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"LEAD LIKE ANDREW"
Membership Newsletter Brotherhood of St. Andrew
Welcome to Our Bi-weekly Newsletter
Volume 109, "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.
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SWEEPSTAKES 2025 IN PROGRESS
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With 12 days left, we have raised ONLY 4 PERCENT of our goal
The number of Veteran Grants awarded will, of course, depend on the number of sweepstakes tickets sold.
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 all 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 tickets for the sweepstakes giveaway sell for $10 per ticket or 10 tickets for $100. Five (5) winners will be computer-selected and announced on November 30. The remainder of the funds raised will go into the “Year of the Veteran Grant Fund” managed by the Brotherhood of St Andrew.
Ticket sales are open to any individual or faith-based congregation regardless of denomination via ONLINE (see link below) or by USPS mail with a check. Checks must be written to the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, P.O. Box 1382, Louisville, KY 40201 with "2025 Sweepstakes Tickets" in the memo line. Also your email address and phone number must be written LEGIBLY on your check. All checks must be postmarked by November 10, 2025.
Any faith-based congregation can apply for one of the nine $2500 competitive grants to be awarded by March 2026. Applications will be available after January 1, 2026 on the website BrothersAndrew.Net.
Rev. Doug Halversen, Episcopal Priest and retired Director of a nursing home facility with an extensive background on end of life issues, will speak on "Preparing for God's Waiting Room."
First-ever Veterans Service Live-stream
November 11 @ 7p/Eastern
One of the many relationships we've been able to foster and nourish through the National Service Center since 2017 has been quite a network of ministry partners who align with our seven ministries in one way or the other. That has been one of my greatest joys as your Executive Director. One of the growing friendships is with Rev. Can. Chuck Robertson on the Presiding Bishop's staff. Like many in our ranks, he has veteran family history in his bloodline. We hope you are able to join the link below on Veterans Day, November 11, at 7 p.m./Eastern for this live-stream service.
Directly Speaking by Tom Welch, Executive Director
“We must not let our differences fracture relationships. Rather we must let them fortify us.”
Not long ago I took a seminar offered outside of the “normal” curriculum at Virginia Theological Seminary by The Rose Castle Foundation, an affiliate ministry within the larger Anglican Communion. The Rose Castle Foundation "builds sustainable peace by valuing differences and a better quality of disagreement."
Throughout those two days I kept thinking about you, dear brother, and the many ways we are about reconciliation on so many different topics. As I continue to offer workshops at your meetings, some of these reconciling concepts may be shared.I have not seen them structured like this in any of our workshops since 2017, nor have I seen them at various conventions within the church. Looking at the same issue with a different lens is a blessing.
Imagine this kind of reconciliation work through hospitality, curiosity, generosity, empathy, vulnerability, humility, lament, forgiveness, gratitude, hope, stewardship and creativity. As you pray through it in these moments and days ahead, my hope is it gives new meaning to the word “reconciliation.”We had a room of 35 or so participants from different countries, ages, genders and backgrounds walk through some beautiful moments with each other. What might such conversation look like for you?
If you’d like to see what this could look like for your chapter and or parish, call me on the BStA hotline: 502-930-0658. We can envision quite a refreshing retreat that offers the time to think through the possibilities amidst an ever-divided world. If you imagine another format for your chapter/church, give me a call as well.
In closing, as you visit this site listed below, think of the words from the great, late Senator John McCain (paraphrased): “We must not let our differences fracture our relationships. Rather, we must let them fortify our relations with each other.” To learn more about "faith-formed leaders" ...
ALERT: 2025 ANNUAL CHAPTER REPORT AND 2026 MINISTRY DUES BEGINS NOV. 30
by Dick Hooper, Membership Chairman
November is the time when we are asked to pay $50 for ministry dues so that our Brotherhood can continue its goal of spreading the Good News of the Kingdom through our disciplines of prayer, study, and service in 2026. Our dollars support our seven ministries and provide educational opportunities focusing on how each member can use their talent to lead like Jesus. It is he who directs each one of us how to be a servant leader, and how our brotherhood is an instrument in achieving his goal.
There are several ways to pay dues. Some chapters use a November meeting to collect the next year's dues, update their rosters, and send in their 2025 annual report to our national service center in Louisville, Kentucky. The same meeting is also an ideal time to rededicate the chapter to the purposes of the Brotherhood. The membership committee commends this method to all chapters because it strengthens our sense of common resolve as a community. We call it the “show up chapter meeting.”
Individual Brothers may also make a payment using our website with debit card, credit card or Pay Pal. You can also set your renewal as an automatic yearly recurring donation by checking the "Make this a yearly donation" box. Another way to renew your annual ministry dues is to mail a $50 check directly to the Brotherhood of St. Andrew at P.O. Box 1382, Louisville, KY 40201.
As we did last year, 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 requires:
making sure 75% of the chapter membership pay dues for 2026 in a timely manner by January 31, 2026, AND
providing a 2025 annual chapter report including names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mails of members and an officer roster either ONLINEor printed, completed and postmarked no later than January 31, 2026.
For 2025, 26 chapters met the criteria and were so recognized.
This report is critical to maintaining necessary records for the smooth operation of the national organization. Your chapter’s support of the larger ministry will be recognized by an emblem honoring your commitment to be placed on your banner. Why not have a celebration to emphasize the milestone?
Want to do a bit more? Please consider adding some extra dollars (lagniappe, as we say on the Gulf Coast) as a further pledge to our ministry. Remember The Brotherhood of St. Andrew is designated as THE men’s ministry of the Episcopal Church. Be proud and support this honor to the Brotherhood.
Members-at-Large Meet Monthly
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 Oct. 15:
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 26 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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