C. Olver

Executive Director and Publisher

The Living Church

Click here for a replay

2nd Annual Sweepstakes Campaign to Be Announced in the Next Newsletter

SPOTLIGHT

A Year in Review from Holy Innocents

Valrico, Florida

The Holy Innocents’ Brotherhood Chapter in 2023 focused on their sustained projects from previous years, while continuing to incorporate God-given talents and gifts to support other ministries and missions across the Church. Another priority has been to bring more men into the chapter, with a goal to build stronger relationships with all men and youth in the church and beyond.

In February the chapter supported the Scouts with the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner. Later in the year, they assisted the Youth with breakfast following their lock-in and “follow-on” cross carrying on Good Friday. The chapter continued to support Baptisms with faith chests throughout the calendar year and held their church-wide BBQ at Medard Park in May hosting 30+ in attendance. An Adult Mission Trip effort was held in August to Pine Island, Florida, area for hurricane recovery. During the effort chapter members built relationships with fellow Christian brothers and sisters in the United Methodist Church.

The chapter made some changes during the year to the format of monthly meetings, based on feedback gathered earlier in the year from members. Prior to the regular monthly meeting, a Men’s Breakfast held in the Parish Hall. It is open to anyone. The goal of the breakfast, in part, is to offer the opportunity for more direct engagement with the Brotherhood meetings themselves. The third Tuesday of the month hybrid meeting is held in the evenings. The new schedule provides more flexibility to individual member schedules and those who prefer not to drive after dark.

These changes have increased participation at chapter meetings. Keeping focused on the tenants of prayer, study and service coupled with the broad offerings makes for a healthy, vibrant ministry in the life of the church.

ALERT:

MINISTRY DUES renewal time is NOW to remain in good standing!

RENEW HERE!

or mail with check to the National Office at

620 South Third Street, Louisville, KY 40202

Annual Ministry Dues are:

Senior Member (men age 21 & older) -- $50

Junior Member (youth under 21) -- $10

Associate Member (women) -- $25

become a Life Member for one-time ministry dues of at least $1,000

Annual Chapter Reports

Click here to fill out the ONLINE 2023 Annual Chapter Report Form

Click here for the PRINTABLE/MAILABLE 2023

Annual Chapter Report Form

2024 Membership Updates

(Through 3/19/24)

1,130 Sr. Members paid

including 103 New Members!

402 Life Members

4 Junior Members

28 Associate Members

That's 1,564 total!

Recognizing Our

Sustaining Members

Sustaining Members refers to Brothers who have committed to offering a monthly (or quarterly) donation to the Brotherhood over and above their regular Sr. Membership dues or a Life Membership.

Many of us do make additional donations throughout the year (Ex: special appeals, purchase of the Sweepstakes tickets, etc.), but this a pledged commitment of recurring donations in a regular, consistent recurring donation throughout the year. It represents a commitment to financially support our ministry continuously throughout the year.

Thanks be to these Brothers for their commitment to financially supporting our ministry

throughout the year.

Br. James Miller, Br. John Streeter, Br. David Adams,

Br. Evans Clements, Rev. Br. Ellis Clifton, Br. Nick Cox, Br. Cecil Buxo, Br. Walt Joyce, Br. Leland Metheney,

Br. Louis Surles, Br. John Blossom, Br. Eric Fisher,

Rev. Br. John Thompson-Quartey, Br. Arthur Simpson, Br. Oliver Evans, Br. Peter Gilmour, Br. Ken Holloway, Br. Roy Benavides, Br. Conrad Jones, Br. Ed Milbrada, Br. Ray Talbird, Br. George Shumard, Br. Jeff Butcher, Br. Tom Simpson, Br. Dick Hooper, Br. Eric Haralson, Br. Tom Welch, Rev. Br. Ed Bartle, Br. David Penley,

Br. John Fitzgerald, Br. Billy Harrison, Br. Tom Nichols.

Can you commit to a $5 or $10/month (or more) donation to this ministry and community of men that you belong to? Many brothers also make an annual contribution above dues. It is important, if not critical, to the ongoing vitality of our ministry to men and youth. If you'd like to discuss more, email us by clicking here:

admin@brothersandrew.net

sent to you!

JOIN US IN PRAYER EACH WEEK

Mid-Week

Mid-Day

Prayers

Join us...

What better way to level set during the middle of the week? We will hold a weekly Wednesday noon (CDT) prayer time over ZOOM open to all Brothers and guests. Let's pray for the Brotherhood, for our Brothers, and even share some stories of how Prayer has impacted you or someone you know!

We can all spare 20 minutes in prayer. It's like stopping at the faith service station to fill up your prayer tank!

Please join us every week when you can to recharge your prayer batteries!

The Zoom link for Mid-Day Prayers can be accessed by clicking here.

Copy and paste this Zoom link into your calendar so you can join us for 20 minutes

every Wednesday at 1 pm EST/noon CST/11 am MST/10 am PST!

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89341488609

If you'd like to help lead, pick an empty date and contact roy.benavides@brothersandrew.net

It's simple...we already have the script made out (in our devotional handbook or the Book of Common Prayer)!

Prayer Leaders Schedule: Click Here

Podcast Suggestions

Brothers looking to grow spiritually may find Podcasts from Forward Movement as a strategy to add to their “rule of life,” enhance their walk or drive time, or add to their daily or weekly study and prayer. The following link is to Forward Movement Podcast, which gives you several options to add to your podcast app.

Click Here for Podcast from Forward Movement

Ministry News!

Scouting and Youth

Racial Reconciliation

Social Justice

Veterans

Recovery

Restorative Justice

Discipleship and Mentoring

Information Resources!

We need stories from Chapters and Ministries

Our editor Kathy Copas really would like to include news of chapter events and ministry meetings or events. If you have something to share, please send to

editor@brothersandrew.net