Journey toward a new vision

Transcription

1 ST. ANDREW S CROSS The Brotherhood of St. Andrew of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion MARCH 2017 Journey toward a new vision By Jack Hanstein In April 2016 the Brotherhood of St Andrew took a major step towards becoming a more inclusive men s ministry of the Episcopal Church. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry addressed the Brotherhood Annual meeting with these words, Don t grow weary, Brotherhood of St.Andrew. Your core mission is the same as the core mission of the church. The vision had actually begun to take shape at the 2015 General Convention of the Episcopal Church with the passage of D045 with its mandate to expand ministry to men throughout the Episcopal Church and to mentor and raise up the next generation of young men throughout the Episcopal Church. This vision, supported by the Presiding Bishop and the leadership of the Brotherhood, led us to explore ways to open our doors and welcome all men into the network of men s ministries in the Episcopal and Anglican Communion. We needed to create a climate that could embrace not only those already in the Brotherhood, but men's ministry groups throughout the church. In the summer of 2016, a special committee was appointed to develop and design a set of brochures that would help us communicate the new vision to the existing Brotherhood Chapters, but more importantly, to all men in the church. We were able to tap into the great resources of the National Coalition of Mens Ministries, Lutheran Mens Ministries, Man in the Mirror and the Lead like Jesus movement. The fall 2016 issue of The St. Andrew s Cross magazine carried several articles that formed the foundation of our new vision. Our focus began to shift from, How can we grow the Brotherhood of St Andrew to the newer broader vision of How can we help you grow your men s ministry? The committee composed of Dick Hooper, Robert Baker, Chris Waddle, Waring Webb, Jim Goodson, Jessica Shelton, Jack Hanstein and Jeff Butcher were guided in their efforts to create these new brochures by Richard Schmidt, Brotherhood member and retired editor of Forward Day by Day. The committee has created two brochures. continued on page 7

2 PRESIDENT S CORNER Make us proud on National Service Day Just as you have done all year President Jeff Butcher More on pages 8 and 9. God has blessed us with many untold gifts. Enough to make you feel very humble. Recently I stood up in a room with 60 total strangers. My name is Jeff Butcher representing the church s men s ministry program through the Brotherhood of St. Andrew. My congregation is 5,000 plus strong and growing. We have been around since It feels great to learn that the E (evangelism) word is now politically correct once again. We stand ready to assist your parish in discipling men and youth to Christ. I could see heads turn and some men smiling. My reception (on your behalf) was overwhelmingly positive. We are slowly becoming known after being in the shadows for years. We are earning our right be at the table once again. You are doing fantastic work. I commend you for your efforts. Positive action speaks much louder than token words. We are the mighty men of God. April 29 is our National Day of Service. We need someone to step forward to coordinate these activities. Should you feel God tapping you on the shoulder, call me at Service can take many forms and sometimes the event might not fall on 29 April... that s OK. Out of the box thinking is good. Please consider these ideas: If you live near a seminary call the Dean to request permission to have Beer & Hymns for all of the seminarians. We have had violent storms clear across our country. Reach out to the local rector to tell him or her you are having a Dirty Finger Nail gathering and ask if they have work to be done or someone who needs a helping hand. Take advantage of this day to invite the male parishioners to participate. Do not recruit them for the chapter. Please consider this as a relationship building opportunity. You could even give them the project plan; then back off, be quite and watch. Advertise on your parish web page: handymen available to help single parents for household projects, search for a vehicle purchase or take the kids fishing for a day. You are encouraged to fill out the online registration form at to indicate the type of project you are considering and the number of Brothers helping so we can send you the special National Day of Service hats. We have a limited number (59) of hats so register as soon as possible. And please send photos and a short story to our editor Jim Goodson at jimgoodson@aol.com. He will publish your exploits and hard work in our next printed edition of the St. Andrew s Cross as well as the Episcopal News Service and The Living Church. Recently I stood up in a room with 60 total strangers. My name is Jeff Butcher representing the church s men s ministry program through the Brotherhood of St. Andrew. My congregation is 5,000 plus strong and growing. We have been around since We stand ready to assist your parish in discipling men and youth to Christ. I could see heads turn and some men smiling. Carpe Diem! 2 The ST. ANDREW S CROSS March 2017

3 A REPORT FROM BEACH ROAD BAPTIST CHURCH Characteristics of a vibrant men s ministry By Mel Cornillaud Consider what your church would be like if the men were no longer on the sidelines of spiritual life and leadership. What if the men were actively applying their spiritual gifts to the ministries and mission of the church? A vibrant, Christ-centered, life-changing men s ministry could help bring this vision to reality. Sid Woodruff, men s ministry specialist at Life- Way Church Resources, describes a balanced ministry in Drawing Men to God. He identified Beach Road Baptist Church in Southport, North Carolina, as an example of a men s ministry with a balanced approach to ministry and missions. The men s ministry leaders said they feel the following 10 characteristics are essential for their success. Christ-centered: Men come together in churches for many reasons. They often focus on fellowship, activities and work projects. Although these men s efforts have value, they tend to be program driven. Generally these groups do not support men as they encourage each other s growth in Christ. Christ-centered men s ministries focus on spiritual development, giftedness, and outreach. Prayer-driven: For your men s ministry to seek God s leadership, it must be founded on and fueled by prayer. From the beginning, a group of men should gather regularly with the pastor to seek God s direction for the ministry and its leaders. The need for a prayer team remains even as other aspects of the ministry change. Led by called, gifted leaders: The key leader should be passionate, God-called and gifted by the Holy Spirit to lead the ministry. Other men gifted for leadership should lead smaller portions of the ministry. Note: One of these leaders might one day become the key men s ministry leader. Open through multiple entry points: Men s groups are often one-dimensional. However, in order to appeal to all men of the church, a men s ministry should be relevant to all men and broadly based in its outreach. The men s ministry should establish ways to reach out to, connect with and appeal to men of varying interests. Sustained by trusting relationships: Christian men need trusted brothers who will be honest, transparent and confidential. Developing Christ-centered, trusting relationships is crucial to Mel Cornillaud building and maintaining an effective men s ministry. Balanced: Men s ministry should strive to balance ministry to men with ministry by men. Rather than only gathering to eat, fellowship and work, men should help each other grow in Christlikeness. Incorporate multiple methods for discipling men to spiritual maturity. As men grow spiritually, they will be motivated by the Holy Spirit to read and obey God s Word and to discover and activate their spiritual gifts. This inside-out approach builds Biblical men. Their changed hearts will convict them to become godly husbands and fathers and to get eagerly involved in personal evangelism and missions. Pastor-supported: The role of an active, supportive pastor is critical. Does your pastor believe that a successful growing men s ministry is a key component to the church s growth and mission work? Men s ministries that lack pastor support and involvement risk being out-of-sync with the total church ministry. That may result in misunderstandings and divisions. Sustained by well-planned meetings: Purposeful monthly or quarterly gatherings enable communications and continuity. Meetings should include food, fellowship, praise and worship, testimonies, teaching, prayer, and ministry reports. Prayerfully developing an agenda helps meetings run smoothly while still allowing the Holy Spirit to guide your gathering. Clearly communicated: Men s ministry leaders should regularly and creatively communicate with the men in the church and community. Reach out to men in the church who are not participating while informing and encouraging those who are active. Communications might include monthly newsletters, meeting notices, a phone-calling team, a bulletin board and bulletin inserts Evaluate your ministry: Beach Road strives to maintain these nine characteristics. You can too. Gather a group of men to evaluate your ministry. Ask the men to use these characteristics to rank your ministry s greatest strength (as a 1) and so on to the greatest weakness (as a 9). Tally the votes to see what areas your ministry needs to celebrate and what areas need improvement. Mel Cornillaud is director of men s ministry at Beach Road Baptist Church, Southport, North Carolina. He also serves as the statewide volunteer coordinator for Baptist Men s Ministry in North Carolina. Mel is a former Brother and was province president of the Atlanta assembly. The ST. ANDREW S CROSS March

4 PLUS A MEN AND BOYS RETREAT Texas Brothers help fund seven ministries By Dan Brast SPRING, Texas - The Texas assembly held its annual meeting Jan. 28th at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church. Twelve chapters sent more than 50 Brothers to the event. Guest speakers were Positive Black Males Director Dr. J.A. Rob, St. Isodore Episcopal Community Missioner The Rev. Sean Steele, Brotherhood President Jeff Butcher and Province VII Vice President Dr. Roy Benavides. Dr. Rob thanked the Brotherhood for inviting his youngsters to the October boys retreat and how it was beneficial to them. He also spoke about his ministry, where they mentor boys from grades one through 12, teaching them the importance of respect, discipline, going to school and making good grades. The Positive Black Males director said many of his young men have received college scholarships. The Rev. Steele spoke about spiritual growth, President Butcher described the national goals of the Brotherhood and having regional meetings and inviting all men - not just Brothers - in the diocese to attend, He plans to have these meetings throughout the U S. Dr. Benavides spoken on the activities throughout Province VII. It was noted that we have two new chapters: Holy Cross in Sugarland and Calvary in Bastrop plus a revived chapter at St. Michael s in La Marque. The election and installation of officers for the Texas Assembly for 2017 were held. They are President Dan Brast, Vice President Ed Alvarez, Secretary Chase Blosser and Treasurer David Hobbs. There were reports from diocesan coordinators Dave Saxon for Austin and Pat Parham for Houston, followed by reports from each chapter. The 11th annual Brotherhood Golf Tournament will be held on May 10 at the Cypresswood Golf Course in Houston. Money raised pays for the Boys Retreat at Episcopal Diocese of Texas Brothers from Austin, Houston and points in between met at Holy Comforter Episcopal Church Jan. 28 to conduct the annual Texas Assembly. Camp Allen held in October. Last year 56 young men and 25 Brothers and counselors attended. With the additional money raised, the Brotherhood contributed to the following ministries: Camp Good News, Positive Black Males, Lord of the Streets, Trinity House Austin, Seafarers, the national Brotherhood Missionary Fund and St Timothy s Inside the Walls Retreat. Also there are two $2,000 scholarships being offered to two graduating high school seniors from the Episcopal Diocese of Texas this May. There was a booth at the Texas Diocesan Council Feb The purpose is to reach out to parishes throughout the diocese and encourage a Brotherhood chapter in every parish. Dan Brast is president of the Brotherhood s Texas Assembly. 4 The ST. ANDREW S CROSS March 2017

5 CHURCHES THAT CAN BRING COMMUNITIES BACK TO LIFE Historic Pohick Church seeks to leverage history By Lawrence M. Nelson LORTON, Virginia The Brotherhood of St. Andrew Chapter at historic Pohick Church meets each Saturday morning for breakfast, devotions and Bible study. Typically we have about 20 men and boys who regularly attend. We are blessed to worship at Pohick, a national treasure and historic landmark. George Washington and George Mason served on our vestry before the American Revolution. We are exploring ways to leverage our historical significance to increase our evangelism and our funding base. Our congregations have roots in the Church of England. Then our founding patriots had this little disagreement called the American Revolution. We have an active docent guild which gives tours of our church and provides living history to some of our events. Our historic churches can bring our Colonial communities back to life. We have an opportunity to serve as groups of men who study and spread the good word regarding the Pohick Episcopal Church in Lorton, Virginia. Martha Washington (Anne Arnhart) and Physician General William Brown, MD, Continental Army (Larry Nelson) cohosted the Pohick Advent Dinner. main source of our commonly shared fundamental American values. We are at a juncture in history and our citizens thirst for clear direction. The Brotherhood of St. Andrew national leadership has developed a strategic plan to meet this need. Its plan has three primary objectives: to build a strong foundation, expand ministry outreach and develop a structure for success. Leadership expressed a desire to serve men, serve chapters and coordinate minis- try projects. It all comes together with the direction of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our historic Episcopal Churches can provide unique perspectives and capabilities in support of these efforts. For example, our Brotherhood chapter collaborated with the Pohick docent guild to host the 2016 Advent Dinner. Our unifying themes were Remembering Christmas at Valley Forge and The Way of Light Pohick Style. Proceeds from the event benefitted needed maintenance on our historic church building. We had fun, experienced joyful community and delivered a message of hope and resilience. The Holy Spirit and the spirit of America were with us. The ST. ANDREW S CROSS March

6 OUR DEEP DIVISIONS MUST AND WILL BE HEALED God s desire for healing will not be frustrated By Bishop Nicholas Knisely The results of our presidential elections last year have confirmed what we already knew. Our country is deeply divided along regional, racial, gender and economic lines. The divisions are real and painful. The divisions are ending friendships and threatening family relationships. There are people in our communities and congregations who are delighted and people who are devastated. The emotions are real and raw and their intensity is hard for some to understand. The simple, faithful response of Episcopalians across the state to pray for the presidentelect will be a stumbling stone or a stepping stone for people who will be kneeling beside each other at the altar rail. As people of faith, baptized into the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus and fed at his table, there are things we can do to serve our divided communities. We must remember our baptismal covenant in which we promise to respect the dignity of every human being. We are each made in the image of the living God and each one of us is infinitely precious simply by virtue of that fact. We can help others to see their neighbors as the Holy Spirit has opened our eyes to see one another. There can be no room in our common life for hateful or dismissive language about people who are different from us. We are all fellow servants of the same Lord and cannot allow ourselves, or anyone else, to dismiss or harm someone whom Jesus has gathered to himself. There will be opportunities for us to bear witness to this Gospel value in the coming days. I pray that God will give us the will to do what God desires. We gather around the altar to receive the gifts of God the broken body and the poured-out blood of Jesus - Jesus who is the innocent victim killed by government forces at the demand of a people s religious leadership. Holding that truth before us gives us a way to listen and to serve in the midst of the whirlwind of emotions and rhetoric surrounding us. We don t always understand what things mean or what to do in midst of moments like this. It took many years for God s children to fully comprehend what God was doing in Physicist and bishop at Oklahoma men s retreat Astrologist, physicist, author and Episcopal Bishop of Rhode Island, Bishop Nicholas Knisely will look at connections between the worlds of science and our faith May 4-8 at St. Crispin s Conference Center during the Oklahoma assembly s 10th annual men s retreat. You can obtain a digital or print copy of Bishop Knisely s excellent Lenten meditation booklet Lent is not Rocket Science for $3 on Kindle or $5.00 in print from Forward Movement. He also has both a book and a blog entitled Entangled States.com. For more information contact Bill Baker at baker111@tulsacoxmail.com. Rhode Island Bishop Nicholas Knisely the great mysteries of the Incarnation, the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. We need to pray and listen for God s voice and God s call to action. Even Mary, the Mother of God, needed time to ponder in her heart what the birth of Jesus meant. I do not know what God has in store for us in this moment of our nation s history, but I have no doubt that God is in the midst of us and that God s purposes of justice, mercy and the healing of the nations will not be frustrated. As the body of Christ in the world we are called to be hope and light for the world. Someone wrote this week that a divided World needs a united Church. May the Holy Spirit use us so that we become what God dreams we will be. Bishop Nicholas Knisely is bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island. He can be reached at nicholas@episcopalri. org. 6 The ST. ANDREW S CROSS March 2017

7 THE FIRST OF TWO NEW BROCHURES A new vision continued from page 1 The first brochure is aimed at lay-men in the church, some already in Brotherhood chapters, others in congregationbased men s clubs, men s fellowships and men not currently connected to any existing mens ministries. The theme for this brochure - Let your Andrew Out - describes our mission of bringing men and youth to Christ with the invitation from our Lord and Master to come with me, and I will make you fishers of men. (Matthew 4:19) The second brochure - Embrace Men s Ministry - will be aimed at clergy throughout the church and attempts to answer Why a men s ministry is needed in todays world. This still-tobe-completed brochure identifies some of the issues men face today and how a men s ministry might be helpful to every congregation. The brochure further identifies the resources available through the Brotherhood to assist in building a safe, caring community that nurtures and supports men on their spiritual journey. The ST. ANDREW S CROSS March

8 NATIONAL SERVICE DAY Brothers to lead church s National Service Day It s the fifth year for Brothers to conduct mission-minded ministries By Jim Goodson Parishioners at St.Philip s Episcopal Church in the Dyker Heights section of Brooklyn performed several improvement projects during National Service Day April 25, Brothers can take part in the fifth National Service Day April 29. National Service Day is an interdenominational event involving Lutherans (LCMS and ELCA), Methodists (UM Men), Episcopalians (the Brotherhood of St. Andrew) and several independent congregations. Churches often join together to undertake service projects in their communities. The only requirement is that these projects be Christ-centered and meaningful. While the Brotherhood is organizing these service projects, women are encouraged to take part. Many use this day to spruce up the church grounds or spring-clean the interior. Other projects have involved building ramps in disabled people s homes in Arizona and South Carolina, turning a grimy loft into a youth center in Louisville, landscaping a hospital in Queens, New York, installing new windows in an Alabama church camp and sending much-needed gift cards to residents of West, Texas whose homes and belongings were destroyed by a fertilizer explosion one week before National Service Day. Twenty-six projects have been undertaken in National Service Day offers us the opportunity to showcase the Brotherhood in action and make a diff erence in our communities. Each church or chapter is asked to report their project to the St. Andrew s Cross, along with photos identifying the pictured Brothers. That way the projects can be reported in the St. Andrew s Cross. You should also send these stories to your local media outlets. And you can let your local TV stations and newspapers know about your project in advance. Often, they ll send a reporter or camera crew to produce their own story. For more information about National Service Day contact the national staff at or President Jeff Butcher at jeff.butcher@brothersandrew.net. 8 The ST. ANDREW S CROSS March 2017

9 NATIONAL SERVICE DAY Get Scouts involved in your national service projects By Ed Milbrada Will your Chapter participate in the National Day of Service on Saturday, April 29, 2017? Asking a Scout unit to join your chapter in a National Day of Service project can be a way to help a local Scout unit serve its community and build a relationship with Scouts. The upcoming National Day of Service offers Brotherhood chapters an opportunity to do a joint activity with a Scout unit. The Brotherhood web page describes the vision for the day of service as follows: To unite parishes and congregations throughout the Episcopal Church to participate in Christ-centered service projects to be worked on during Saturday, April 29, This vision matches perfectly with the third point of the Scout law of helpfulness. This point, in its expanded version, states: A Scout is Helpful. A Scout cares about other people. He willingly volunteers to help others without expecting payment or reward. Scout units exemplify being helpful by participating in service projects. All Scouts contribute service hours as they learn to give back. Scouts do this because, in the Scout Oath, a Scout promises to help other people at all times. For example, each Eagle Scout must lead a project that Some recent Scout projects include a new sign and colambariun at Holy Trinity by the Lake Episcopal Church in Heath, Texas by Scouts Christopher Kisselburgh and Seph Stiles and a new garden shed in Vernon, Connecticut by Scout Benjamin Hutton. Scout Cole Berglund designed a labyrinth at Holy Trinity by the Lake. offers service to others as part of earning the award. Included at the end of the article are several pictures of Eagle projects from various chapters. Scout units also carry out projects benefitting the community that aren t involved with the Eagle award. In other words, if your chapter seeks out a local Scout unit and asks them about participating in the National Day of Service, there may be a group of willing helpers. This is particularly effective if your congregation charters a Scout unit because it will strengthen the relationship between the chapter, the Scout unit and the congregation. The net result is that everybody wins. If your congregation doesn t charter a Scout unit call the local Scout Council to find a Scout unit that might be interested. Will your chapter seek out a Scout unit to join them on April 29? The ST. ANDREW S CROSS March

10 THE BROTHERHOOD TODAY BROTHERS WHO HAVE DIED David Kantor Louisville, KY Dudley Cox Brooklyn, NY John Horton Neptune Beach, FL Woodie M. Zachry, Jr., Spring, TX John Zuloff Roseville, CA John Edmunds Spartanburg, SC Joe Bickman Peoria, AZ George Walton Suitland, MD Thomas Graham Washington, DC Charles Jones Washington, DC Two join executive board Brothers Ted Main and Jerry Baxley have been named to the Brotherhood of St. Andrew s Ececutive Board. Brother Main will serve as vice president of field operations while Brother Baxley will be Vice President of Communications, President Jeff Butcher announced. Brother Main serves in the diocese of Chicago while Brother Baxley servesin the diocese of Mississippi. Episcopal Diocese of Texas Diocesan Coordinator and St. Dunstan s Episcopal Church chapter director Patrick Parham, center, visits with the greatgreat grandsons of the Republic of Texas first president Sam Houston on Texas Independance Day March 2. They are John Murray, left, and Claude Rast. Faith Chests being shipped By Jim Goodson PENSACOLA, Florida - The first three faith chests were shipped to California and Mississipi last month, program developer George Booth reports. The chests are presented to the families of newly-baptized Christians by Brothers who build them upon request by individual chapters. For more information contact Brother Booth at gaboothjr@aol.com. NEW, RECHARTERED CHAPTERS Junior Chapter Trinity Episcopal Church The Woodlands, TX ReChartered: St. Luke's Episcopal Church Racine, WI New Chapter: St. John the Baptist, Glendale, AZ Dallas Brothers to keep supporting Patriot Paws By Jim Goodson RICHARDSON, Texas - Dallas Assembly Brothers heard of the many needs of Patriot Paws, the 12-yearold non-profit agency that trains service dogs to live with and take care of the special needs of our military and police who have experiencec cripplimg injuries, including post traumatic stress disorders. Brothers also heard reports from chapters and their plans for One of the most encouraging plans involvrd reviving the once-large chapter at the Episcopal Church of the incarnation, the nation s fifth-largest Episcopal Church. Jim Goodson can be reached at jimgoodson@aol.com. 10 The ST. ANDREW S CROSS March 2017