Meeting Minutes for Tuesday November 18, 2025

St. Mark’s Parish Hall (1011 Eastwood Rd), Wilmington, NC

Opening Ceremony

• SK Larry Greer opened the meeting at 7:00 pm in the Saint Mark’s Parish Hall, 1011 Eastwood Road, Wilmington, NC. There were 25 Sir Knights with ID cards and rosaries in attendance.

Call of Officers

Opening Prayer

• Meeting’s opening prayer was led by the SK Deacon George Keenan.

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

• Minutes approved as posted on website.

Report of the Faithful Friar – Deacon Keenan

• November 5, 11:00 am – Our Lady of Guadeloupe Church in Newton Grove – uses the 60-Foot Rosary to pray for Priests, families, and children of the Church.
• 60-Foot Rosary Available for use. If interested in using the Sixty Foot Rosary please contact Deacon Keenan.

Report of the Faithful Comptroller - SK Frank Bio

• 144 total members, two transferred out of the assembly, one went to Honorary Life, and one passed away since last month’s meeting.
• The financials reported can be requested by contacting the Faithful Comptroller.

Report of the Faithful Purser - SK Tom Sullivan

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

Report of Committees

Membership Report/ Reading of Applications/ Balloting

• District Secretary of the Fourth Degree communicated that they would like to do a 4th Degree Exemplification at the St. Marks Church on February 28, with 2017 as the host assembly. However, this date has not been approved.
• FN Greer encouraged councils to push for the 4th membership and would be happy to speak to the council members directly.

Veterans Committee this Thursday morning – Looking for someone to attend in the Place of SKs Greer and Decker. 10 AM at the Government Center.

Veterans Support Raffle

• 168 paper tickets and 228 online virtual tickets were sold for a total of 396 tickets. The following are winners of the raffle which were drawn at the meeting.

• Summary - $1,332 in collections with a profit of $457.

Color Guard Report - Color Corps Commander SK Gabel

• Past Events
  • Veterans Day Recognition at St. Marks School
• Upcoming Events
  • November 22, at 5:30 pm. St. Mary’s Basilica Installation Mass and Reception of the Very Rev. Jairo Maldonado Pacheco as the new Pastor and Rector. Seeking Honor Guards for this event.
  • December 13, 5:30 pm - Burgaw Christmas Parade. More information will be forthcoming.

Uniform Reimbursement

• Two available to offset 50% of the cost. Contact Faithful Navigator if interested.

2026 Collegiate Scholarship - SK Jack Murphy & SK John Reynolds

• Annual appeal letters will be mailed tomorrow.
• Letters also to be sent to the Parishes and Councils around Thanksgiving.

Fraternal Socials

• December 16, 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Christmas Party in place of our meeting schedule will again be at South Beach Grill on Wrightsville Beach. Click here for more information and to sign up.

Trustees Report

• No report.

Unfinished/Old Business

• Christmas Shoe Box Collection for the Ashley House collected tonight.
• We have an opportunity to get more out in front of the community, more specifically the Veteran community. The opportunity is to man a "canteen" at Wilmington's VA Clinic every Wednesday from about 7:30 till 10:00 am where we'd provide coffee, water and some sweets to the veterans that are using the clinic. Click here to take the short survey so that we can decide whether to pursue this charitable work. The survey will expire on December 6.

New Business

• December 13, Noon – Wreaths Across America at the Wilmington National Cemetery.
  • May need to give assistance on the day before.

Report of Third-Degree Councils

These reports are to be forward-looking so that our membership knows what our affiliated councils will be doing over the upcoming month.

• 1074 Wilmington

  • November 29 and 30, RSVP raffle sales at the Basilica of Saint Mary.
  • Coats for Kids collection this Saturday and Sunday after Mass.
  • COR on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday at Immaculate Conception Church.
  • November 30 – Corporate Communion at 8 am and Multilingual Rosary after 11 am Mass at Basilica of Saint Mary.
  • December 6 – Christmas Party.

• 12017 St. Mark

  • COR runs every Wednesday. Will be doing special study from Franciscan University of Steubenville for Advent.
  • November 24 – Monday, combined exemplification with St. Therese Council 12885
  • November 28 through December 14 or until sold out – Christmas Tree Sales with the Youth Ministry to support LAMB.
  • December 2, 7 pm – Blankets for the Homeless distribution at The Lord’s Church.
  • December 6 , 6:30 pm– Movie Night, Mary of Nazareth
  • December 30 – Red Cross Blood Drive

• 12885 St. Therese

  • October 1 - St. Therese of Lisieux Feast Day.
  • Knights of the Month Recognition
  • Joe Costy – Shrimparoo Support
  • Tom Brady – Recruitment Weekend Leader
  • Nine new members this year
  • St. Joseph’s Pantry Turkey Drive, looking to collect $4,000 please visit website to donate.
  • December 6 - Quarterly NC DOT Adopt -a-Highway Road Clean up on Tom Rice Road Run, followed by breakfast.
  • November 19 - John Moody Mass and meal at McDonald's.
  • November 19 – Knight Out with the Ladies.
  • Christmas Basket Raffle – December 6 through December 14

• 11817 St. Stanislaus

  • Thank you to all the knights that volunteered during setup the day before and the day of the festival. Some stand outs include SKs Robert Gabel, Greg Decker, George Schadt and for supporting the beer tent - Frank Weisgerber. The 25th edition was our biggest and final total should reflect that.
  • November 18 - Fr. Steven and about 75 parishioners participated in a blessing of the construction site for our new Faith Formation Education Center. This has been in the planning for 3 ½ years and is coming at a great time as the parish sees very strong growth. Just about 100 new families registered this year.
  • Knights conducted a very solid blood drive on November 15 with the Blood Connection. We collected 60 blood donations.
  • Penance service will be on Tuesday, December 12, at 6 pm.
  • Council will be selling "Keep Christ in Christmas" Magnets during Advent.
  • December 6 – Exemplification after the 5 pm Mass.
  • November 23 – Coats for Kids Distribution at St. Joseph’s in Burgaw.

Brothers in Need

• Fr. Greg Spencer

Good of the Order – November Reflections

• November is a month of solemn remembrance and heartfelt gratitude – a time when we, as both Catholics and patriots, are called to reflect on sacrifice, service, and the gift of freedom.

We begin the month with All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, remembering those who have gone before us in faith. In a special way, we recall our fellow Knights, Veterans, and Fallen Heroes – those who served their country and their Church with honor, many of whom gave the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we now enjoy.

This month also brings Veterans Day, a sacred opportunity to recognize and thank those who have worn the uniform of our nation. As Fourth Degree Knights, we are uniquely devoted to honoring those who serve – not just with words, but through visible acts of patriotism, support, and advocacy.

November also turns our hears toward Thanksgiving – not just the holiday, but the virtue. In an age when division and discontent can cloud our culture, we are called to be men of gratitude, unity, and hope. We give thanks for our faith, our freedoms, and the responsibility entrusted to us as Catholic gentlemen to defend what is right and just.

Let us never forget that our service as Sir Knights does not end with the closing of a meeting or the folding of a flag. We are called daily to be defenders of truth, protectors of life, and models of faithful citizenship.

This November, may we carry the memories of our departed, the example of our Veterans, and the spirit of Thanksgiving in all we do – with humility, honor, and love of both God and country.

Vivat Jesus!

Closing Prayer

• Conducted by SK Deacon Keenan

Closing Ode led by SK Backes

• Sung the Star-Spangled Banner.

Adjourn

• Next regular meeting will be at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, January 20 at St. Mark's Parish Hall. Remember, if your council wants to host an assembly meeting, contact the Faithful Navigator.
• Meeting adjourned at 7:51 pm.

Minutes submitted by SK Mike Apicella, Faithful Scribe.