"LEAD LIKE ANDREW"

Membership Newsletter

Brotherhood of St. Andrew

Welcome to Our Bi-weekly Newsletter


Volume 80, "LEAD LIKE ANDREW"


Here's our latest edition with prayers of thanksgiving, important news on our new mailing address and other news you can use! Take a look ...


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.

"Our Brother's Keeper, Part II"

Directly Speaking

By Executive Director Tom Welch


September is Suicide Awareness Month


If you or someone you know could benefit from

conversation with professionals,

dial 988.




"For I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger, and you welcomed me, I was naked, and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me ... Truly I tell you; just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me." -Matthew 25, ending with v. 40 (NOAB).


In keeping in step with raising awareness of mental health issues during Suicide Awareness Month, these words above came to mind. What strikes me in this version of the Bible, the New Oxford Annotated Bible (c.1994) are the words "of my family." We don't find them worded that way in the NIV, NASB, KJV or NLT. Go ahead. Take a look for yourself. It's verse 40. I'll still be here. :-)


Sadly, there are too many of us who know of suicide in our families or treasured friends. Living in a community unlike any other in my life, that of a seminary, I am more aware of such losses than ever before. Living during the school year at Virginia Theological Seminary gives me a sense of "family" unlike that to which I am accustomed. The term family has new meaning.


Who among us wouldn't go tend to a friend who is ill, bringing them some good ole homemade matza ball soup for that sinus infection that won't go away, some goods from the store as someone is recovering from surgery at home, seeing someone who's been in an extended hospital stay, or visit a sibling of Christ at the hospice center.


The common thread in all of the above is that we are responding to a KNOWN issue. So often, the mental stress that leads someone to consider suicide is a very, very quiet struggle. So, here's the thought for you in this edition:


When we start treating ALL of God's children as members of YOUR family how might the environment around you change? I know this, as we try to open our minds to the scope of family's definition, to be attentive to the quiet ones we don't hear from often, our family becomes more complete for God's glory. Amen.


A special welcome to these new members

joining since August 21st:


Senior Members:

Joshua Brown, Church of the Epiphany (#4983S) Guntersville AL

Pedro Rodriguez, Member at Large, Johnstown NY

Steve Brannigan, Trinity (#5452S) North Scituate, RI

James Hooper, Canterbury Chapel (#3497S) Tuscaloosa, AL

Kevin Sullivan, St. Mary's (#4794S) Hampton Bays, NY

Forrest Germany, Trinity (#0180S) Natchez, MS

Travis Wernecke, St. James (#3407S) Conroe, TX

James Blackburn, St. Andrews's (#3675S) Fullerton, CA

Matthew Clark, St. Andrew's (#3675S) Fullerton, CA

Jim Brown, Trinity (#5462S) Wetumpka, AL

Steve Farris, Trinity (#5462S) Wetumpka, AL

Gary Wright, Trinity (#5462S) Wetumpka, AL

Mike Bannon, Trinity (#5462S) Wetumpka, AL

Johan Beumer, Trinity (#5462S) Wetumpka, AL

Tim Bailey, Trinity (#5462S) Wetumpka, AL

Wayne Turner, Trinity (#5462S) Wetumpka, AL

Mabrey Whetstone, Trinity (#5462S) Wetumpka, AL

Lowry Perry, Trinity (#5462S) Wetumpka, AL


Associate Members:

Rev. Ally Perry, Trinity (#5462S) Wetumpka, AL



BSTA MembersWeekly Floating Group Reunion

WE NEED YOUR HELP AND LEADERSHIP


You are invited to participate in forthcoming BSTA Weekly Floating Cursillo Group Reunions by Province.


The will be a Zoom format (Zoom URL below) reunions on Wednesdays each week at a time to be set by leaders and participants in each province. We are looking for leaders in each province to help us set these dates. Please contact your province president, Jeff Butcher, Roy Benavides, or Tom Welch about scheduling the Reunion Groups.


We will require participants to Register in advance for each of these meetings:


https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwpc-6qrDkiHdHauNBlLTJqOl7Yg-uvZj6U


After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

FIRST WEDNESDAY WEBINARS

Our monthly webinars are always on the first Wednesday of each month at

8 pm/Eastern.

Here's the link:

BStA Monthly Webinar Link


October 2nd

“SMART GIVING”

Rev. John Blossom


“SMART GIVING” - 45-minute (plus question time) virtual presentation is a review of ways to make charitable gifts easier and larger. This examination of Immediate Gifts, Deferred Gifts, and Gifts that Increase Personal Income is an opportunity to learn the best ways to support your favorite non-profit organizations. 


John Blossom has served as a priest in the Episcopal Church for fifty years. His responsibilities included leading inner city parishes, start-up parishes, and Canon for Evangelism of St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral in Peoria, Illinois. Father Blossom served the church as a non-stipendiary (not paid) priest and in his secular life he built a nationally prominent retirement plan administration and investment advisory company which he sold in 2020.


Father Blossom’s SMART GIVING program has proven to be valuable for donors and leaders of non-profit organizations. He currently serves as Vice President - Planned Giving for the Brotherhood of St. Andrew.


In Case You Missed Previous webinars,

here are some recent ones:


September webinar with

Rev. Sandra Albom discussing the

Recovery Ministries of the Episcopal Church

Click here for a replay


August webinar with

Karen Weeks, President of Episcopal Cursillo Ministry

Click here for a replay


July webinar with

Marketing Consultant Elizabeth Coluby

Click here for a replay


June webinar with Rev. Jay Sidebotham talking

about "The Signs of Life"

Click here for a replay


May webinar featuring the

Human Trafficking Update by Rev. Brian McVey

Click here for a replay


April webinar with

BISHOP JEFF W. FISHER

Bishop Suffragan in the Episcopal Diocese of Texas

and the bishop for the east region of the diocese

TOPIC:

LINK: "WHAT MEN WANT TO HEAR"


March webinar on

'Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia'

Craig Coleman, Program Manager

Alzheimer's Association

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


January webinar featuring Rev. Can. Scott Gunn,

Executive Director of Forward Movement 

Click here for a replay

AND IN THE WEEKS AHEAD.................



MORE PERSONAL & CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT

WEBINARS OFFERED


Through the efforts of our Growth, Renewal, and Development Committee, the Brotherhood of St. Andrew is pleased to share with you opportunities for deeper involvement by all among our ranks. Here is a brief outline of webinar topics that will be provided in the months ahead. We ask that you pray for their growth, your involvement in them, and ideas to share with us.


The following is the Zoom Schedule for these One-Hour Sessions for the next few months ... more to come:


8-Oct-24

Leadership Opportunities Night Showcase: Opportunities in Serving

Roy Benavides, Jeff Butcher


12-Nov-24

Spiritual Growth for Chapter Renewal: A review and discussion of "Signs of Life"

Roy Benavides, Jeff Butcher


Register for the sessions at:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUldeyqqTMpGNJUGeLFxXHnqIWVg5EFOnJ6


THIS JUST IN AS BREAKING NEWS! ...

Last night's Growth Development and Training webinar for Diocesan Coordinators and Assembly Officers garnered 23 participants on the Tuesday evening. The session was recorded. The group requested another gathering in three months. A full story on the discussion will be found in the next digital edition of the St. Andrew Cross.

PLEASE UPDATE THE MAILING ADDRESS!

After more than two years of chronic issues with the Brotherhood of St. Andrew Service Center snail mail, we now have a post office box. It provides more security and reliability for timely delivery. While our physical office address remains the same, we are in the process of populating all our forms, website, etc. with this new mailing address. Please use this address for all mail sent through the United States Postal Service:


Brotherhood of St. Andrew Service Center

Post Office Box 1382, Louisville, KY 40201


Please remember to update the address on any of your auto payments from your bank account to insure timely delivery. After October, forwarding of mail addressed to the street address will cease and mail will be returned to sender.


(For all mail/package vendors aside from USPS,

please still use our physical address.)

Instructions for Accessing BSTA Member Portal

SILENT AUCTION ONLINE BEGINS OCTOBER 1!

The Brotherhood's Auction for support of our men's ministries will be online soon. You can read about how you can help in the August issue of the St. Andrew's Cross or contact Brother Lyn Reavis at lyn.reavis@brothersandrew.net to help.


Every Membership Counts

Every Dollar Matters

By Darron Kendrick,

CPA & National Finance Committee Member


Recently I had the opportunity to be with Executive Director Tom Welch on a prospective chapter visit on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. While we were together, we talked about what a difference faithful, consistent dues mean to our ministry. While we have 200 new members this year, we have hundreds and hundreds of members who’ve skipped dues for a couple of years in a row. If we look at lapsed members in just three states and had 75%+ (Houghteling Chapter qualification) of them pay their 2024 member dues this month that would yield $35,000 to aid in our modest $250,000 budget. (Remember dues are late after January 1, 2024.) In order to meet our mutual ministry and mission, faithful and consistent dues are essential.


You can check on your membership status by calling the National Office (502-450-5640) or email Office Manager Libby Craven (admin@brothersandrew.net).

To renew your dues, simply click this link from our website: https://brothersandrew.net/donate/#membership-renewal


Thanks for doing your part. Remember, Christ is counting on you ... and so are the rest of us. Here is a special invitation from our President Roy Benavides: http://brothersandrew.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Your-A-Good-Man-Appeal-Letter-August-2024.pdf

SCRIPTURAL STATIONS OF THE CROSS

VP Dick Hooper and the Membership Committee of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew have an addition devotion for the Stations of the Cross. This is service is in addition to our Devotional Handbook. It is timely and well done. We urge chapters to include this service with your routine devotions during your time together as Brothers Andrew. The Power Point and Service is available on the Prayer page of the BStA website or you can download the guide here.

WE WANT YOU TO BE ON OUR TEAM!


Sustaining Members refers to those Brothers who make a routine, recurring monthly (or quarterly) donation over and above their annual ministry dues or a Life Membership. As a non-profit, 501c3 organization, the Brotherhood of St. Andrew depends on your support to bring Christ to men and youth throughout God’s kingdom.


Many Brothers do make additional donations throughout the year (Ex: special appeals, purchase of the Sweepstakes tickets, etc.), but this is 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.


To join this important team, commit to a $5 or $10 (or more!) monthly donation by either mailing a monthly check with the memo "recurring donation" to the Brotherhood of St. Andrew National Office at P.O. 1382, Louisville, KY 40201 or make a recurring donation online with a credit or debit card or PayPal at


https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=ZTS6U2C8AK75N


Make sure you check the "Make this a monthly donation" box after you enter the monthly amount! (see graphic below) Your monthly contribution is important, if not critical, to the ongoing vitality of our ministry to men and youth.

Thanks be to these Brothers for their current commitment to financially support our ministry

throughout the year with a sustaining donation.


David Adams, Ron Argo, Roy Benavides, John Blossom, Jeff Butcher, Evans Clements, Ellis Clifton, Morris Evans, Eric Fisher, Peter Gilmour, Eric Haralson, Billy Harrison, Ken Holloway, Dick Hooper, Conrad Jones, Walt Joyce, Rob Kirschner, Leland Metheny, James Miller, Tom Nichols, David Penley, Lyn Reavis, Gordan Shumard, Arthur Simpson, Tom Simpson, Frederick Stevens, Justin Streeter, Ray Talbird, John Thompson-Quartey and Tom Welch.

2024 Houghteling Chapters

Congratulations and THANK YOU to all our chapters achieving designation as a Houghteling Chapter with over 75% of their rosters being current in 2024 annual pledges! They are:

(bold face indicates new posting since last publication)

Advent Sun City West AZ

All Saints Baldwin NY

Christ Clinton MD

Christ Covington LA

Christ Pensacola FL

Christ Cathedral Lexington KY

Church of Ascension Knoxville TN

Church of Ascension Miami FL

Church of Good Shepherd Friendswood TX

Church of Our Savior Palm Bay FL

Church of Resurrection East Elmhurst NY

Church of Transfiguration Opa Locka FL

Emmanuel Athens GA

Emmanuel Virginia Beach VA

Holy Comfort Spring TX

Holy Trinity Decatur GA

Holy Trinity Hot Springs Village AR

Pohick Lorton VA

St Agnes Miami FL

St Andrews Fullerton CA

St Andrews Downers Grove IL

St Barnabas Tullahoma TN

St Benedicts Plantation FL

St Davids Cambria Heights NY

St Edwards Lawrenceville GA

St Francis in the Fields, Harrods Creek, KY

St James Apostle Conroe TX

St Johns Naperville IL

St Josephs Boynton Beach FL

St Kevins Opa Locka FL

St Lukes Louisville KY

St Marks Islip NY

St Marks Brooklyn NY

St Pauls by the Sea Jacksonville Beach FL

St Peter and St Paul Marietta GA

St Peters Kerrville, TX

St Peters Rialto CA

St Philips Brooklyn NY

St Stephen/St Martin Brooklyn NY

St Stephens Culpeper VA

St Timothys Centennial CO

St Uriel Sea Girt NJ

St Lukes San Antonia TX

Trinity Fredericksburg VA

Trinity Elkton MD

Trinity Mattoon IL

140+ Reasons to Celebrate!!

We now have 140th anniversary coffee mugs, ink pens and ball caps available to celebrate our story and spread the news. They are a great way to welcome new members, introduce yourself to prospective members and as a “thank you” for time spent with talking to your rectors and other clergy. The mugs and pens link from which to order is:

Chapter Supplies - Brotherhood of St. Andrew (brothersandrew.net)

The caps link from which to order is:

Apparel - Brotherhood of St. Andrew (brothersandrew.net)

JOIN US IN PRAYER EACH WEEK

Mid-Week

Mid-Day

"12:00 Central Time"

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 that is 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 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/85663208398?pwd=UG0vTkJ2OXAwKzBEdGpYcTBCanZEZz09



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

Budget Development Process for 2025

Province Presidents are in the final days of the 2nd quarter budget process. In this quarter, chapters should submit budget support requests for programs, events, training, retreats, etc. The Province Presidents will during the 3rd quarter collate and submit the provincial budget requests to the Finance Committee. If you have a question or need more guidance, please contact your Province President as soon as possible.

REMINDER:

It is never too late to remain a member

in good standing!


RENEW HERE

or mail a check to the National Office at

P.O. Box 1382, Louisville, KY 40201


Annual Ministry Dues are:

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

Junior Member (young men under 21) -- $10

Associate Member (women) -- $25

or

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

Ministry News!

Keep up with Brotherhood news via the monthly

St. Andrew's Cross newsletter found on the website at

St. Andrew's Cross Archives

and or via FACEBOOK at

https://www.facebook.com/brothersandrew.net


Scouting and Youth

Racial Reconciliation

Social Justice

Veterans

Recovery

Restorative Justice

Discipleship and Mentoring

We need stories from Chapters and Ministries

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

editor@brothersandrew.net



Information Resources!


Prayer Requests

If you have a personal prayer request, please contact (502) 450-5640 to submit your requests.


Learn to Pray the Anglican Rosary

PRAY THE ANGLICAN ROSARY

Hymns with Link



Jesus Calls Us, o'er the Tumult


Taize: O Lord Hear My Prayer


Taizé - virtual choir : Veni Sancte Spiritus


When Christ Our Lord to Andrew Cried


When Christ Our Lord To Andrew Cried Lyrics


Eternal Father



Good Books and Articles

Some Current Reading by Brothers



Signs of Life: Nurturing Spiritual Growth in Your Church

by Jay Sidebotham







The Loneliness Epidemic: Why So Many of Us Feel Alone - and How Leaders Can Respond

by Susan Mettes, David Kinnaman - foreword, et al.


Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth

by

Richard J. Foster



What are you currently reading?

Do you have any book recommendations?

Does your chapter have a book study?

Write to us and give us the title and author so we can share it with your Brothers!


2024 Budget Report is found here.


This newsletter was made possible thanks to your generous financial support.

Thanks so much!


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