Thursday, January 24, 2008

3 days & 3 ways of brotherhood

The three days of Monday thru Wednesday past were days of profound experiencing of brotherhood for yours truly! When I use "brotherhood" I intend it in the old-style, generic significance. You see, the first incident, on Monday evening, involved both genders in sweet Christian fellowship (or "brotherhood").

At that time I boarded a van whose other occupants were Jay and Chrissie Smith and two women passengers, all members of the Northwest San Antonio Emmaus Fourth Day Group. We were all traveling from University UMC in far north-northwest S.A., down IH 35 to Pleasanton, Texas, where First UMC would be hosting the semi-annual Joint Gathering of the San Antonio Area FDGs. On the way there and back we had great conversation, mainly about Emmaus and other Christian ministries or programs we are involved in.

At Pleasanton, the "Birthplace of the Cowboy", we had a great turn-out from most of the FDGs. One man appeared looking sharp in a dark suit and red necktie; he said he had come directly from work to the gathering. Well, turned out that he, Dennis, was both guitarist playing in the group supplying the music AND our "Fourth-Day Speaker!" When the Lay Director of the local Brush County FDG introduced Dennis he commented that he'd told him that dress at gatherings was casual. As tho' the speaker had done wrong by "getting cleaned up!" Well, during the "food & fellowship" I told Dennis that I was glad he'd dressed sharp; that when I gave my first Fourth-Day Talk I likewise wore a suit and tie and carried a handheld cross -- just like the fifteen speakers on the Walk (the 3-day Retreat)!

On Tuesday, I had my second experience of brotherhood. After a brief time on the computer terminal, during which I posted a contribution on a new blog started by VÍA, I rode bus with my best friend in San Antonio, Joe Tovar, as he drove bus on Zarzamora Street. When we got to Palo Alto College, the southern terminus for Route #520 and the spot where I first met Joe, I gave him a printout of what I had posted on the VÍA blog. You see, my comment had been how the bus company had literally given me my best friend in S.A.

Tuesday evening I began the third type of brotherhood in three days -- and it was the one that would continue the third day. Brothers in the bond of Lambda Chi Alpha. For I took the bus out to UTSA for the Phi-Upsilon Zeta's "formal Zeta" chapter meeting. Only, when I walked into the lecture hall where the meeting was held, I saw at once that only the alumni advisor, Brother Rob Mendiola, had on a necktie! This was definitely not going to be a "formal" Zeta! Bro. Rob informed me that the undergrads had changed it from "formal" before he could warn me. Not that I minded being suited and tied for it; I enjoy dressing up!

And I was glad that I came, ties or no ties. I found out, among other things, that L.C.A. is now the largest fraternity on campus, and is in some so-called "Inner Circle" of Zetas (chapters) of L.C.A. around the nation. Cheers! I also got to contribute my two cents to remedying the Zeta's one shortcoming: low grades. I told a couple of the officers that I would gladly tutor any Brother in Spanish, History or English.

Next evening I went to the Valencia Hotel downtown for a Lambda Chi Alpha alumni meeting. Now dear reader, much as I may enjoy rubbing elbows with "actives" (i.e., undergrad Brothers), I prefer gathering together with my brother alumni. And here we were, together in a ground-floor meeting hall at the Valencia!

Having followed signs toward the Siena Room I found an open door at the end of a hallway, to an unlabeled room full of men. But just inside the door was a shelf where guys had placed certain personal items, including an elegant business folder (the kind with padded leather or faux-leather) imprinted with that familiar Cross and Crescent! As I was signing in I saw the Brother I most looked forward to seeing here: our Grand High Alpha (International President, for non-L.C.A.s) Dr. Ed Leonard. When I walked up he greeted me, smiling and extending his arms for a bear hug of brotherhood. Yes, it was so good to see this particular Brother in the Bond again!

The first time I met Brother Dr. Ed was at the Founders Day Barbecue in A.D. 2006 (early March, just before I commenced this blog spot). At that time he was Grand High Delta of the fraternity. He has a charismatic personality, if anybody I know in any official position of authority has charisma! He wore a polo shirt to that shindig that had stripes of our Brotherhood's colors: purple, green and gold. (When I remarked about the colors he informed me that he'd actually purchased it at a Mardi Gras in New Orleans, his wife's hometown -- that was when I first knew that the three colors were those of N.O.'s famous festival as well as those of L.C.A.!)

Now, this evening at the Valencia Bro. Dr. Ed was sporting a necktie in the fraternity's colors. In fact I'd seen Brothers, live and in photos, with exactly that same striped tie. He informed me that one could obtain such neckwear via the fraternity's Web site.

During the meeting I saw other local Brothers whom I already knew well: Alumni Association officers and alumni advisers and High Alphas of the San Antonio's universities' Zetas. These last had also been invited here and during the actual "business" portion of the gathering they each gave brief reports on their respective chapters. There were also short speeches by the three Brothers who are officers from Indianapolis. (Our International HQ is in that Indiana city, just like my denomination, the Disciples of Christ -- fascinating "coincidence"!) Some of their words referred to a "True Brother Initiative" that the brotherhood has undertaken in the past year, to enhance both education of the new associate member (L.C.A. was the first social fraternity to eliminate "pledgeship" with its demeaning and often harmful hazing) and to reinforce the on-going experience of brotherhood as an initiated member and then as alumnus. When I had read information about the T.B.I. a few months ago I got excited about its potential to enhance the fraternity I hold so dear!

There was also a generous helping of humor during this meeting, as one would expect from dear friends -- Brothers united by the unique bond of our teachings and Ritual. Indeed, on a more serious note (sort of), the undergrad reps from our three local Zetas were invited to stand with the youngest of the officers from Indy and conclude our meeting by leading us all reciting the Creed of Lambda Chi Alpha.

Good ending to a gr-r-r-reat gathering of Brotherhood -- one of three in three days! Plus the one-on-one get-togehter with my best friend in S.A.!

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