Some 45 men enjoyed a casual evening of good tunes, tasty grub, and an assortment of local grog. With the help of St. Michael’s deft administrative personnel, the planning was near perfect. At the end of the night, only a half-dozen chicken breasts, an unopened bag of chips, some salad makings, and a few non-alcoholic beers remained (there was a pot of cooked beans left on the stove – but that is another story)!
Fr. Doran offers this assessment of the evening:
“It was very exciting to see not only the response from the men of St. Michael’s, but from our brothers from nearby local congregations. I think in general men can be a bit reserved when it comes to church social gatherings. It’s enough of a challenge to draw men from one’s own parish, let alone from different congregations.
It was inspiring for me to see so many men take the risk of attending an event at a neighboring church. It was a faithful and adventurous bunch! The success of the event speaks to the hunger that so many men have to gather in fellowship with brother Christians. Of course, it also speaks to the hunger that many men have for meat products and malt beverages!
I pray that we can plant seeds to grow more chapters of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew within our diocese. When it comes to Men’s Ministry in the Episcopal Church, there is no need to reinvent the wheel! The Brotherhood of St. Andrew is a hidden gem; it is a great gift to our church, and one we hope to share for the ‘Spread of Christ’s Kingdom among men and boys.’”
The St. Michael’s Brotherhood will be gathering again on Friday, October 26th. The St. Michael’s chapter meets on first Saturdays at 9am for service projects, and on 4th Tuesdays at 7pm for prayer and Bible study.
If you are interested in or have questions about the Brotherhood, contact Greg Gleason (Director), or Chris Craig-Jones (Vice-Director) at [email protected]. To receive a copy of the monthly agenda and prayer list, contact [email protected].
Written by parishioner Phil Gilbert and published in the Fall 2014 Messenger.
