Brotherhood of St. Andrew - Coral Springs

St. Andrews Cross Newsletter – December 2011

Perry Patterson — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:05:59 +0000

Gentlemen… sorry I did not post this link earlier… but this is the first electronic newsletter from the central office.

St. Andrews Cross Newsletter

Mardi Gras 2012 Rehersal

Perry Patterson — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:49:18 +0000

Time to get ready for the show! We have three (3) rehearsals set for the show on February 14th.

7:00 pm in the St. M&M Parish Hall on January 17, 31 and February 7.

For everyone in the show, please bring a CD with your music to every practice… and please be on time!

Mardi Gras Feb 11th

Perry Patterson — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:08:54 +0000

Save the Date… Sat Feb 11… for a Night of Love!

The Brotherhood’s annual Mardi Gras dinner and show will be Saturday, February 11. Cocktails at 6, Dinner at 7, Show at 8. This year just $40/person at the Elks’ Lodge in Margate. TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

We are still looking for some great (and almost great) talent to join the show… DON’T BE SHY! Contact Randy (randymhplumb@aol.com) or Perry (patter38@3deers.com) if you are interested. Preparation and rehearsals on Tuesdays Jan 17, 24 and Feb 7 at 7 in the Parish Hall.

IT IS GREAT FUN FOR ALL!

To Be Or Not to Be According to Miss “B”

deacontodd — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 12:21:52 +0000

A fellow Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) student, a lay person who like–the rest of us CPE students discovered our issues while administering to the dying. The student had a problem loving herself, accepting herself, just being. Her first patient was cognitively impaired through advanced stage of dementia. This patient in her nineties would only say “Bahbbbbbbbb, bbbbbee, bbee, beee”. To any question, the answer was “bahbb, bbeee, bahbeeee, beee”. The student was frustrated to no end. She was told to be patient. She would go back. She asked the patient, “How are you today?” The patient would answer “bbbbeee, bee, beee”. The student felt she wasn’t getting through. The student even struggled with CPE and wanted to drop out to give up. She didn’t realize then that CPE wasn’t about the patients it was about the student about her. The student took a finger labyrinth to work on the patient’s motor skills. She was determined to fix this person to make her talk the “normal way”. The patient looked into the student’s eyes and said “bah, beee, bbee”. The student suddenly realized in an epiphany that she had to just be—just be herself and realized that Miss “B” hadn’t given up and neither should she.

meeting dec 7

Perry Patterson — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 17:44:42 +0000

Dear Brothers,Greetings on this Feast of St. Andrew Day!!! 1. Our next meeting will take place on Wednesday, December 7th at 7:00 PM at the Elks Lodge in Margate (5451 NW 15th St.)AGENDA ITEMS:• St. Laurence Chapel Homeless Feeding Recap. We also need to collect $10/Brother, if you haven’t paid already, for the food that was purchased for this initiative. • Brotherhood of St. Andrew Rededication Service & Coffee Hour – Today (11/30th) is the Feast of St. Andrew. Father Mark had proposed to me a couple of weeks ago that we do our Rededication, without fanfare, this coming Sunday, December 4th, but I dropped the ball. Father Mark, if feasible, can we do this on Sunday, December 11th? • Youth Group Christmas Tree Sales 1. The Christmas trees will arrive on December 7th. Per Erin Proko, our Youth Director, she will “need help from any able body man, woman and child!!!” NOTE: The trees usually arrive at 1:00 PM. If you can make it and would like to help, please let Erin (cc:ed) know directly.2. Help is also needed on Friday and Saturday, i.e., cutting, lifting and tying up. Erin, please confirm times.3. If you haven’t done so as yet, don’t forget to order your tree. • Greening of the Church – Stay tuned!!! As always, we will need your help. Hopefully, this can be scheduled to take place on Saturday, December 10th. Peace +

Pilgrim in Israel: Deacon Todd at Emmaus

deacontodd — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:41:19 +0000

Today I was asked to serve as a Deacon to one of the Bishops in Tanzania. He was nervous about making a mistake. I told him if anything went wrong just say “You know that Deacon Todd!”

It was at the beautiful Benedictine Monastery at Abu Gosh (Emmaus). “He took bread and broke it–then their eyes were opened and they recognized him.” Luke 24

This is our last night here and what an adventure, what an experience. I am blessed. We have developed a community and agape abounds. I look forward to seeing you all.

Pilgrim in Israel: The Stations of the Cross

deacontodd — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:58:52 +0000

We left the college at 6 am to avoid the crowds while Jerusalem was awakening. I served as the Crucifer, lifting high the cross for about half a mile to the stations of the cross. I was wearing three layers of clothing as it was a cold but clear morning. We then alternated carrying the cross and reading scripture and prayers of the people at each station. We ended up at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Holiest of the Christian Churches. We were able to put our hand under an altar through a brass hole and touch the stone of Golgotha, assumed to be where Jesus was crucified. I also saw the back of what is believed to be Jesus’ tomb.

It was very much like an early morning Easter Vigil. I was lifted while lifting the cross. I am ready to return home but we have one more day.

Shalom, Shalem.

Pilgrim in Israel: Bethany

deacontodd — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 10:35:35 +0000

We had an nice Anglican/Episcopal Eucharist in the beautiful cathedral across the close from this college. We sang out of the English hymnal which not only didn’t have the music printed but the words were slightly different from our familiar, rote-learned hymns, just enough to startle you. During the sermon when everyone is quiet except for the Preacher we could hear the Muslim call to prayer. It was eerie yet spiritual in a sense.

Then we rode the bus to Bethany, the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Bethany is now a Palestinian town in the West Bank and according to the gospels is only two miles from Jerusalem. It took us thirty minutes to make the trip because of the security wall forces everyone to drive completely around the city to go through a passport required security check point.

At the entrance to the church there was a sign that said Jesus still weeps. I felt ever so slight not even drops on my face yet it wasn’t raining! I looked up to see if there was water dripping off of the trees. The Priest showed us a mustard tree which is different than a mustard plant that produces seeds for mustard. He took a blossom/seed pod and opened it and the tinyst black speck, a seed appeared!

We did go down 26 steep steps to Lazarus’ tomb. I think it was authentic.

Shalom/Shalem

Pilgrim in Israel: Palestinian Refugee Camp

deacontodd — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 11:27:34 +0000

Today we went to a Palestinian Refugee Camp and it is not at all what you would expect. There were no tents. People lived in multi-story homes that they built and own. They do not own the property, however. They are governed by the UN. They are not allowed to travel to Jerusalem which is only about 10 miles way. Our tour guide was about 30 and was in Jerusalem at age 12 and this Spring for one day. They receive medical insurance from the UN. There is a medical center run by the Japanese government. They don’t have a country but they are far better off than our migrant farm workers that toil just miles from our homes in Broward County.

They feel victimized which is ironic because their oppressors felt victimized for thousands of years.

Last night we heard the Christian perspective and it was about love and reconciliation and the two state solution.

Tomorrow we worship in the Anglican Cathedral and travel to Bethany.

Shalom.

Pilgrim in Israel: Tracing Jesus’ Steps During the Passion

deacontodd — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 11:29:31 +0000

I’m suffering through a concussion as I’ve hit my head twice on Roman stones over short doorways so this will be a shorter blog today.

We drove to Mt. Olives and retraced possibly Jesus’ steps from Bethany. I have to say we’ve had an excellent trained tour guide up until today. She avoided absolutes. The Bible does tell us where Jesus walked but really any buildings were totally destroyed by the Romans if not earthquakes. It is not prudent to say absolutely this is where Jesus and the Disciples walked, stayed, arrested, imprisoned, etc.

Although, we heard that today, by a “literalist” Episcopal Priest. We went down about fifteen feet to the “Upper Room” but there are two “Upper Rooms” in Jerusalem. An industry has been created by the absolutes. We also have to remember that part of the reformation involved the abuse of relics. One Cyprian Priest quantified that 90% of the actual relics were destroyed or lost by those who opposed Christianity. What defines a relic, a stone that Jesus walked on? Who actually knows? And be wary of those that say they do.

Our faith, I believe, is stronger if we believe that Jesus is in us and in our neighbors and not in a place that three successive churches have been built on.