Meeting Minutes for September 19, 2023

Opening Ceremony

• Faithful Navigator Frank A. Bio opened the meeting at 7:00 pm in the Saint Mark Parish Hall, 1011 Eastwood Rd, Wilmington, NC. There were 17 Sir Knights with ID cards and rosaries in attendance.

Call of Officers

Opening Prayer

• Meeting’s opening prayer was led by Deacon Cong Le.

Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

Opening Ode

• The Opening Ode, America the Beautiful, was sung.

Call for the Approval of the Minutes of the Prior Meeting

• A call was made for changes or amendments to the August 2023 meeting minutes. No changes or amendments were offered so remain as posted.

Report of the Faithful Friar

• Deacon Cong Le gave a wonderful description of what life is like going through the seminary and telling his story of becoming a Knight. The important part of that story was that before he received his first RSVP donation, he did not know about the Knights. This prompted him to learn about them and now he understands the importance of the Knights and how they can be used in creating a better parish. Many questions were asked and it was thoroughly enjoyed by all Sir Knights.

Report of the Faithful Comptroller

• The Faithful Comptroller provided the following report:
  1. One bill of $31.05 was paid to Supreme for prorated dues for the 3 additional members who transferred to Assembly 3952.
  2. A thank you letter from Wilmington Catholic Radio acknowledging our June donation of $500.
• The financials reported can be requested by contacting the Faithful Comptroller.

Report of the Faithful Purser

• The financials reported can be requested by contacting the Faithful Purser.

Report of Committees

Membership Report/ Reading of Applications/ Balloting

• There will be an exemplification on December 2. Location is still being determined. Once identified, all Grand Knights of our affiliate councils will be notified to begin promotion.

RSVP Report

• No report.

Color Guard Report

• No report as Color Guard leader was excused from the meeting.

Patriotic Reports

Veterans Support

• The Ashley House event on September 10 was very successful. The next one will be in January. Contact SK Tim Ludgate or SK Sean Murphy if any questions.
• Cape Fear Veterans Raffle- SK Decker gave information on the raffle. Some Councils will be selling the tickets physically through their councils and others will be selling them on line. Our Assembly web site will have a location to buy them; St Mark's Council will be totally on line; others may choose a mix. Mention this at your Council meetings and go online or physically purchase tickets to support our Veteran efforts. $5 each ticket or 3 for $10.
• Wreaths Across America will occur again this year. Please sign up on our website to buy wreaths for $17. Our Assembly gets $5 for each wreath sold. Please participate. If you are uncomfortable paying online, you can send a check to SK Decker instead. Watch for more information later on when the next event will be to hang the wreaths on the veterans tombstones.
• John Bolger will be collecting 25 shoe boxes for the veterans at Ashley House. They should be filled with daily items of use. More details will be coming but start saving a shoe box to fill.
• Flag instruction ceremonies at St Mary and St Mark Catholic Schools. SK Decker described how successful these events were and how appreciative both St Mary and St Marks were.

Scholarship for Future Saints

• SK Caleb Strittmatter was out but has formed a committee to ensure this effort continues. The committee and future chairperson will be presented at our October 17th meeting at Saint Stanislaus in Castle Hayne.

Fraternal Social Report

• SK Weisgerber announced that the Assembly Christmas Social will be held at the South Beach Grill on Wednesday, December 13. Also there will be a tour of Thalian Hall on October 19 at Noon. The cost is $10; others that have taken it have enjoyed it. Sign up here to join the tour.

Trustees Report

• No report.

Unfinished/Old Business

• The Faithful Navigator drew everyone’s attention to the Assembly planning document posted on our website and remains open for suggestions.
• A recommendation was made to raise the Regular member dues to $30 with dues for Honorary and Honorary Life members remaining the same. A vote was held and passed.
• A vote was requested to change the By-Laws to have the annual Regular member dues be $30. It also passed.
• FN Frank A. Bio wants to begin rotating the location of the Assembly business meetings. The next meeting will be at St. Stanislaus on October 17.

New Business

• We will continue the drawing to pay for 50% for the new regalia. Four SKs will be selected this year. Details to follow.
• Assembly personalized shirts. Go to Knights Gear. Make sure you follow the directions and get the assembly number and name correct when ordering as there is no return on personalized shirts. With shipping they are approximately $50.
• LifeChain will be held on Sunday, October 1, from 2:30-3pm in front of the old KMart on S. College Road. This is a silent vigil to pray and stand for the lives of the unborn. Each parish has a particular location to assemble in that area.
• The Wedding Anniversary Mass, typically celebrated each year in October, honors those celebrating wedding anniversaries, with special recognition to couples with 25, 50, or 60 years of marriage. The Mass will take place on Saturday, October 28, at 10 am at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral in Raleigh. Register here.

Report of Third Degree Councils

• 1074 Wilmington - Food drive of over 1000 pounds and $500. LAMB donations from a picnic effort. They will have an October carnival.

• 11817 St. Stanislaus - No report.

• 12017 St. Mark - Columbus day Pasta Dinner October 7; order through the council's website. Successful coats for kids drive with over 500 coats will be bought. Movie night with Bernadette and had the star of the movie there. About 70 people enjoyed it. Parish breakfast went well with over 130 participating. Knight Mass September 30 at 5pm. Gumbo dinner Same day following Mass with proceeds in support of Blankets for the Homeless.

• 12281 All Saints - no report. Now affiliated with the new assembly Fr. Thomas F. Price Assembly 3952 in Hampstead.

• 12885 St. Therese - Shrimparoo had to be postponed due to a refrigerator breaking and losing all the shrimp. Beach cleaning on Saturday. October 25 fund raiser at Cousins Italian restaurant downtown.

• 12921 Transfiguration - no report. Now affiliated with the new assembly Fr. Thomas F. Price Assembly 3952 in Hampstead.

Brothers in Need

• SK Decker's brother-in-law, also a Knight, who is suffering with Parkinson's and just fractured a vertebrae in his back which is virtually inoperable.
• Supreme Master McKusker.
• Charlotte's Bishop Jugis.
• PSD Greg Kent.

Good of the Order

• The Faithful Captain provide a quotation from Abraham Lincoln (fact-checked by the Scribe): In the Lyceum address Lincoln said, “At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide.”
• Bishop Lori's Challenge: This month, I challenge you to support your parish priest in some tangible way, even by simply writing a note to tell him that you appreciate his service and sacrifice. Second, I challenge you to support the Faith in Action Refund Support Vocations Program (RSVP).

Closing Prayer

• Conducted by Deacon Cong Le.

Adjourn

• Next meeting will be at 7pm on Tuesday, October 17, at St. Stanislaus.
• Meeting adjourned at 8:04pm.

Minutes submitted by SK Sean Murphy, substitute Faithful Scribe.