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"LEAD LIKE ANDREW"
Membership Newsletter Brotherhood of St. Andrew
Welcome to Our Bi-weekly Newsletter
Volume 107, "LEAD LIKE ANDREW"
Here's our latest edition with important meetings 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:
Proposed Changes to be Considered at BStA National Council Meeting, Dec. 6
Make sure you read the July 2025 issue of the St. Andrew'sCross to learn more about the proposed changes to be considered at the BStA National Council Meeting on December 6, 2025. Constitution Amendments and Bylaw changes are to be considered.
Dave founded "End Human Trafficking Now" in 2012 with the goal to bring awareness and action, by focusing to include Business Engagement, Effective Law Enforcement and Sustaining Freedom though empowering survivors. In 2013 Dave was appointed worldwide Vice Chair of Rotarians Against Slavery with the mission to engage 1.2 million Rotarians and 35,000 clubs on over 200 counties to take on the issues of ending modern day slavery. Dave serves on Georgia’s Statewide Taskforce as workgroup chair “Deterring Traffickers and Buyers” though Business Engagement.
In 2019, Dave was asked to join the White House Round Table on Human Trafficking with the expressed goal to engage the business and Civic Communities in the fight to end Modern-Day Slavery and Human Trafficking. Dave McCleary is a son, husband and father. He is a small business owner from Roswell, Georgia. He is a man with a heart for making a difference in other people’s lives by getting involved.
Each of the last three Feast Days for St. Michael & All Angels (9/29) I have worshiped at the Cathedral of St. Peter & St. Paul in Washington, D.C. It is more commonly known as National Cathedral. You see, our ministry was involved with services on the day their cornerstone was laid in 1907. Br. Teddy Roosevelt was there, as were members of the Supreme Court, the local bishop and the bishop of London. That afternoon at 2 p.m. the Brotherhood held a special prayer service with some of those same speakers from earlier in the day.
For me, that Feast Day starts Autumn in my mind. I begin offering thanks for the year thus far, look to the final months of the year and those things "done and left undone" from a professional, personal, practical, spiritual and family "wheel of life" lens, so to speak. As I look to the BStA, we find almost a dozen new chapters, over 270 new members, and, at the same time, the loss of members to death.
It's the final item, loss of members, I will discuss further in the month with you as we look to the general topic of loneliness. It can be particularly difficult for those of us that have experienced loss of friends and family to the Kingdom Triumphant. In our October edition of the St. Andrew's Crosseditor, Kathy Copas, has asked me to share some thoughts with you. Stay tuned to this month's edition of that publication.
Please join me in prayers for traveling mercies, new friendships to make and ones renewed as I join brothers in the Chicago area for a workshop on Saturday (see notice below) and offer two homilies on Sunday. From there down to the Service Center in Louisville for a few days. Pray also for our leadership as we plan for the year ahead.
Lastly, as we move into the last quarter of the year, I want to personally thank all of you who contribute your financial support at all levels to the Brotherhood. If you'd like to learn more about how to gift the Brotherhood and at the same time provide an income stream while living, please call our office and inquire about Planned Giving.
WORKSHOP FOR CHICAGO ASSEMBLY
Saturday, October 4,
St. Andrew’s Church/Downers Grove
Opens with Morning Prayer 8am and light breakfast.
Concludes after lunch.
FOR ALL AREA CHAPTERS and MEMBERS-AT-LARGE
All will meet concurrently for a “fusion assembly meeting.”
Brotherhood Executive Director Tom Welch will be the
featured speaker. Come join us!
SECOND TUESDAY DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR
The monthly seminar is always on the second Tuesday of each month at 8 pm/Eastern.
By Jeff Butcher, Stewardship & Generosity Commission Chair
The Brotherhood of St. Andrew has been actively involved in promoting and supporting Ministry to Veterans and their families since World War 1. Sixty-six Brotherhood member Episcopal congregations have signed up to be a part of the Veteran Military Friendly Congregations (VMFC), a program coordinated by the Military Chaplains Association (MCA). There are currently 234 VMFC in the United States. One of our goals is to increase the total number of VMFC congregations by at least 10%. The mission of VMFC is to bring our service men and women closer to God and highlight the healing power of God.
The Brotherhood of St. Andrew “Year of the Veteran” grant giveaway goal is to raise not less than $25,000 - $2500 of the funds raised will go to the five $500 winners and the balance of the funds will go to the “Year of the Veteran Grant Fund” to fund competitive grants for congregations that have applied to expand or develop a ministry designed to support active-duty military, national guard, reservists and military veterans. Additionally, these grants may be used to support Gold Star and Blue Star family members and veterans or service members with disabilities.
The Giveaway ticket sales will be open to any individual or faith-based congregation beginning September 15 via email. The tickets for the sweepstakes sell for $10 per ticket or 10 tickets for $100. Five (5) winners will be computer-selected and announced on Veterans Day 2025, November 11. The remainder of the funds raised will go into the “Year of the Veteran Grant Fund” managed by the Brotherhood of St Andrew.
Any faith-based congregation can apply for one of the nine $2500 competitive grants to be awarded by March of 2026.
The number of grants awarded will, of course, depend on the number of sweepstakes tickets sold.
Please Submit Zoom & Hybrid Meeting Info
By Jeff Butcher, Sr. VP for Administration & Historian
Research organizations are releasing data now portraying that the decline in church attendance and baptisms may have bottomed out and are starting to rebound. Praise the Lord! This is a train the Brotherhood needs to climb aboard immediately.
The National Service Center is creating a new database of ZOOM and hybrid chapter meetings. We have nearly 900 brothers who are listing themselves as Members at Large (MAL) who are searching for fellowship. Can you help them out?Please send your chapter’s name, ZOOM link, dates and times of your Zoom or Hybrid men’s ministry gatherings? We would also appreciate contact name with a text-accepting phone number. Either email your information to info@brothersandrew.net or send notice via USPS to BStA, P.O. Box 1382, Louisville, KY 40201.
NEW DAY & TIME for Members-at-Large Meeting
Starting August 20, the Member-At-Large (MAL) Zoom meeting meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 8:30 p.m. (Eastern) and can be accessed via Zoom at:
Additionally, the National Service Center has begun assembling a complete list of chapters' Zoom and Hybrid meetings specifically targeted for a MAL's benefit. Listed below are chapter meetings available to engage in fellowship.
What better way to level set during the middle of the week? We will hold a weekly Wednesday noon (Central) 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 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.
BIBLE STUDY ID: 448 502 7479 (no password necessary)
2. By PHONE:
646-876-9923
ENTER ID#: 448 502 7479, THEN PRESS #
'Wow! That was nice to get a call!'
New members to receive "welcome call" from
their Province President and/or Diocesan Leaders
New members are starting to receive email notification from the Service Center when their complete and funded applications are processed. Packets are also sent via USPS. Often, our Executive Director Tom Welch, makes a welcome call. Our senior leadership wants to take it a step closer to the ground. Each member of the Brotherhood has a Province President, and many have a Diocesan Coordinator contact. These Brotherhood leaders are tasked with reaching out to new members. They actually have fun building connections. It's something a text can't do nearly as effectively. "What province am I in?" A map is below.
Every month province presidents receive a list of the new members in his province. You should have already received a welcome call from him by now or will in the near future. It's all about building connections so we may build community and leadership. One or more of our leaders will be calling new members by phone, so you may see an odd phone number show on your phone. Take a chance and see if it is a new Brotherhood friend on the other end. They would like to get to know you.
Likewise, every month for those new members who have indicated an interest in one or more of our seven ministries, that Ministry VP will also receive your name and plug new members into that ministry silo.
If new members aren't able to answer the call, our leaders will leave a message for a call back opportunity from our new members. What makes a new member join? What does their parish look like? What would they share to others about the Brotherhood? These are the type of questions we want to learn so we may grow in the Lord together.
A special welcome to these new members joining since Sept. 3:
The membership committee and the National Council wish to recognize chapters who strongly support our ministry by presenting them with the Houghteling Award, named after our founder. The award criteria required:
making sure 75% of the chapter membership had paid dues for 2025 in a timely manner, AND
providing a 2024 annual chapter report including names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mails of members and an officer roster no later than January 31, 2025.
This year 25 chapters met the criteria and are so recognized:
Advent #5454S, Sun City West, Arizona
Christ #5068S, Pensacola, Florida
Christ #2219S Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Church of Ascension #5206S, Knoxville, Tennessee
Church of the Good Shepherd #5041S, Silver City, New Mexico
Church of the Good Shepherd #5259S, Friendswood, Texas
Church of Our Savior #5121S, Palm Bay, Florida
Church of Transfiguration #5392S, Opa Locka, Florida
Holy Comforter #4706S, Spring, Texas
Holy Trinity #5461S, Hot Springs Village, Arkansas
Holy Trinity #0079S, Gainesville, Florida
Holy Trinity #2225S, Decatur, Georgia
Holy Trinity by the Lake #4699S, Rockwall, Texas
St. Georges #5136S, The Villages, Florida
St. Johns #4854S, Naperville, Illinois
St. Johns #3816S, Tulsa, Oklahoma
St. Joseph #5173S, Boynton Beach, Florida
St. Marks #1552S, Islip, New York
St. Marys #2187S, High Point, North Carolina
St. Pauls by the Sea #1770S, Jacksonville Beach, Florida
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
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