The Brotherhood of St. Andrew

At Christ Church, the Brotherhood meets the second Monday of each month at 6 PM in the Parish Hall.  Brotherhood members have sponsored an auction to raise money for outreach to families: a marriage enrichment course, and the Building Strong Families course.

For more history on this vibrant ministry, click on the link at the top of the page.  To join the Brotherhood, speak to Ralph Pierce  (882-4038).  Now, more than ever, the young men of the world are in need of who the Brotherhood offers - - Jesus Christ.

 Some History
The Brotherhood of St. Andrew began as a prayer and Bible study group of young men led by a layman, Mr. James L. Houghteling, at St. James Episcopal Church, Chicago. The Rector, the Rev. W. H. Vibbert, asked Mr. Houghteling to have his group of twelve men work with a drunken man who had appealed to him for help. At one of their meetings, this man suggested they call themselves a Brotherhood of St. Andrew since they, like St. Andrew, were trying to reach out to their brothers and bring them to Christ. Mr. Houghteling then asked permission of the Rector to form a lay Brotherhood of St. Andrew to minister to men living in rooming houses and hotels around the church. Permission was granted, and the first meeting of The Brotherhood of St. Andrew was held on St. Andrew's Day (November 30), 1883, in a basement meeting room (now St. Andrew's Chapel) at St. James Cathedral.
  • The brotherhood began putting Bibles in rooming houses and hotels around the church, nearly 25 years before the Gideons began their work in hotels. As word of the tremendous success of this lay ministry spread other Brotherhood chapters where formed in Episcopal Churches in the area.
  • In 1886 the Brotherhood introduced a new program which was adopted by the Episcopal Church as the Lay Readers Program. This program was an evangelistic outreach designed to establish Episcopal Mission Churches in small developing communities around Chicago. Brotherhood lay Readers would conduct services of Morning and Evening Prayer. Between the two services they conducted Church School programs for children, and Bible studies for adults.
  • In 1908, an Act for the Incorporation of The Brotherhood of St. Andrew was passed and signed into law by President Theodore Roosevelt. Section 2 of this Act clearly states, "That the sole object of said corporation shall be the spread of Christ's Kingdom among men."
  • 1970 - BSA created FAITH ALIVE, an instrument used to stimulate renewal in the church
  • 1972 - PEWSAction (Prayer, Evangelism, Service in Action) was born

This information was retrieved from the Brotherhood's Internet site on Saturday, February 3, 2007.

In August, 2005,brothers from Ponte Vedra Beach came up to install members in the newly re-organized chapter at Christ Church.

 

At Christ Church, the original chapter of the Brotherhood began under the ministry of the Reverend John Harris Harper, III.  The Brotherhood was revived in the summer of 2005 with the help of then-Deacon Thomas McPherson and Brother Ralph Pierce.