STATE OF THE BROTHERHOOD

By RONALD WARFUEL
President, The Brotherhood of St. Andrew

July 08, 2005
St. Louis, Missouri

I am pleased to stand before you today and report that God has been good to us throughout this fiscal year and we give Him honor, glory, praise and thanksgiving for all His benefits. This has been a year filled with learning, discovery, recognition and growing awareness.

Following the last National Council meeting in New Orleans Louisiana, where God called Dr. Evans and myself to serve you as a dual ticket and you affirmed God's calling by electing us as your employees, we readily began the process of discovery in order to recognize each other's spiritual gifts and to respond accordingly.

We presented ourselves as a duo with a team approach and eventually built an Administration of Executive Board Members and a Cabinet of National Officers around this philosophy.

Your Senior Vice President has been abundantly blessed with a personality profile that is conducive to expertise in internal issues, elements of finance, budget controls and personnel supervision. Dr. Evans has an uncanny ability to recognize and become aware of methods that improve our financial posture and give us flexibility to increase the performance of our primary mission of bringing men and boys into a saving knowledge and closer relationship with our true Commander-In-Chief, Jesus Christ - through our disciplines of Prayer, Study and Service.

As your President, I bring to your consideration managerial and spiritual gifts that run in the direction of external issues that typically involve leadership and development.
I also offer my skills of monitoring the rebuilding and growth of Field Operations, long range planning and strategic goals. In addition, I offer consultation and activation efforts towards the domestic and international missions.

Collectively, Dr. Evans and I, offer to share our experience in problem solving, tracking, projections, encouragement and spiritual uplifting. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).

We serve together, along with your National Council Chairman to bring you quality and meaningful National Council meetings and a future Triennial Convention which features a blend of pertinent business, face-to-face committee work opportunities, corporate worship and fellowship along with insightful themes and messages from spirit-filled speakers. We make every perpetual attempt to plant the seeds of growth and build the body of the Brotherhood through field training, public relations and expansion of awareness.

This is all with the expectation of eventually making a credible offering to every mission and parish in America and beyond. Alongside the fruits of spiritual nurturing, God can extend His kingdom to His men and boys through the precepts of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew.

I realize this Administration must first do its work before we can stand aside and observe while God does His part through His Holy Spirit. That's why we have been busy during the year praying, planning, developing, implementing, monitoring, tracking and assessing. We have set reasonable goals in a number of areas that strive to improve the overall performance of our ministry. God has lifted up new energy, talent and experience that bring a promising sense of vitality and synergy to our primary mission.

I have been purposeful in reporting to you various decisions and movements throughout the year via e-mail, our website and the Cross Magazine. Let me recap some highlights for you now.

By God's blessing and your empowerment, I have made several appointments that occupy different levels of field leadership and certain committees in order to stretch our capabilities and make more efficient use of our organizational nomenclature.

In September, and November of 2004, I appointed three new Assistant Diocesan Coordinators; Brothers Alan Inniss of Long Island, and James Blauvelt of Mississippi. In February of this year Brother Craig Iverson was appointed in the Central Gulf Coast. Five new Diocesan Coordinators have been appointed between September last year and last month. They are: Brothers Dr. Richard Hooper of the Central Gulf Coast, Samuel Gill of Long Island, Paul Brown in Connecticut, Mark Dennehy of New Hampshire, Ken Restall in Arizona and a recertification of Brother Lou Surles in Colorado. An additional appointment in October will include Brother Roy Benavides of Northwest Texas.

During the same time frames, four new Provincial Presidents have been appointed and duly installed before God and the Body of Christ. They are: Dr. Herman Bostick - Province III, recently retired (Navy) Lt. Cmdr., Michael Borno - Province IV, Brother George Booth - Province I and Brother Barry Rought - Province VII. These men have declared their dedication to undergo ongoing training and to help each other in presenting the Brotherhood from sea-to-shining-sea.

For the first time in nearly eight years we have a Provincial President in all eight provinces.

Recently I appointed your National Council Chairman, Brother Ray Talbird to fill a position as the Chairman of the Evangelism Committee. Ray believes this committee should be the most important as it relates to our primary mission and he is right. He will likely retire from serving you as National Council Chairman next summer in order to devote full attention to his passion for evangelism.

Another new appointment is freshly retired (Marine Corps) Sgt. Quentin Witherspoon, Chairman of the Domestic and International Missions Committee. He is diligently at work rebuilding this committee with new members and is monitoring our movements in foreign countries while searching for ways to improve our communication and reporting methods with leadership in the southern cone and beyond.

I have also created two new commissions that will act as a temporary task force whenever needed. They are the Former Presidents Commission made up of living previous presidents and the Former National Chairman's Commission, comprised of living prior National Council Chairmen. These two commissions assist in augmenting the Presidents Advisory Committee in terms of consultation and special projects. In addition, I announced two new Ambassadors: Brothers Robert Dennis, Ambassador to the Daughters of The King and James Blauvelt, Ambassador to North American Episcopal Seminaries.

Brother Dennis acts as a liaison to the DOK with regard to the restoring and rebuilding of relationship among our sister order for the prospect of mutual prayer and ministry.
Brother Blauvelt serves as our representative to Seminaries in North America for the purpose of building awareness of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew with seminary students in order to expand encouragement and camaraderie among budding future clergy and to assist in starting student chapters.

Finally, I appointed Brother Robert Dennis as Dean of Provincial Presidents and Chairman of the Field Operations Committee to engage in a process of long term and perpetual training with this band of eight brothers. They will propose to affect a universal, systematic approach to teaching. In addition, they will support the Diocesan Coordinators, whom they supervise. They will command a sense of expertise in interpersonal skills regarding connection with bishops and priests throughout all eight provinces.

I act as an ex-officio member of this important committee and keenly monitor their development.

Other improvements include a new concept of reporting from our Ugandan Regional Coordinator, Brother Titus Baraka and Office Manager, Ms. Joyce Mukasa in order to screen the management of our movements and growth in that area of the world. Sgt. Witherspoon, Chairman of the Domestic and International Missions Committee acts as an ideal liaison between the Ugandan office and our Central Office Manager in Ambridge, Pennsylvania for the purpose of teaching and implementing a greater sense of understanding and effectiveness with reporting from our leadership and interests in Uganda.

Renewed curiosity is flowing once again from contiguous countries as well as renewed ties with our Brothers in the Philippines and other parts of the globe. Using 21st century techniques of communication we are able to renew relationships with our Brothers abroad and reach-out utilizing a simple keystroke.

We have reformed and expanded our website to include multiple links with other men's ministries and non-denominational Christian men's resources that open whole new vistas regarding spiritual nourishment and study of the Word. Sincere thanks to Brother Jim Goodson, our Communications Director and Editor of the Cross Magazine and Chairman of the Website Committee for his diligent efforts in constructing an attractive website that gives pertinent information. Many thanks also to his assistant, Brother David Hobbs for his excellent work.

Brother Goodson has also reformatted our Cross Magazine to place greater focus on highlighting and reporting news from our domestic and international constituent levels, in order to showcase the work of the Brotherhood in the field rather than shining the light upon those of us at the national level.

Another prime locale of concern has been the area of our finances and stewardship accountability. Great attention has been given to dissecting our financial position and its condition for well over a year. This focus has been necessary in order to bring the Brotherhood back into a biblical standard of financial discipline and regain your confidence with budget controls and ongoing monitoring. I wish to thank the former Ad-hoc Committee headed by Vice President Evans, Financial Committee Chairman Carr and others for their tireless endeavors to put us back on safe financial ground.

The Presidents 'Spring Appeal' was completed recently and, once again, Brothers everywhere contributed sacrificially in the pursuit of carrying forth our primary mission and to build added strength. Our entire nationwide membership stood up in order to raise a great deal of funding to make us financially sound once again and we give God the honor and glory for such a magnanimous feat! I offer my deepest congratulations to all of you who reached into your hearts to pull us out of a dangerous ditch…

In the fall of last year, I announced, The Decade of Renewal during a previous meeting of your Executive Board for the purpose of reinvigorating our beloved Order.
Our goal lies in restoring our primary mission and preparing the way for the leaders of tomorrow, who will someday enjoy the fruits of our efforts sometime after Advent of 2014.

We seek guidance and inspiration from the Holy Spirit to taste victory from this decade of renewal. We desire to do the work He has given us to do, to love Him and serve Him with gladness and singleness of heart within a Band of Brothers who love the Lord and each other. We are crafting new tools, tilling new soil and assembling a refurbished 'Corps of Christ' because we are entering a battle for the souls of men. True, the 'battle belongs to the Lord', but He wants our availability to use us as His instruments and vessels to ultimately defeat the formidable opponent and enemy. Make no mistake Brothers, the evil one is the original terrorist and he is working overtime to destroy us because he hates the allegiance we give to Jesus, our Redeemer and Sovereign Commander.

During the next fiscal year I ask your blessing to create a temporary taskforce of selected members belonging to the Former Presidents and National Chairman Commissions, the Long Range Planning and Strategic Goals Committee and the Leadership and Development Committee for the purpose of implementing a new program that will effectively reform and renew our image in order to produce a new and improved appeal. This magnetism is targeted toward younger men in the fellowcraft of their years. We will attempt to instill the notion that young men, who open their hearts and lives to Christ via the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, have the finest opportunity to become the best soldiers for the Lord. They will be enabled to learn His mind, to seek Him, to serve Him and to be more like Him.

We must remember that God truly created us for mission and Jesus outlined this in the Great Commission found in the 28th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. I wish to remind us all of the Lord's precedent, because I want to take this opportunity to announce a new program called, The Lighthouse Chapter Award.

This achievement identifies and recognizes chapters who are devoted to the mission of the Brotherhood: those who are clearly dedicated to our disciplines and those who evidentially blaze new trails of inspiration 'to grow' our beloved Order. Such chapters who earn this award will undoubtedly be known as a beacon of light throughout their diocese and will be appreciated by congregations in their deanery. Applications are available now and will soon be accessible on our website. I will task the Awards Committee with the responsibility of screening and selecting Lighthouse Chapters on a quarterly basis. These winners will automatically become qualified to compete for the Lighthouse Chapter of the Year Award and each chapter whose members receive the quarterly honor of being selected as a lighthouse chapter will automatically be afforded the distinction of a Brother in the Corps of Christ.

My sincere thanks to God for helping me brainstorm this program at an altitude of 38,000 feet, while returning from the Dominican Republic on a Brotherhood mission of promotion to build chapters in that country. Thanks also to Sgt. Witherspoon who volunteered to take notes on the Lighthouse Chapter program, using the only piece of paper available at the time, i.e. an air flight sickness bag which (thankfully) appeared to be unused!

During this first year, your cabinet has been crisscrossing the country to carry on critical work to rebuild and retake ground once held by our field leadership.

I give thanks to a local private benefactor and Brother, who donated $3,500 to subsidize a non-existent presidential travel allowance. His benevolence allowed me to travel first to Washington DC for the purpose of representing you at the annual convention of the National Coalition of Men's Ministry. There, we forged new partnerships and networking alliances to recognize ways to grow our own ministry and carry forth our mission without losing sight of the precepts from which we came.

Later in fall last year came a meeting of your Executive Board. In spring this year I traveled with three other Brothers, a DOK Sister and an Interpreter to the Diocese of the Dominican Republic in Santo Domingo to present the prospect of building chapters of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew in that country.

I traveled further to Jacksonville Florida for an installation of a new Field President in Province IV and later for another installation of the same in Houston Texas belonging to Province VII. Bishop Cox spoke at a retreat in Province V, Vice President Evans was invited to speak at an Assembly gathering in Dallas, and Dean of Provincial Presidents, Brother Bob Dennis was dispatched to New Hampshire to install another new Field President in Province I. Some of them, in turn, installed new Diocesan Coordinators and thus, I believe you can see that 'the train' is rolling.

I think about all of you daily and once I made a covenant to pray for you, on my knees, for 30 days, that you may rededicate your relationship to Christ and renew your vows to the Brotherhood. I asked you for a fresh commitment to our Order and you delivered! Another devoted Brother and former National Council Chairman gave me a Brotherhood tie that was originally handmade in a foreign country and carefully preserved.

The kind Brother literally removed it from his neck one Sunday and asked me to begin a tradition whereby the President would wear this tie in memory of all the devoted Brothers who have entered larger life in Heaven. Those men unselfishly gave of their time and their dedication to extend our ministry. I proudly wear this tie today in honor of the memory of these Brothers and will set the precedent of passing this tie on to our new President someday.

Now, allow me to get to the heart of my message. My vocation takes me to various places in the low country of South Carolina and I travel the highways often. Not long ago, I noticed a stretch of road with billboard advertisements sponsored by a non-profit organization called, The Foundation for a Better Life. These billboards are strategically planted within a few miles of each other and impart insightful messages along the way that are designed to invoke deep thought. Each time I pass them by, I briefly glance at these messages and think of you all. The first billboard is a large photo of Sir Winston Churchill.

He is sitting in a vehicle wearing a fedora and flashing his famous 'victory sign'. Underneath is a caption that says, "Never, never, never give up… Commitment - pass it on". It made me think of the last Triennial Convention in 2003, where its very theme was on the topic of commitment.

A few miles east is another billboard with a large depiction of the first Astronaut who stepped upon the surface of the moon. He is standing tall and facing an American flag that he set into the soil. The caption says, "The longest journey begins with one small step… Achievement - pass it on." This caption causes me to reflect upon all the Holy Spirit-filled endeavors we have accomplished in our first year.

Driving a bit further is yet another billboard showing a teen-age female surfing athlete holding up her surfboard with a huge chunk taken out of it by a shark and the teenager's left arm also ripped off by the shark. The caption says, "Me, quit? Never!... Rising above - pass it on." Last year we had a season of the 'dark night of the soul' when we were without leadership and yet, you did not quit!!!

We sustained a critical financial crisis, but you persevered. The times were uncertain and you chose to 'Stand and Deliver'.

Still further, is a shocking photo of a fireman standing atop smoldering rubble from ground zero after 9-1-1 and the slogan says, "No setback will set us back… Determination - pass it on." I thought about our former financial posture and how we rose together to repel an ominous attack from the enemy.

As I make my highway exit, the last billboard is a priceless picture of a little girl sitting on her Father's shoulders waving a small American flag with bright gleaming eyes looking up toward bursting fireworks in the night sky and the title says, "What makes us great?... Unity - Pass it on."

This was the theme of our National Council meeting last year and I have seen firsthand your decisive demonstration of unity over the last twelve months.

As a Provincial President, I attended a National Council in 2002 in Florida and we enjoyed the option to tour NASA's Cape Canaveral.

I toured with a fellow Brother and together we sat in a theater to watch a documentary of the Apollo Space Mission. At the close of the film was an interview with Astronaut Eugene Cernan, the last man to walk upon the face of the moon. Colonel Cernan made a final statement that pierced my heart when he said, "No dream is impossible." It was this moment three years ago, that the Holy Spirit instilled in my soul, the notion that someday the Brotherhood of St. Andrew could return to being the premier men's ministry of the Episcopal Church worldwide.

In an earlier publication of the Cross Magazine, I spoke about the need for direction in order to chart our course in the way God would guide.

The academy award winning blockbuster film of the 1970s entitled Patton is the story of the famous General himself who persevered to defeat the enemy and reclaim freedom for our allies. In the following film clip there is much confusion about the direction in which his Army is supposed to proceed. Watch your monitor to see what happens…
You see, the General knew he had a specific mission and he would not be deterred. So we too have a mission and God has set straight our path to accomplish it by obeying His directions. Let's "put our hand to the plow, make straight our path and not look back".

The next clip comes from another classic called Chariots of Fire. In this scene, the character that plays Olympic gold medal winner, Eric Liddell, makes a comment about his track and field racing. It permeates the very core of our spirit by way of our own personal relationship with Christ. Again, watch the monitor…

Did you ever stop to think about how you can best 'bring pleasure to God'? That's all Eric Liddell thought about whenever he ran, because he raced only for the Lord and we should too! Regardless of your age, no matter whether you're in the sunset of your life or not, as long as we're still on this earth, God is still at work in us and we have the job of "pressing on to the mark of the high calling" for Him.

The final clip comes from another award winner called Dead Poets Society starring actor Robin Williams. In this scene, he is a teacher at a boy's academy and wants to show them something important. Let's watch…

Now is the appointed time to seize the moment! Now is the time for us to "walk the walk" not just "talk the talk." Why? Because we have a duty to our Sovereign Commander to fight for the souls of His men and it begins with you and me. Some of you may think your time has come to an end, but I dare say No! Every Brother is invaluable to God. If you will simply offer what you have, He will multiply your abilities and your availabilities for His purposes. Carpe Diem.

In closing, you know where we have been in the past and you know where we are at present. There are a great many Brothers still among us to whom we owe a great debt of gratitude for their love and passion for the Brotherhood of St. Andrew.

Anointed Brothers from the first 12 in Chicago who were called by God in 1883, to those in the current Administration and scores in between, have heard the still small voice of God calling them to serve Him in the Brotherhood. They responded, "I will with God's help." What about you? Will you continue to loosen your tie and roll up your sleeves in the pursuit of our commission by God? I believe you will. Why?...Because I am convinced you take to heart the Summary of the Law and that, my Brothers is where the "rubber meets the road."

Where are we going? Strap yourselves in the cockpit and prepare for launch because we are going "Back to the Future!" We're headed to the field.

We will reform our image to affect greater appeal to those men of the X-generation who will someday become our successive leaders of tomorrow. We will grow new members and new chapters. We will re-activate old ones and re-energize existing chapters through innovative programs of study found in partnership links with other non-denominational men's ministries (as seen on our website). We will increase the number of our dues paying members in order to carry our primary mission further and wider than before! Why? Because you were created for 'mission' and I know you love the Lord. I am convinced each one of you wants to 'bring pleasure to God' and that, my Brothers, is what it's all about!

In conclusion, I ask you this, Brothers: "Are we better off than we were a year ago?"
If you said 'yes,' then we are go for lift off. Let's launch this thing! Are you with me?

Thank you for taking a stand with me. God bless you and may God bless the Brotherhood of St. Andrew.