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"LEAD LIKE ANDREW"
Membership Newsletter
Brotherhood of St. Andrew
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Welcome to Our Bi-weekly Newsletter
Volume 82, "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.
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PRAYERS & SUPPORT FOR HURRICANE RELIEF
Please continue your prayers for those brothers, churches, family and friends impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. You can financially support these individuals and churches through the Episcopal Relief and Development's Hurrican Relief Fund here.
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SILENT AUCTION ONLINE NOW!
The Brotherhood's Auction for support of our men's ministries is online NOW at moreinfo.news/auction2024. You can read about how you can help in the September issue of the St. Andrew's Cross or contact Brother Lyn Reavis at lyn.reavis@brothersandrew.net to help.
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As we approach the General Election in November
#VoteFaithfully
"Almighty God, to whom we must account for all our powers and privileges: Guide the people of the United States in the election of officials and representatives; that, by faithful administration and wise laws, the rights of all may be protected and our nation be enabled to fulfill your purposes; through Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN." -BCP, page 822
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"Inspiration Takes at Least Two"
Directly Speaking
By Executive Director Tom Welch
Recently I heard, "if the Holy Scriptures are truly inspired, then I can't possibly understand it alone." This came from remarks from a world-class Old Testament theologian by the name of Rev. Dr. Judy Fentress-Williams, affectionately known as "Dr. Judy." She is one of the gifted professors at Virginia Theological Seminary. When I heard her remind us of this, I instantly had thoughts turn to you, dear reader.
Our ministry began first with prayer and then study back in 1883. Many times, I have been with you at your chapter meetings across the country. The most common meeting format is just as outlined in our Devotional Guide. It involves prayer and study. I'm always struck at the study leader and how they engage the room. Nearly every time this leadership comes from the laity ranks.
Recently Dr. Judy shared some wonderful insight about the Genesis story of Sarai and Hagar. As I shared earlier, I thought of you as she spoke. I could so see this story and Dr. Judy's remarks engaging those around you at your chapter, church or study group. I've left greetings and the introduction in the video for the viewer to better understand the context from the professor's history. After you've had a chance to read the rest of this edition, take a listen and enjoy:
https://youtu.be/O1QWdf5WlyE
Providing Certainty in Uncertain Times
Our last monthly webinar spoke of ways to provide current income for the present generation in your own home and at the same time a future gift to last through all generations to come when we have gone to Paradise. Take a listen at the link below on "Smart Giving." It is there that we hear from my fellow Sustaining Member Rev. John Blossom. He is our VP for Planned Giving who has a wealth of knowledge in this topic. THANK YOU for your open ears and thoughtful prayers on this opportunity. His contact information is within the webinar.
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A special welcome to these new members
joining since October 2:
Senior Members:
Dominic Nozzarella, Member at Large, Washington, DC
Robert Garnett, Jr., St. Paul's (5023S) Smithfield, NC
Brian Terrell, Church of the Epiphany (4838S) Richardson, TX
John Brandt, Church of the Epiphany (4838S) Richardson, TX
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OUR DISCIPLINE AND ACTIONS
Prayer, Study, and Service are the components of our Discipline. They are the center of our outward signs of action as Brothers Andrew. Plus, we are continually looking for actions and practices to share with others in the Brotherhood.
To this end, we ask that you share how your chapter approaches Study as a discipline. How do you focus on study as a chapter and as individuals, as service to others in your church community? We are particularly interested in the study of "Scripture." However, any effective study program you do is essential, and we want to share. Please send this information to us at editor@brothersandrew.net.
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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
November 6
SPEAKER/TOPIC TO BE ANNOUNCED
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In Case You Missed Previous Webinars,
here are some recent ones:
October webinar with
Rev. John Blossom discussing
"Smart Giving"
Click here for a replay
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
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AND IN THE WEEKS AHEAD.................
More Personal & Chapter Development
WEBINARS offered on 2nd TUESDAYS at 8pm
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:
12-Nov-24
New Member Orientation Segment II--
What is a Christian; Discipline of Prayer
Roy Benavides, Jeff Butcher
10-Dec-24
New Member Orientation Segment III--
Discipline of Study; Discipline of Service
Jeff Butcher, Tom Welch
7-Jan-25
New Member Orientation Segment IV--
Member's Duties/Responsibilities
Jeff Butcher, Dick Hooper
Register for the sessions at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUldeyqqTMpGNJUGeLFxXHnqIWVg5EFOnJ6
After registering, you will receive the Zoom link for the session.
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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.
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Thursday Night Bible Study Via Zoom
The Brotherhood of St. Andrew, The Brooklyn and Queens Assemblies, and The Diocese of Chicago wish to remind you to join the weekly Bible Study on Thursdays, 8 p.m. EDT/7 p.m. CDT/6 p.m. MDT/ 5 p.m. PDT. Joining this group will allow you to continue to gain deeper knowledge, awareness, and understanding of the Bible.
LOGIN INFORMATION
1. By COMPUTER DEVICE:
Click HERE to join the Bible Study Lesson on ZOOM
Sacred Ground
BIBLE STUDY ID: 448 502 7479 (no password necessary)
2. By PHONE:
646-876-9923
ENTER ID#: 448 502 7479, THEN PRESS #
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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.)
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Instructions for Accessing BSTA Member Only Portal | |
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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
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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.
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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.
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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, James Peckham, David Penley, Lyn Reavis, Gordon Shumard, Arthur Simpson, Tom Simpson, Frederick Stevens, Justin Streeter, Ray Talbird, John Thompson-Quartey and Tom Welch.
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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
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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)
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Some Current Reading by Brothers
Signs of Life: Nurturing Spiritual Growth in Your Church
by Jay Sidebotham
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!
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This newsletter was made possible thanks to your generous financial support.
Thanks so much!
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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
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