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"LEAD LIKE ANDREW"
Membership Newsletter
Brotherhood of St. Andrew
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Welcome to our bi-weekly newsletter's current edition (Volume 50), "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.
We urge you to contact us with news, tidbits, or notices of upcoming events in your area so that we can include them! We also value your feedback on this newsletter or how your national office is serving you.
Don't hesitate to get in touch with Conrad Jones (email Conrad) ,
Dr. Roy Benavides (email Roy) or Tom Welch (email Tom) feedback or for sharing newsletter information!
Please share this newsletter with other men in your parish or community.
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Notable Happenings from your President
Greetings Brothers!
Can you believe it? 50 consecutive bi-weekly newsletters! That's 100 weeks we've been bringing you the latest news from The Brotherhood!
Several noteworthy items have developed over the past 2 weeks since our last Lead Like Andrew edition:
First, our Executive Director Br. Tom Welch, after a period of extended and intensive discernment, has decided to follow his calling to further his education and posssible pathway to ministry with an on-campus curriculum though Virginia Theological Seminary. This will necessitate his pulling back to a part time employee basis beginning August 1. Please pray for him as he turns this next chapter in his life and for our Brotherhood as we find ways to offload a large part of his normal workload. More in his column below.
Second, the Executive Board approved a proposed edit from the Membership Committee to our ByLaws which would change the current term "pledge"(the annual membership $50) to the term "Mission Dues" . That now will be put to vote by delegates to our October National Council Meeting.
And last but certainly not least, WE NEED YOUR TREASURES! Please see below and in the emails and the Cross our first ever Brotherhood virtual silent auction "Sharing Our Treasures",
We need you to email Br. Lyn Reavis who is chairing this fundraiser with any items you would be willing to be auctioned worth $100 or more. The auction will run online from August 19-Sept 5 and we need items to auction. you can email Br. Reavis at lyn.reavis@brothersandrew.net You can see items that have already been donated by visiting (click here) Sharing Our Treasures
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Chapter and Brother News!
Send us pictures and short writeups of what great things are going on in your Brotherhood world! We'd love to share!
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Our 4th new (or re-chartered) chapter this year is here!
Earlier this year we welcomed these three new chapters: St. Francis Episcopal in Rio Rancho, New Mexico as well as two chapters in Alabama; Trinity Episcopal in Florence and Christ Episcopal in Fairfield.
Now, drum roll please, we are happy to announce the re-charter of our 180th chapter. They first chartered when Benjamin Harrison was US President in 1888. TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN NATCHEZ, MISSISSIPPI, was the first chapter to ever charter in Mississippi and the first to re-charter in the state in several years. Under the leadership of Chapter Director Adam Gwin and the rector, Rev. Ken Ritter, we welcome these additional chapter members with more to follow: Bruce Scarborough, William Thames, Mike Gemmell and Peter Corrigan.
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Br. Carlo Cherubini biking for Pelotonia!
Hello Brothers!
I'm reaching out to you as we are only a couple weeks away from ride day, Saturday August 5th. This will be my 5th ride and 11th year participating in Pelotonia. Other years I have been a virtual rider or volunteered in some capacity.
This year, with Dan Brill, we have decided to jump from 55 miles to the 77 mile ride from Pickerington to Gambier (see attached). Lots of time and miles put in so far training. Every time I think of those friends, family, church members who have battled/survived/passed/are still fighting. Your help is important in the fight against cancers. Plural - as everyone's experience is different, and there are so many forms of cancer out there. The studies and new developments the Pelotonia Research Center along with the James Cancer Research are able to accomplish are amazing, and our time and money helps them continue to do more. https://www.pelotonia.org/our-impact/research
I am blessed to have a company that matches every dollar, so even a $10 donation becomes $20; $50 becomes $100; and so on.
My goal this year is to raise $2000. I am currently 1/4 of the way there in unmatched funds. The company match occurs in October, but on ride day if I have hit a certain donation amount I get some extra goodies from Pelotonia as a rider.
https://www.pelotonia.org/profile/CC0071
The above link will take you to my donation page. Please consider a contribution, and share a name you'd like me to have on my jersey as a remembrance/reminder/honor to someone who has battled cancer. Every year I also have a bible verse on my jersey.
This year's scripture is Psalm 28:v6-9.
Blessed be the Lord!
For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy.
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.
The Lord is the strength of his people; the saving refuge of his anointed.
Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!
Be their shepherd and carry them forever.
May God bless you and keep you safe.
Blessings,
Carlo Cherubini
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VBS at
Christ Church, Pensacola, FL
Brothers Patrick Israel and Dick Hooper of Christ Church Chapter, Pensacola FL, volunteered to be on the staff of the annual Vacation Bible School, July 10-13. The theme this year was Following Jesus Changes the Game and attracted 84 children from kindergarten to the 5th grade. Extensive decorations about board games from Scrabble to Uno decorated the church from the parish hall to the Christian Education Building to enhance the theme. Brothers Patrick and Dick labored with the hard-working Christian Education staff the week prior to the event to put up the elaborate decorations. They were joined for the week of vacation Bible School by 18 middle school volunteers and 14 adult volunteers, including the rector, Michael Hoffman, aka Captain Chaos, and the assistant rector, Katie Gillett, aka Ms. Rite Rules Follower, who together supervised the closing games and activities.
Pictured are L to R: Brother Patrick Israel, Tess Willstatter, Director of Youth Ministries, Lucy Lloyd, volunteer and president of the ECW Chapter, Brother Dick Hooper, and Victoria Wright, Director of Children and Family Ministries. Brother Dick said, “I’m sure Bob Dennis, for whom our National Day of Service is named, was with us in spirit as well. AND Dick vows to recruit some more Brothers to help with VBS 2024!”
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Brooklyn Assembly
Greetings in the Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Brothers and Associates the Brotherhood of St. Andrew the Brooklyn Assembly feeding the community is scheduled for Saturday July 29 2023. Members please come to St. Mark day school, at 6:00 am location 1346 President Street on the corner of Brooklyn Avenue in Brooklyn NY where preparation and packing the food will be done. Members can donate chicken, ham, water, or soft drinks for the children. May God Bless the labor of the Brotherhood.
Respectfully
Wentworth Jeffers
Brooklyn Assembly President.
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Christ Church, Elizabeth City, NC
The Brotherhood Chapter at Christ Church in Elizabeth City, NC partnered with Gateway to Heaven Church in bringing an abundance of God's love to the Hickory Village Mobile Home Park. Good food, good music, and good fellowship. as the Brothers coordinated an event which brought free food, music and games for the children (and adults) to an economically disadvantaged trailer park. Many of the mobile homes didn't even have electricity or running water. The Brothers hope that the Holy Spirit used their presence to move at least one person one step closer to becoming a Christian. A special thanks to Rudge & Bob for cooking, Fr Daniel for bringing toys for the boys, and Isaac for being a pied piper! And to end the event the Lord saw fit to wash the tables, chairs, tents, equipment, and the Brothers so they wouldn’t have to wash them themselves! Well done guys!
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St. Timothy's Centennial, CO
From Br. Mickey Jackson
At St. Tim’s different people provide goodies for coffee hour. Our hospitality coordinator is always trying to find people to support this and would like to encourage different groups in the church to support coffee hour as a group. We as the Brotherhood decided to provide for Father’s Day, so we took up a collection and I made a shopping trip on the Saturday before. We had many goodies and there was enough left over to help supplement for a couple following weeks.
We lost one of our faithful members recently to cancer. Dennis Haugh was a great addition to our studies with his PHD in the bible and having written his thesis on Paul. Dennis came to the Episcopal Church from the Catholic Church while working on his PHD. Dennis had been in Home Hospice since last November and originally was not expected to make Christmas. About 3 weeks before his passing, four of us went for a visit. We spent about 45 minutes talking and remembering and Dennis sharing his journey with cancer. Just before we left, we gathered around his bed, laid hands on him and prayed. The Rev. Deacon Wes Agar also joined us via phone. Dennis fell a couple weeks later and broke his pelvis. He then went into Porter hospice and died peacefully in his sleep a few days later. We will miss him.
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Membership Updates
(Through 7/25/23)
1298 Sr. Members paid
190 New Members!
414 Life Members
11 Junior Members
33 Associate Members
That's 1756!
Coming August 26th ....New Member Orientation!
| "Blessed in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His saints," the Psalmist writes. We learned from St. Joseph's Chapter in Boynton Beach, Florida, the passing earlier this month of two of their long-standing members. Please keep the families of Br. Herb Collins and Br. Ralph "Tad" Knutsen in your prayers. May the light of Christ shine upon these beloved brothers. | |
Congratulations and THANK YOU to all our chapters achieving designation as a Houghteling Chapter with over 80% of their rosters being current in 2023 annual pledges!
St Stephen/ St Martin Brooklyn NY
St Georges Episcopal Hempstead NY
Grace Jamaica NY
St Davids Episcopal Cambria Heights NY
St Uriel Episcopal Sea Girt NJ
St Lukes Episcopal Bronx NY
Trinity Episcopal Fredericksburg VA
Pohick Episcopal Church Lorton VA
Trinity Episcopal Elkton MD
St Pauls Episcopal Doylestown PA
Emmanuel Episcopal Virginia Beach VA
St Josephs Episcopal Fayetteville NC
St Barnabas Episcopal Tullahoma TN
Holy Comforter Episcopal Gadsden AL
Christ Church Cathedral Lexington KY
St Pauls By The Sea Jacksonville Beach FL
St Marys Episcopal High Point NC
Christ Church Elizabeth City NC
Holy Trinity Episcopal Decatur GA
St Johns Episcopal Pascagoula MS
Christ Church Covington LA
St James House of Prayer Tampa FL
St James Episc Houston TX
St Peter & St Paul Marietta GA
Church of Atonement Lauderdale Lakes FL
St Timothys Centennial CO
St Joseph Boynton Beach FL
St Andrew by the Sea Nags Head NC
Trinity Florence AL
Advent Sun City West AZ
Grace Galveston TX
Trinity Mattoon IL
St Luke San Antonio TX
St Peter Kerrville TX
Church of Resurrection East Elmhurst NY
Church of Resurrection Longwood FL
Church of Good Shepherd Friendswood TX
St Timothys Lake Jackson TX
Emmanuel Athens GA
St Kevin Opa Locka FL
St Paul Delray Beach FL
St Andrew Downers Grove IL
Church of the Ascension Knoxville TN
St Francis Rio Rancho NM
St Francis in the Fields Harrods Creek KY
St Peters Rialto CA
Christ Church Pensacola FL
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Recognizing our
Sustaining Members
Sustaining Members refers Brothers who have made a commitment to offer 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 on an ongoing basis 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 FisherBr. John Thompson-Quartey Br. Arthur SimpsonBr. Oliver Evans Br. Peter Gilmour Br. Ken HollowayBr. Roy Benavides Br. Conrad Jones Br. Ed MilbradaBr. Ray Talbird Br. George Shumard Br. Jeff Butcher Br. Tom Simpson Br. Dick Hooper Br. Eric Haralson and Br. Evens Clements
Can you commit to a $5 or $10/month (or more) donation to this ministry and community of men that you belong to? That's less than a lunch at McDonald's! 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 me by clicking here: conrad.jones@brothersandrew.net
Sign up today and have your appreciation gift sent to you!
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Members At Large
MAL News!
Bro. Lyn Reavis hosts a monthly zoom "breakfast" meeting for Members At Large (MAL). Using the Brothers Andrew Devotional Handbook, the meeting ritual begins with our Chapter Devotional. His Life Line format focus on Study, Prayer, and a Commitment to Service in each members local parish or community. The Study usually considers a Saint from the church's liturgical calendar. Members At Large or anyone interested in the Brotherhood is invited. Check our Members Newsletter "Lead Like Andrew" for more information about the zoom link and schedule. Otherwise, the session usually falls on the third Saturday of each month at 9:30 Central Time. Bro. Lyn can be reached at lyn.reavis@brothersandrew.net.
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Mark Your Calendars For
These Upcoming Events!
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BROTHERHOOD MONTHLY MEMBER WEBINAR
Tune in to our
next webinar
on
Wednesday, August 2 at 8 p.m. (EDT)
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Former NASA Administrator, Secretary of the Navy, and senior executive at the Airbus Group, is currently a member of the faculty at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University. Previous to his Airbus appointment, he was a company officer and Vice President at General Electric following his service as Chancellor of Louisiana State University. He was appointed 69th Secretary of the Navy by President George H.W. Bush, and previously served as Comptroller and Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Defense.
He states his faith has been what has helped him through many tragedies, including the Columbia space
shuttle disaster in 2001 when he was head of NASA, and Hurricane Katrina that flooded LSU 2005. In
2010, O’Keefe and his son were aboard an aircraft that crashed in the Alaska wilderness which killed
former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens and four other passengers including the pilot. O’Keefe and his son
survived.
The monthly webinar is always the first Wednesday of the month at 8 p.m. (ET).
Click here to join the webinar on July 5!
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Do you know when your diocese is having their next diocesan convention? If so, please let us know so we can post it here! AND if you or your chapter can man a table or booth at the convention, The Brotherhood has the materials and banners for a booth and we can pay the booth registration fee!
Show the rest of your diocese what The Brotherhood is all about and see if there are parishes that may be interested!
**229th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Virginia will be held in Fredericksburg, VA Nov. 2-4 at the Fredericksburg Convention Center
** Diocese of East Carolina's Revival and Ministry Fair at Newton Grove on October 21st
** Diocese of North Carolina will be held November 17-18 at the Benton Convention Center in High Point, NC
**Diocese of Rio Grande November 9-11 at St. Alban's, El Paso,TX
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Bob Dennis
National Day of Service
July 29
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In 2013, the Brotherhood introduced National Day of Service. Since then more than 180 new service projects have been undertaken by individual chapters. “Perhaps the most satisfying thing about National Service Day is the way Brotherhood chapters organize service projects that involve the entire parish,” said the late Brotherhood National President Bob Dennis.
Our National Day of Service will be July 29! Please begin planning your service project work with your chapters now and remember to send us pictures and stories of all the great service work you are delivering in your community!
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Sharing Our Treasures
Brotherhood's Virtual Silent Auction Is Coming!!!
New Dates!
August 19- September 5
WE NEED
YOUR ITEMS OF DONATION!
(examples)
Vintage baseball cards
Collectible Artwork or Antiques
Vacation/Timeshares,
Airline miles,
Sporting trips
Kentucky Bourbon
Cruises
Hotel member points
Think of items you have valued at $100 or more that you'd be willing to donate to The Brotherhood that will be used in a virtual silent auction. We'll be holding an online silent auction during those dates and we need your donated treasures and also to spread the word to potential bidders!
Br. Lyn Reavis will be coordinating the fundraiser event through an ONLINE Silent Auction site. Drop him an email at lyn.reavis@brothersandrew.net if you have something to donate!
We'll be sending out another emails with more details as well!
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August 26th, 11am-1pm EDT.
In a joint effort between our Membership Committee, Field Operations VP and the Stewardship and Generosity Commission we will hold a
NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION! Stay tuned for details...the zoom call will be open to all members but focused on New Members who've joined us in 2023!
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JOIN US IN PRAYER EACH WEEK
Mid-Week
Mid-Day
Pray Day
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 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?pwd=RStUSjJKbVF2eVY2c2cxMHpRTm9Pdz09
If you'd like to help lead, pick an empty date and contact conrad.jones@brothersandrew.net or 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
July 26 - Peter Gilmour
August 2 - Roy Benavides
August 9 Jerry Johnson
(Need additional leaders)
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Our National Council Meeting will be held on October 7. If you are considering any amendments to our ByLaws, they must be seen by the Executive Board no later than July so that the proposal can be posted in our Cross publication for at least 60 days prior to the meeting.
To view our ByLaws, click here
***AND***
Elections for national office will be held during our National Council meeting in February 2024. Please begin to think of Brothers you might nominate for any one of multiple offices! Use the form below to make those nominations BEFORE September 29, 2023
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Ministry News!
Scouting and Youth
Racial Reconciliation
Social Justice
Veterans
Recovery
Restorative Justice
Discipleship and Mentoring
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Veterans Ministry
Br. Everett Price, VP of Veterans Ministry
I wanted to make sure you knew, Right Reverend Ann Ritonia will be ordained at 11 AM on September 30. The service will take place at St John’s Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square, in Washington, DC. I am working on an invitation to that service through our good friend, Rev William (Razz) Waff, who was on the selection committee for this very important office.
Hope all is well with you all. Please pray for our annual meeting next week in Columbia, SC. It will be the first time since COVID that all 4 partners will be in the same room. We are doing a joint presentation on the Veteran Friendly Congregation network – it’s current status and plans for future growth. I am told there will be a link provided for anyone to join us on-line for this hour-long session. Anyone on this note that is interested, just reply back and I’ll make sure to get it to you.
It’s also the first time that the future Canon for Veteran Ministries in the Episcopal Church, Rev Michele Causton, will be with us live and in person. I met her yesterday on a Zoom call. Very sharp, very committed and excited about getting the word out to dioceses about why our network is best suited for parish service for veterans and their families. She is also very well educated on the Brotherhood of St. Andrew and the Daughters of the King. I noted that she never spoke of one without the other in a sentence.
I’m excited.
Peace be with you all.
Ev
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Scouting News from the Jamboree!
from Matthew Cowden, Chadwick Slater and Mel Chapman
Boy Scout Jamboree 2023! Led the largest gathering of Episcopalians in the state of West Virginia this morning. Almost 250 of us sang and worshiped and praised God with joyful voices and hearts held high. Faithful Scouts and Scout Leaders from all over the country shared in an Episcopal Eucharist, sharing their stories and prayers. A joyful day in the midst of an incredible camping experience. I am grateful for Mel Chapman’s love and leadership in organizing today’s service and for representing The Episcopal Church with St. Swithin’s pop up church at this international event. This is some of the strongest evangelism we can do in the Church, especially with young people who are already actively engaged and proactive in their personal growth and formation and especially amidst a community of equally dedicated youth. Scouts are not like Scouts of former years. I experienced conversations with youth who are deeply engaged in questions of faith, inclusivity, and how they engage with peers from other cultures and traditions. The four modern orthodox Jewish young men who engaged me in a long, in-depth conversation were excellent examples of the kind of deeply thoughtful young people in scouting today. A number of Episcopal youth expressed their joy in being Episcopal Christians and grateful for our particular witness to Christ in the world.
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Racial Reconciliation News
Breaking Out of My White Bubble
By Bob Baker
After going through the Episcopal Church’s Sacred Ground Study Program, I like some of you found myself in a dilemma: How could I move beyond the white world that was my life. I’ve always appreciated diversity of cultures, and I’ve enjoyed membership and leadership positions in several organizations that celebrated international ties: Rotary International, Sister Cities, The International Club of Tulsa, Tulsa International Folk Dancers, Irish and German-American Folk Dancers, but my life experience seemed to be devoid of more than occasional contact with people of color. I had to really think about how I might change this. I asked myself, “Where can I remember encountering someone of color in my past experiences?”
I had many satisfying years in Rotary mostly in Broken Arrow, a Tulsa suburb where I had my medical office. Our 75-member club had one black Rotarian for several of those years. A number of Tulsa area clubs around 25 years ago helped to re-establish the Rotary Club of North Tulsa and I remembered a couple of black men from that time. So during the Covid pandemic, I contacted Wallace Williams who was a Past District Governor to ask about that club. I starting meeting with them on Zoom in 2020 when his wife Anne was president. I decided to move my membership from Broken Arrow to the North Tulsa club to become their 14th member at that time. Anne was very appreciative of my becoming a new member and I continue to enjoy my membership there. Now that we are beyond the worst of the pandemic I can appreciate the multitudinous hugs we get at the club that I hadn’t experienced so much at all white clubs.
So if you find yourself having trouble breaking out of your white bubble to connect with people of color, my advice is to search your memory to find any past experience where you have a mutual interest that you can build on to expand your diversity horizons.
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We have initiated a new Direct Line or "Hot Line" for Province Presidents, Diocesan Coordinators, and Chapter Officers who have an urgent need to contact our national leadership at any time. Our Executive Director will have this cell phone at all times. In addition, the executive leadership of the Brotherhood will also be available for return calls by simply leaving a voice mail message on this phone. We have committed to responding ASAP.
The Hot Line Number will be sent to the field leaders under a direct message.
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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
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Prayer Requests
If you have a personal prayer request, please contact (502) 450-5809 to access the list and/or submit your requests. Accessing the list to join in "the power of praying" for those in need.
Many chapters have used various methods of keeping track of their prayer request. One such form has been used that organizes the requests and corporate prayers.
Click Here to submit your request.
Learn to Pray the Anglican Rosary
PRAY THE ANGLICAN ROSARY
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Some Recommended
Books to Read
by Susan Mettes, David Kinnaman - foreword, et al.
Inwardly Digest: The Prayer Book as Guide to A Spiritual Life
by
Derek Olsen
Post Traumatic Jesus:
Reading the Gospel with the Wounded
by
Rev. David Peters
Do you have any book recommendations? Write to us and give us the title and author so we can share it with your Brothers!
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Financial Dollars and Cents
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TREASURER’S REPORT
Cash Flow Statement for YTD June 2023
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From the Director’s Chair
By Executive Director Tom Welch
As Br. Conrad indicated at the top of this edition, I am rolling back my hours considerably with the Brotherhood in order to enroll in an on-campus one-year curriculum called "Pathway to Ministry" in Alexandria at Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS). Upon completion in May, I will have obtained a certificate in theology. I will not know until early next year if I am able to proceed with what would be the completion of an MDiv.
During this period between one and three academic years of "continuing education," know that I am still working with the Brotherhood, have the same hope and dreams for our ministry, and will simply be working remotely nearly all the time, just as Jess Shelton did for seven years when she was our Staff Support Specialist. The difference is she was full-time, as our new employee Libby Craven is now. Libby will be working at the National Office. I will work from my dorm room. I haven't lived in a dorm since Reagan's first term in the White House. Ha! Libby and I will be in routine contact every week, as I will be with senior leadership, the board, and the field. You will still see my remarks in our publications and presence at many of our webinars; as the schedule and budget permits, attend some of your diocesan conventions and other conferences in the church corporate.
In fact, we (the Brotherhood) will be holding the first of three or four province meetings before the end of the year, with local chapters starting on September 16th. As your Executive Director, I will be the facilitator at each of these. This first one will be held on the campus of VTS. Be looking for more information on that and others in upcoming editions of LLA and The Cross. When I schedule these meetings in the province, the primary focus is to be available to "boots on the ground" members for intensive time with them. Part of the day may involve opening our time to non-members for part of the day to make a case for our men's ministry at churches in the area without a chapter.
If we have had anything confirmed in these past two years, it is that both lay and ordained leaders are trying to expand rather than contract their churches. Fifteen new or rechartered chapters since 2022 are proof of that. Over 220 new members in 2022 and 190 so far this year are also good indicators. If we continue with service like this to the local chapters, we simply must have a larger participation in paid annual membership renewals. Every dollar counts in our evangelism efforts to support the local chapter. That's why our board hopes you will see me in the field in the coming months. If chapters want to see how there is more to this ministry than just inside their church walls, come be a part of these province meetings. Come to our National Conference in Baltimore from Jan 31-Feb 2. It's all about the, like Andrew said, "Come and see."
We have begun in earnest dialogue in providing a seminarian with a small stipend to foster/direct the return of Brotherhood Chapters to our seminaries. At VTS, we first chartered a chapter there in 1890. Thus far, we have had positive feedback from VTS, Sewanee/University of the South, and Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. Please join us in prayer as we expand that footprint and reach. Our ministry is what is called an "affinity ministry." Seminaries would readily admit they would like to equip each of their graduates with every tool to spread the news of Christ through prayer, study, and service. Our affinity ministry was the first in the USA among the Anglican/Episcopal movement to do so. With your paid memberships, that will aid part of our efforts in equipping these future priests and deacons with our lay ministry model. After all, it's worked for 140 years. Please help spread the word about what we are doing and how we are doing it. You are our best Goodwill Ambassadors!
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