STAR COUNCIL NEWS VIRGINIA STATE COUNCIL Stephen J. Kehoe, State Deputy May 2018 ONE MEMBER, PER COUNCIL, PER MONTH FAITH IN ACTION On April 6, 2018, Supreme Knight Carl Anderson announced the introduction of the Faith in Action program model. Although Surge with Service has served us well through the years, this replacement model is being implemented in order to simplify our program structure and better align programs under main priority areas. Why the need for the change? Surge...with Service has provided a strong foundation for Knights of Columbus programming over the nearly five decades of its life cycle. During that time Supreme have added and removed various programs. While the Knights mission remains unchanged, it has evolved to meet a changing world. With the announcement of the Building the Domestic Church While Strengthening Our Parishes initiative we are committed to evaluating our service to parishes and families so that our work might become even more relevant and effective. Faith in Action reflects this shift with a strong call to action and a focus on quality faith-filled family programs. It simplifies the requirements and gives a home to all of our Supreme Council-recommended programs. What are the program categories? The new program categories are Faith, Family, Community, and Life. Supreme has reduced the number of categories from six to four and eliminated the Youth and Council categories. What happened to the youth category? The Youth category is consolidated into the Community category to better align all community outreach programs including those involving youth and their families. What happened to the Council category? The Council category is consolidated into the Faith and Family categories. Council programs that involve fraternity should include both faith-based activities and family activities. These programs offer opportunities for Knights to come together in shared purpose to foster unity and spirituality. 1
Faith in Action (cont) Why were these four categories chosen: Faith, Family, Community, and life? These four categories represent our main priorities as an Order. This model by no means seeks to eliminate the need for Knights to serve youth or foster fraternity; rather, it seeks to expand on these in a more holistic way. Faith: Our goal is to strengthen our men and their families in the faith. When we entered the Order, we were reminded to constantly inform ourselves in the Catholic faith. This formation goes beyond mere facts or religious practice to an authentic connection with a loving God and his son Jesus Christ. Family: Father Michael J. McGivney sought to strengthen the familial bond of father to mother and children to parents. Our family programs are an evolution and response to a society that seeks to weaken the bonds of family. We must make it clear that society should value a family that is faithful to God and each other. Community: As Knights of Columbus, we are called to serve our family and our God. Our first principle is Charity, at home with our families or in our communities. This is a critical part of our Knights of Columbus mission. Life: The urgency of the threat to a culture of life cannot be misunderstood. Respect for the dignity of life demands a commitment to human rights across a broad spectrum. Both as Knights of Columbus and as followers of Christ, Catholics must be committed to the defense of life in all its stages and in every condition (Saint John Paul II, 1995). Website support Will the kofc.org website be updated to reflect the new program model? Yes, Supreme is planning to roll out a completely refreshed and updated version of the programs section of kofc.org. This will streamline the categories and programs into easy-to-find information, resources, video, etc. Will the Building the Domestic Church (BDC) section of the website go away? No. Building the Domestic Church will continue to live on as part of its original intent to provide members and their families with resources to build up the family and the Church. All BDC programs will now be listed only on the Faith in Action page of the Knights of Columbus website, as Building the Domestic Church is foundational to the new program model and no longer has a separate program component. Forms Will the Columbian Award Application (SP-7) Form be updated to support the new model? Yes, the Columbian Award Application (SP-7) will be updated to support the model, although it might not be available at the beginning of the 2018-2019 fraternal year. If you have additional questions or would like clarification of an answer, please contact the State General Programs Team who will either provide you immediate guidance or they will contact Fraternal Mission Department and share the findings with all our leaders within Virginia. 2
GENERAL PROGRAMS STAFF 2017-2018 Trey Hart General Programs Director generalprograms@vakofc.org Robert J. Dannemiller (Amy) Deputy General Programs Director / Church activities Chair robert.j.dannemiller.civ@mail.mil Doug MacPherson (Jerri Pat) Council Activities Chair thebarnyardpoet@verizon.net Bob Maher (Angela) Community Activities Chair paws618@embarqmail.com John R. Wilkes Culture of Life Chair tutthechef@gmail.com Thomas S. Psuik (Valarie) Family Activities Chair tspsuik@comcast.net Frank B. Guest III (Linda) Youth Activities & Scholastic Chair commodore31@icloud.com Vince Cannava (Carol) Food for Families Coordinator vcannava@ccda.net Todd White (Laureen) Columbian Squires / Roses & Scouting Chair scoutsigns@gmail.com Steve Payne (Nancy) Fr. Bader Mem. Scholarship Fund spayne9932@verizon.net Christian Velez-Ortiz Youth Sporting Events Chair christianvelez71@gmail.com Chan Mohney (Debbie) Special Olympics Coordinator navajo0549@gmail.com Michael J. Lazzuri PSD Fr. McGivney Guild Chair pgk562@aol.com David J. Todd, Sr. (Ann) Vocations Chair (Arlington) datodd@verizon.net Rev. Mr. Robert J. Giovenco Vocations Chair (Richmond) bobbygio@comcast.net Rev. Mr. Kevin Hogan (Adria) Vocations Chair (Richmond) khogan@richmonddiocese.org 804-357-6576 (c) 804-771-4975 (w) 703-685-3795 (h) 703-380-6536 (c) 804-275-7187 (h) 804-304-1445 (c) 434-589-1170 (h) 540-717-2241 (c) 504-850-2075 (c) 804-747-4651 (h) 804-337-2384 (c) 703-569-5826 (h) 703-980-2526 (c) 703-978-6828 (h) 571-442-4673 (c) 540-459-7481 (h) 540-331-5995 (c) 703-490-2308 (h) 703-489-8107 (c) 253-737-0023 (h) 804-379-3918 (h) 703-963-2017 (c) 540-774-8482 )h) 540-797-1703 (c) 703-352-2724 (h) 703-919-7135 (c) 804-363-5398 (c) 804-564-3204 (c) General Program Director Message With the State Annual Meeting in the rear view mirror, there is a chance to breathe and celebrate the hard work that has been done this fraternal year. As you see within this month s newsletter with the winners of all of the programs, it is clear that we have been involved in our communities, lifting high the cross, and living out the dream of Fr. McGivney. With that said, there is change on the horizon. Surge With Success will be replaced with Faith In Action. Locally, elections are occurring and new leadership teams will be put into place. To ensure that the council has a smooth transition from one leadership team to another, it is suggested that two extra meetings should occur. A planning meeting should take place which reviews what went well / could have gone better in the previous year and what the goals will be the following year. Once the plan has been created, there should be a meeting which discusses how the plan will be communicated to the membership and executed to ensure that the next fraternal year is the strongest year possible for the council. For ideas on how these meetings should occur, I would encourage you to review the training webinar that was conducted 2018 MAY 31 by Gary Nolan. In a perfect world, this planning meeting should occur after the VSC 119 Pre-Organizational Meeting and the council elections. The communication / execution meeting should occur around the VSC 118 Organizational Meeting Regardless of the time of the meeting, the most important person in this transitional process is the pastor. If the pastor cannot attend, a separate meeting should occur to ensure that the council s plans are in line with the pastor s vision on growing / nurturing the faith of the community. As we run through the tape this fraternal year, I would like to say again that it has been an honor and privilege for me to be your general program director this fraternal year. I pray for continued blessings from our Heavenly Father for you and your families. I would also ask that you support Jeffrey Gargiulo when he starts this post next month. MAKE EVERY PROGRAM A MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT OPPORTUNITY 3
Nice To Know State Convention Award Winners 4
Nice To Know (cont) State Convention Award Winners Congratulations to all of you for a job "Well Done" 5
MEMBERSHIP TEAM 2017-2018 Patrick Rowland (Arlene) Membership Director membership@vakofc.org Mike Szablak (Debra) Deputy Membership Director / Reactivation Chairman mszablak@verizon.net George Kuhlow Recruitment Chairman georgekuhlow@embarqmail.com Carl F. Kregiel (Diana) Online Membership Chairman pghcarl0715@gmail.com Jim Swanick (Jean) Recruitment-Richmond Diocese Jswanick1940@cox.net Rupert Harmon (Sharon) Recruitment-Arlington Diocese rupertsellshomes@aol.com Alphonse Obuchowski (Sandy) Retention Chairman alobopgk@verizon.net Carter Barrett (Linda) Retention Arlington Diocese cpabarrett@gmail.com Joe Dobbins (Vicki) Retention Richmond Diocese jdobbins13@msn.com Kevin J. Palgutt (Sharon) Roundtable Chairman kevin.palgutt@gmail.com John Knox College Council Chairman john.knox0425@gmail.com Thai Nguyen (PHU) New Council Chairman thairific@gmail.com Jesus A. Cota (Sylvia) Hispanic Council Development jasfcota68@gmail.com J.P. McCusker (Maggie) Recruitment/Retention Consultant jpandmaggie@aol.com 757-563-0798 (h) 757-618-6940 (c) 804-360-7130 (h) 612-845-6357 (c) 434-589-6158 (h) 757-342-1104 (h) 757-671-8723 (h) 703-969-1488 (h) )703-352-1380 (h) 703-801-1614 (c) 703-440-8779 (h) 757-569-7775 (h) 757-335-0479 (c) 703-590-2197 (h) 850-566-0557 (c) 757-353-9092 (c) 757-232-0889 (c) 703-817-1716 (h) 703-314-8762 (c) 703-361-6778 (h) Membership Director Message ARE YOU AWARE OF LONG TERM MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS? One of the long term benefits of being a Knight of Columbus is attainment of Honorary and Honorary Life Membership. When a member achieves 25 years of continuous service in the Order, he achieves one of the requirements for a special membership status. The other requirement is that of age. When a member reaches age 65 (and has met the service requirement), he becomes an Honorary Knight and his KofC dues are significantly reduced. When he reaches age 70 (and meets the service requirement), he becomes an Honorary Life Member and no longer pays KofC dues for the rest of his life. In both cases, the member receives a special credit card size card and a certificate to indicating his deserved status. He will, however, also still receive his annual membership card (commonly referred to as a travel card)from his council to be used for admission to meetings. Consider these membership benefits as a reward for serving your Church, community, and others, most likely the reason you joined the Knights of Columbus in the first place. Tips For Membership Recruiting Success What to say when the answer is I don t have time. Many prospective members, when they are approached to join the Knights of Columbus, comment, that they are too busy, have too much work, involved with my children s hectic school schedule, and similar reasons. Be prepared with a simple answer, like the amount of time you put in is completely up to you. Even one or two Saturdays a year would be a big help. Also, with the family oriented activities we offer, you ll have more opportunities to spend time with your family. Talk about your positive experiences as a member of the Knights of Columbus and share your enthusiasm for your council. Convey a sense of enthusiasm, excitement and pride when talking about the great things your council accomplishes and the people who are being helped. Offer some personal stories of how volunteering has helped you grow in your faith and what being a Knight means to you. We have a moral obligation to invite every eligible Catholic man to join the Knights of Columbus Carl A. Anderson, Supreme Knight Positive attitude and body language count. Your facial expressions and body language show about how you feel about being a Knight of Columbus. Maintain a positive attitude, smile often, avoid being negative and always look the prospective member in the eye when talking with him 6
Special Olympics Note Did You Know Come one, come all. The last Plunge is coming soon to the University of Richmond. Join the Knights of Columbus Team and help our Special Olympic athletes. The Plunge is at 1:00 pm on 9 June at UR. What makes this a really special event is that the Summer Games are also that weekend, 8-9 June. Now you can cheer on your favorite athlete, or all of them, and then cool off to boot. https://impact.specialolympicsva.org/campaign/rva-solar-plunge-2018/c147838 Remember to use your Council name as your middle name. We already have several Knights registered for the Plunge. Let s really rock the house with the largest KofC team to ever do the RVA Plunge. The RVA Plunge pools will be setup on the University of Richmond campus on the pavement between Millhiser Gymnasium and Robins Stadium. Registration/check-in will be held inside the Robins Center on the Mezzanine level near volunteer and Athlete check-in. Pre-Organizational Meeting As announced at the annual meeting, the Pre-Org meeting will be held on Saturday, June 16, 2018 at St. Michael s Catholic Church in Glen Allen. The address is 4491 Springfield Road, Glen Allen, VA 23060, and driving directions are attached. The meeting will start promptly at 8:30 a.m. and will conclude not later than 3:00 p.m. Coffee, doughnuts, and a working lunch will be served. Recommended attire is casual collared polo shirts and slacks (no jeans or shorts, please). This is an intensive training session for District Deputies, Grand Knights, and newly appointed Financial Secretaries who will serve during the coming fraternal year. If you are not going to fill that role next year, please pass this along to your successor. We will discuss the plans and goals for the State Council, and the roles and responsibilities of the District Deputy and Grand Knight that need to be executed properly in order to meet our goals. 7
Did You Know (cont) WHY ONLINE MEMBERSHIP? This new fraternal program seeks to help the Order maintain sustainable long-term membership growth by providing the opportunity for membership throughout the modern man s life cycle. This streamlined alternative helps acclimate men to the Order. Once a man has joined online, Supreme and State Membership team representatives will then work to incorporate him into a council and get him fully integrated with its activities. Frequently Asked Questions What will these members do? Once they have completed their registration, men who join the Order online will be given access to a webbased Online Membership portal and will begin receiving regular electronic communication from the Supreme Council. While they will receive a number of other benefits, the digital experience will form the core of their Knights of Columbus experience. Content distributed to the member through the portal and direct communication will revolve around the four themes of: Lead with Faith, Protect Your Family, Serve Others and Defend Your Values. Through these four themes, these men will not only grow as individuals, but will become acclimated with the good work and rich history of the Knights of Columbus, thereby strengthening their affinity with the Knights of Columbus brand, and setting the stage for lifelong, active membership. They will also receive regular news updates from the Supreme Council, as well as news and event information from their State Council. Can these members join local councils? Yes. State division members who have joined online can transition to local council membership, just as members from other local councils do today. When a State Division member finds a local council he likes, he may deepen his involvement in the Knights of Columbus by converting his membership from his State Division into that local council to take his degrees. Since these members will not have taken the first degree, that ceremonial will be part of their transition to a local council. How would a council admit a member who joined online into their council? A transition would be initiated by the local council s Financial Secretary. The receiving council would complete a Form 100 for Transfer after the First Degree and submit to the Supreme Council. After transitioning to a local council, the member would retain his online access to the Knights of Columbus membership experience, but cease paying his membership dues online, and instead begin to pay his local council s membership dues. The receiving council would receive the member s dues adjustment for the fraternal year. 8
Ulmer Agency 540-972-4852 James.Ulmer@kofc.org Canter Agency 301-262-4300 harry.cantor@kofc.org Abbate Agency 757-495-1492 abbateagencymail2@kofc.org 9
Secure Access to Supreme & State Websites Hopefully, all GKs & DDs have logged onto the Supreme and Virginia State Council websites and looked at the various information and reporting that is available. If you have any problems accessing please contact either communications@vakofc.org for State login, or for access to Supreme Officers Online call Knights of Columbus Headquarters at (203) 752-4000. Father Michael McGivney (August 12, 1852 August 14, 1890) Father McGivney s vision remains as relevant as ever in the changed circumstances of today s church and society. - Pope John Paul II Join the Guild as there is no charge to join. http://www.fathermcgivney.org/en/ index.html Pray the Rosary Lift High The Cross 10