Knightly
News
Address: St. Joseph/ St. Raymond, Columbian Squires Circle #3847 Council #6850, Assembly #2644
P.O.
Box 970, Raymond, NH 03077
Grand Knight’s Message
Brothers,
As I prepare to finalize this month’s message, I do so with a heavy heart as I have just been informed of the passing this morning (Friday 12/1) of Brother Sir Knight Norm Elliott. For those of you who may not have known, Norm had been battling cancer for several months and though quite ill, maintained a brave face until the end. He will be sadly missed. Please keep his wife Jean and all his family in your prayers.
Well, here we are turning the calendar to December and boy are we getting busy preparing for the coming celebration of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. This past weekend, we started the outside decorating of our church. Father Mike has purchased some new additions to go along with last year’s collection that promises to make for a real festive display. The Squires’ Nativity Figurines have been carefully set up under the watchful eye of Judy Annis and Rick Cabral has purchased some beautiful Christmas trees for the boys to sell after our Masses beginning this weekend. Additionally, we have the two Crèches to deliver and set up in the Epping and Raymond Town Commons. We can certainly use lots of helping hands, so please volunteer as much as possible.
Our Children’s Christmas Party is Sunday afternoon, December 10 from 1:00PM to 3:30PM in the Church Hall. If you have young ones and plan to attend, please call Mike and Judy Annis as soon as possible at 895-4713. They need to know each child’s name, age, and whether boy or girl as Santa will be passing out gifts. Volunteers are also welcomed.
The following weekend, on Sunday afternoon December 17, the adults get to play. Our Christmas Party/Yankee Swap begins at 4:00PM with a meal, then fun with swapping of gifts. Again, if you plan on participating, call Mike or Judy. We need a head count real soon for the food. We hope to see many of you there!
A group of Knights from our Council journeyed with several of our Squires to Manchester last Saturday afternoon to march in the city’s Christmas parade. The weather was good and a large turnout of spectators made for a good afternoon.
I want to take a moment to say a heartfelt “Thank You” to all in our Council and the many Squires who gathered at Church on Tuesday evening, November 21 as is our tradition to help deliver twelve Thanksgiving Baskets to families in our area who are a little less fortunate.
Now, being that it is the end of another year, I must issue a plea to all in Council 6850 to please take some time, sit and fill out the annual fraternal survey so that I may turn in our reports on time to State Council and by doing our part, help the Knights of Columbus maintain its tax exempt status. A copy of the survey is included in this month’s newsletter. It has fairly simple instructions to follow which helps to make this a pretty painless ordeal.
Please keep in your Prayers, Clarence Desrosiers and Kevin Harrington who have been ill, as well as Tona McCarthy who is having hip surgery on December 14th. Also, Leo Blouin has surgery scheduled for end of December. Please pray for the full recovery of John Aquino, the young son of Bruce and Tammy Aquino who was involved in a serious car accident.
In closing, I pray for all our Brother Knights and their families, Father Mike, as well as all the many loving and kind Parishioners of St. Joseph’s Church that we celebrate the most safe, healthy, and joyous of Christmas Holidays!! May God grant us Peace on Earth in our lifetime.
Vivat Jesus,
Dave Biron
2 Kevin Gallagher 6 Michael Colford
19 Nick Petropulos 22 Greg Theriault
26 Gary Driscoll 29 David Cruz
December 1st, First Friday Adoration 7:00AM-7:30AM Saturday, Healing Service at 7:00PM
December 2nd, First Saturday Mass 8:00AM
December 3rd, Squires’ Sunday 8:00AM Mass, Meeting at 9:00AM
December 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th, and Rosary Devotion 7:00PM
December 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th Friday Adoration 7:00AM-7:00PM
December 9th, Raymond Christmas Parade 3:30PM, Choir Christmas Dinner 6:00PM
December 10th, Business Meeting 9:00AM, Children’s Christmas Party 12:00PM-3:30PM
December 17th, Adult Christmas Party 4:00PM, Seventh Trumpet Mass 3:00PM Manchester
December 20th, Christmas Baskets Delivered
December 24th, NO ASSEMBLY BUSINESS MEETING
December 25th, Christmas Day
Family of the Month for November 2006 --- TBA
New 3rd Degree Member ---Scott Townsend
SQUIRES NEWS
The Squire’s will not be hosting their monthly dinner as they graciously give up that day in December for the Choir’s Christmas Dinner. They will however be selling Christmas Trees again this year after all Masses the next two weekends by the shed. Please help in supporting them. Their dinner went well last month as usual. Several boys also helped with the delivery of a Thanksgiving Basket as they have done in the past
COUNCIL NEWS
A $39.00 bill was handed in by Grand Knight Dave Biron for stamps. The Council received a Thank You Card from the Burelle family for our donation to the Walk by the Sea Fund. December 5 is slated for Light up for Christ Day. The Council and Assembly were invited to the Salem Christmas Parade on November 26. Discussion was brought up on how to support the Sunshine Fund. Our Chaplin Father Mike informed us about the Family Mission, decorating of the church grounds and that things were looking good for the Church Fair. Grand Knight Dave Biron presented the Columbian Award plaque to the Council for Service Program submitted for the 2005-2006 Fraternal Year. The GK Dave Biron, Rick Cabral and District Deputy Ron Metevier attended the Quarterly Meeting. At this time, a $200.00 check was given to our State Deputy Tom Ingham for the Build a Church in Ghana. The GK thanked Tona McCarthy for Chairing the Social Dinner in October. From the Social Dinner 50/50 raffle, $20.00 was handed over to our Treasurer. A $250 check from a family member of Paul Laurence (who passed away a few months ago) was to be placed into the Sunshine Fund. A Mass in honor of Paul Laurence is schedule for December 31 at the 10:30AM. A $327.00 check was handed to Fr. Mike for the Religious Education program. This money was raised by selling the State Ball Raffle Tickets. There are 12 Thanksgiving Baskets to be handed out this year as pick up of food will be November 20th with the delivery done on the 21st, which is a Tuesday. The Adult Christmas Party was discussed as it will be catered by students of the Seacoast Student Technology Program. The last Tootsie Roll Drive in October Raised $535.85. Ron Metevier talked about the Christmas Parade in Raymond and that the Council and Assembly will be participating this year on December 9. Leo Blouin is playing Santa at Ben Franklin and is looking for help.
Our District Deputy reported that Mike Flynn from Special Olympics attended the Quarterly Meeting and was thanking the Knights of Columbus for their support. He urged that all Brothers should be filling out the fraternal survey and return it as soon as possible to the GK. He stressed that we need to bring in new Members into the Order and that there is a new State Website. Ron also mentioned that the new State Master is urging that all 3rd Degree members should strongly think about becoming a 4th Degree member. In closing Ron read a letter from Supreme Knight Carl Anderson asking Brother Knights and their families to pray for the Pope while he travels through Turkey.
FOURTH DEGREE NEWS
Faithful Navigator Dave Hamilton thanks those Sir Knights that were able to be Honor Guards for the St Joseph Mass for the Deceased. A few Sir Knights attended the Pilgrimage in early October held in Pepperell MA. There will be no Assembly meeting on December 24th. An Honor Guard is needed once again for the Midnight Mass. Please contact FN Dave Hamilton at 895-9667 if you are able to attend.
A very Merry and safe Christmas to you all and your families!
God Bless,
Dave Hamilton,F.N.
2006 ANNUAL SURVEY OF FRATERNAL ACTIVITY INDIVIDUAL MEMBER WORKSHEET
Last year, the Knights of Columbus donated more than $128.5 million to charitable and benevolent causes and 60.8 million hours of volunteer community service to aid the less fortunate, to help prepare our Fraternal Survey for the Supreme Council office, please complete the information requested below and return it at our next meeting. This information will assist us in determining the total number of hours of community service volunteered by our members during 2006.
1. Number of visits you made during 2006 to:
Sick - caring for the sick/nursing homes/hospitals… __________________________
Bereaved - visits of condolence… __________________________
2. Number of times you served as a blood donor during 2006... __________________________
3. Estimated hours of community volunteer service during 2006:
Church Activities - service in all Church related activities… __________________________
Community Activities - service in all community related activities .... __________________________
Youth Activities - service in all youth related activities... __________________________
Miscellaneous Activities - service in areas not outlined above... __________________________
4. Number of hours of fraternal service during 2006:
Sick/disabled members and their families -
household chores, transportation, tutoring, counseling, etc. ... __________________________