ATTENTION ORDEAL MEMBERS TA TSU HWA LODGE #138

If at least 10 months have passed since you became a member of the Order of the Arrow, and you are registered with the Boy Scouts of America and our Lodge, you are eligible for Brotherhood membership.  Although as an Ordeal member you are a full member of the OA, Brotherhood teaches you many things and seals your membership in the Order of the Arrow.  To become a Brotherhood member, you must attend an Ordeal weekend or the Fall Fellowship and Brotherhood Weekend.  On Saturday morning you may attend an orientation class that teaches you a great deal about the Order of the Arrow and Ta Tsu Hwa Lodge.  The Ordeal Ceremony will be explained along with the Obligation, Song, Admonition, and clasp, and sign of the Ordeal.  Saturday afternoon you will complete a Brotherhood hike, concluding in the Brotherhood ceremony that night before the Ordeal ceremony - the only ceremony will be the Brotherhood ceremony.

The official challenges of the Brotherhood are as follows:

• Memorize the signs of Ordeal membership - the Obligation, official Song, Admonition, the sign of the Ordeal, and the Order of the Arrow handclasp.  The obligation and song can be found in your official OA Handbook and membership card.  The other three items are not in the OA Handbook, but an experienced Arrowman should be able to help you.  The best place to get the information is at your Chapter Meetings each month.  There your Chapter Chief and others will be able to help you.  Do not worry if you have not fully memorized these items before the event where you will be going for your Brotherhood.  You will be able to practice them at the event and during your instruction period that morning.
• Advance in your understanding of the Ordeal.  Gain a thorough understanding of the Ordeal through which ou have passed.  This will be covered in the instruction period and you will have an opportunity to attend a Pre-Ordeal ceremony of Friday night at Ordeal weekends.
• Continue to serve your Unit.  Retain your registration in Scouting.  During the ten-month period strive to fulfill your Obligation by serving your Unit.
• Plan for service in your Lodge.  Retain your registration in the Order of the Arrow and your Lodge by keeping your dues paid.  Be aware that acceptance of Brotherhood  involves a pledge of service to the Lodge.  Develop a concrete idea of how you intend to fulfill this pledge.
• Review your progress.  When you earnestly feel you have met the four challenges above, write a letter to the Lodge Secretary informing him of your desire to seal your membership in the OA by becoming a Brotherhood member.  In this letter explain what you think the Obligation means.  Describe how you have fulfilled your Obligation to your Unit, your daily life, and how you have used your understanding of the Ordeal to aid in this service.  Describe your specific plans for giving service to the Lodge program.  You may take our letter personally to the event or you may send it to: Ta Tsu Hwa Lodge Secretary, c/o Indian Nations Council, 4295 South Garnett Road, Tulsa, OK  74146.

To register for an event return the registration form to the Indian Nations Council Scout Service Center, 4295 South Garnett Road.  Tulsa, OK 74146 by mail or in person.  You can find out more about the Brotherhood and the Order of the Arrow  by reading your official; OA Handbook.  If you have questions, feel free to contact your Chapter Chief, Chapter Adviser, Lodge Officers, Lodge Adviser (all names and phone numbers can be found in "Red Bird", the official Lodge newsletter mailed to all registered members, or any experienced Arrowman.  Please note that the complete 10 months must have passed before the time of your ceremony.  For example, if you went through the Ordeal in October of 2016, you may become a Brotherhood member after August 2017,  or if you went through the Ordeal in April 2016, you may become a Brotherhood member after February 2017.  If you meet the requirements for Brotherhood, we urge you to think back on why you first accepted membership into the Order of the Arrow and now make the commitment to seal your membership and pledge yourself to a life of cheerful service to your fellow man.