AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

 To build a growing Christian Community in which the men of the Diocese may receive spiritual refreshment, share Christian fellowship and concerns with one another, and be encouraged to:

WITNESS	show by a living example our belief in our faith;
UNITE	unite Anglican Churchmen in a common effort by encouraging an appreciation of, and a loyalty toward, the whole Church;
GROW	pledge ourselves to regular Church attendance and to active participation, in the life and work of our Church;
LEAD	aid and encourage all the youth of our Church to play their full part in the Church’s life;
EXTEND	render all possible assistance to Church extension, by bringing the Cross of Christ to unchurched hearts and places.

 THE BROTHERHOOD PRAYER

Defend us, 0 Lord, with Thy heavenly grace, that we may continue Thine forever; and daily increase in Thy Holy Spirit, more and more, until we come into Thy everlasting kingdom.  Amen.

THE BROTHERHOOD EMBLEM

(a challenge to men who wear it to be faithful Christians)

This emblem is the blood-red cross of St. George ona white shield.  Since the time of the Crusades, George has been the patron Saint of Englishmen.  His cross is combined with the cross of St. Andrew (patron Saint of Scotland) and that of St. Patrick (the Apostle of the Irish) to form the Union Jack.  St. George would be the first to have us see in this emblem, not so much a reminder of himself, and of any good deeds which he may have done, but rather the Cross of Him whom both we and St. George acknowledge as the Captain of our Salvation – Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

The white shield speaks of that steadfast purposewith which He went forward to His death.  The blood-red cross stands for that love which led him to give His life that all men might be saved.  By His death, He destroyed death.  By His rising to life again, He has restored to us Everlasting Life.

WHY…

The Brotherhood of Anglican Churchmen

Since the earliest days of the Church, Christians have always banded together for worship, fellowship and mutual inspiration through the sharing of their faith.  The men who saw the Brotherhood beginnings believed this same unity was a necessity in these times.  They organized themselves in their parishes and deaneries and as a diocese.  Their intention was to supplement existing men’s groups, not to supplant them.

 They are convinced their movement is necessary:

Because…	the B.A.C. joins Churchmen together in a Community of faith and fellowship which strives to stimulate an increased awareness of God’s will and purpose for us, individually and corporately;
Because…	the Brotherhood steadily strengthens Christian men through spiritual unity and development to meet the challenges of the day and to combat the materialism, the indifference and the many other distractions which would blind men to the vision of His will, or otherwise deter them from working toward the accomplishment of His purpose;
Because…	the B.A.C. has demonstrated in hundreds of parishes across Canada that it is an effective medium for uniting men who are willing to plan and execute programs to promote the Christian way of life.
Because…	the B.A.C. brings men together in the knowledge that they possess a priceless heritage in their own branch of the Church with its unbroken succession from New Testament times in the Scriptures, the Creeds, the Sacraments, and the three-fold ministry.

HISTORICAL SKETCH 

In April, 1951, a group of representative laymen from fourteen deaneries in the Diocese of Huron gathered for a laymen’s conference in Windsor, Ontario.  They had gathered at the request of the Rt.  Rev. G. N. Luxton who knew the time was opportune for the men of the Diocese to draw up plans for a more active diocesan laymen’s organization than was then in existence, with aims and objects that would inspire them to be devoted, loyal and committed Churchmen.  The committee chosen from among these men considered suggestions made from the floor for a name for this organization.  From these suggestions, the name unanimously chosen by the committee and the Bishop was  “Brotherhood of Anglican Churchmen”.  Col.  W. Gibson White was elected the first president of the B.A.C. and under his leadership both the Aims and Objectives and the Constitution were drawn up.  The Brotherhood movement has grown throughout the years both within the Diocese of Huron and in many other Dioceses in Canada.  The Dioceses of Niagara, Calgary, Ontario and Toronto were among the first to have chapters using the name and shield of the Brotherhood, but the movement has now become instrumental in binding men together in most parts of the nation, from Newfoundland to British Columbia.