Newsletter - December 2017

State Officer Requests:

State Deputy Marty McCoy would like to remind EVERY Council to participate in the Special Olympics Partnership Summit on January 29th. You can find details on the invitation located HERE on the Special Olympics Chairman Page.

State Secretary Paul Zielinksi wants your help in circulating and signing a petition to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles for the creation of a specialty plate for the Indiana KofC Charity fund. See the details and form HERE on his State Secretary webpage.

Program Director

I would like to wish all Knights and their families a Merry CHRISTmas and Happy New Year on behalf of Indiana’s State Program Team of Directors and Chairmen.
Don’t fall into the “Commercial Christmas”. Please remember to always wish everyone a “Merry Christmas” and NOT “Happy Holidays”, since this will help us and others to remember to “Keep Christ in CHRISTmas”, since He is the reason for the season!

Your HELP is NEEDED! Don’t forget about the genocide of Christians going on in the Middle East. Let them know we are supporting them, even though we can’t physically be there with them. Please see the Supreme website for info and ways to show your support – https://www.christiansatrisk.org/chrs/en/index.html and for ways to help them.
Your council should be well under way with the calendar of events and activities for the coming year. Please read the ALL of the sections of this State newsletter to see what is happening in the various areas around the State.

NOTE: Grand Knights and Council Officers should be planning their council activities using Supreme’s “Fraternal Leader Success Planner” and you can view/download the planner at https://www.kofc.org/un/en/resources/membership/fraternal-leader-success-planner5033.pdf
NOTE: Page 13 in the 2017-18 State Program Guide has a Worksheet with ALL the Supreme and State Forms and their due dates . . .

CLICK for COMPLETE Program Director article (there is MUCH more info)

Gil Spisak
Knights of Columbus Indiana State Council
State Program Director

Director/Chairman Spotlight

Membership Director
After a big push of new Members in the October Order wide Church Drive month we settled back in. We all need to recruit at everything we participate in. “JUST ASK” I want to challenge all of you, as your volunteer activities pick up this time of year to get one (or another for some of you) by 2017 years end. Read More...

Church Director
Please have your council embrace the domestic church programs by making this Christmas special for you and your families by including something with spiritual enrichment.
The “Keep Christ in CHRISTmas” poster contest is at hand. Information can be found at Supreme's Website. Winning posters must be submitted to the State Church Director for State Judging by Jan. 15th
Read More...

Culture of Life Director

Eighteen months ago we paid for 2 Baby Boxes that were installed here in Indiana. Just last month we saw a baby saved in one of those boxes. Rather than abandon her baby to die, a Mother placed her newborn into the box near Michigan City. She chose life for her child rather than leave her to die in some unknown place. This first “save” in a Baby Box will, without a doubt, bring new interest to the nation of the Baby Box campaign. Because of YOUR efforts, Indiana is one of the leaders in the fight against the culture of death through ultrasound machines, monetary donations to PCC’s and other Pro Life causes, educating the public concerning the horrors of killing any and all forms of human life

Youth Director
We are starting to get into the Free Throw Season. Youth Activities that your council should currently be working on are: the Substance Abuse Poster Contest, the Essay Contest, and the State’s Outstanding Catholic Youth Award in addition to preparing for the Free Throw Contest.

Please remember the STATE SERVICE PROGRAM AWARD for YOUTH!!!! The form is on the Supreme Forms website, its form #: STSP. Remember that this will get submitted to Supreme, so nominate a good project and include pictures and details! We want to get Indiana noticed for all the good work that you do! Info can be found at [Supreme's website] This is a separate activity entry from the regular state activity form.

Read More...

Gibault Envoy Chairman
All of the raffle tickets have been sent out to the councils addressed to the Grand Knights in November. If councils have not received them by now, please let me know.
A reminder that Council #541 is hosting the annual KofC Christmas Party for the kids on Tuesday, December 26 from noon to 2:30 p.m. on campus, 6401 S. US HWY 41, Terre Haute. Please call Patty Stiegelbauer (812.298.3030) or Lauren England (812. 298.3120) if you, your family or council members can attend.
Read More...

Community Director

Great work by Council 10811, Good Shepherd, Merrillville. In coordination with Rebuilding Together, 6 knights, together with 10 other volunteers, spent 55 hours painting and performing plumbing and electrical upgrades on the home of an elderly Merrillville resident.

Fantastic work helping the homeless by Council 11896, Mary Queen of Peace, Danville. The council combines with Family Promise, Mary Queen of Peace Parish, and the local Methodist Church to feed and house homeless families from Hendricks County for one week every quarter. They also assist in educating adults on job searches with the hope of finding employment to support their families.

Looking ahead: With the new year fast approaching, take a stand against drunk driving (the number one killer on our highways) and work toward getting the drunk driver off the road. To find out more about what your council can do...
Read More...

Last month I told you about the seminarians receiving their checks for $525. You need to read some of the “Thank You” notes we have received. Here are a couple of examples:
Dear Knights…."I don't believe a simple card can express my true gratitude for the support I receive from the Knights of Columbus. Your financial assistance greatly eases my mind when I begin to wonder how I'll pay for even the most basic things like food, gas and clothing . . . .
Brother Knights….”The St. John Vianney Seminary Rector called us seminarians to accept the call to be God’s right hand, but to remember that every hand needs an arm... And what better arm to have than the “Strong Right Arm of the Church,” the Knights of Columbus. . . .
This is just a sampling of the Thank You notes received. Can we get a 100% participation of the Councils this fraternal year in the SOS campaign?
Read More...

Family Director

If you have not sent in your Halloween or Thanksgiving Family event, do it now. Also, be sure to record those upcoming Christmas parties.
With the start of a new year there are a few changes at Supreme in regards to the Family of the Month reporting process. Supreme will only count one entry for each month. They will no longer identify entries from past months. To be sure that all entries are counted by the State, please forward a copy of Form 1993A, to the Family . . .
Read More...

Central Indiana Chapter

(Click HERE for complete CIC minutes report in PDF)

The primary purpose of the Chapter shall be to promote the well-being of the Order within Central Indiana . . .

State Council Website
Newsletter Editor: Mike Worden
IT-admin@indianakofc.org

2nd & 3rd Degree

January 28, 2018	12:00 noon ET	New Albany
January 28, 2018	7:00 pm ET	Indianapolis

Fourth Degree

February 3, 2018

10:00 am ET

Zionsville