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"LEAD LIKE ANDREW"
Membership Newsletter Brotherhood of St. Andrew
Welcome to Our Bi-weekly Newsletter
Volume 93, "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:
Recently I was chatting with a 26-year-old at Virginia Theological Seminary aspiring to become a military chaplain. He shared some staggering statistics:
7,000 combat deaths since the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) began.
140,000+ GWOT veterans have committed suicide.
6,407 vet suicides since 2022 alone.
2nd leading cause of death for vets under the age of 45 is suicide.
Days earlier I read a post from a high-school classmate of mine. He is a special ops veteran who retired from active duty some years ago. He lost a fellow airman from the GWOT to suicide just this month. It completely stunned those close to him. They had no clue about the turmoil within. I called that friend of mine this week. We don’t talk often but do keep in touch. He’s among my longest friendships. I expressed my sorrow for his loss. We spent a little time catching up sharing laughs with each other. We promised each other that if either got in a place so dark we saw no way out … that we would call the other anytime 24/7/365. Scout’s honor.
So, here we are about halfway through Lent. Many of us choose to give something up for Lent. I hope you will join me in adding something to our Lenton observance. Call a vet this month. Check in with them. Not a heavy call, just a check-in. Tell them thanks for the time they spent in service. Let them know you are concerned about all the veteran suicides and that you are always just a phone call away. Let them know of this link in case they learn of a vet struggling: https://stopsoldiersuicide.org/vet-stats
WHAT’S UP IN OTHER NEWS?
The Saint Andrew’s Cross for March
Be on the lookout in a few days for this month’s edition where we focus on:
*Chapter News
*Human Trafficking
*Community Service
*And even a little bit of Bible history
Those are just some of the stories in the longest running lay newsletter in the Episcopal Church. The Saint Andrew's Cross has been sharing good news since October 1886.
FIRST WEDNESDAY WEBINARS
Our monthly webinars are always on the first Wednesday of each month at 8 pm/Eastern.
Fr. Adam McCoy, OHC, studied at Michigan State (BA), Cornell (MA and PhD) and the Church Divinity School of the Pacific (MDiv). He joined the Order of the Holy Cross in 1973 and was stationed in Santa Barbara from 1979 to 1990. He was rector of two Episcopal parishes, in Anaheim (1992-2001) and in East Harlem, NYC (2001-8). He returned to Santa Barbara in 2013 and is currently Prior of Mount Calvary Monastery.
YOUR CHAPTER REPORT IS A VALUABLE TOOL
Filing your annual chapter report is the perfect way to give the Brotherhood Board feedback about and for your chapter. Without your participation, the Board cannot effectively assess and plan ministries, resources and support for you. Please check with your chapter officers to make sure your report for 2024 was filed or email admin@brothersandrew.net with your chapter number to check. If it hasn't been filed, please file this 2024 report eitherONLINEorPRINT, complete and mail as soon as possible. Your response helps make the Brotherhood a better organization of prayer, study and service for all!
JOIN US IN PRAYER EACH WEEK
Mid-Week, Mid-Day, "12:00 Central Time"
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 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 #
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. "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 March 5:
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
