Ashley Resler and her 27 blankets she made for her project.
Presenting the blankets to Crisis Nursery in Princeton.
Brother Knights: November is coming to an end, but the council year is well underway. The memorial mass was held last knight for our deceased knights and family members of knights. One of those knights that I feel compelled to let you know about is Larry Silverdahl, who died just recently. He is a great loss to our council and the community.
The last second Sunday brunch went well. We made over 400 dollars on this one. Thank you to all of you who showed up to help. The up coming brunch will be run by Dick Dols. We need some one to chair the January brunch.
I am going to hammer on an old subject; recruitment. The good news is, we have added two insurance members so far this year. Thank you to our insurance agent Wes for getting this done. The bad news is we have not added any new members. Our council needs new members. In January or February, we are going to have a membership drive. It will be on the weekend before the second Sunday brunch. We will be at all masses asking if people would like to join us. We will need lots of help.
As the holiday season quickly approaches, we will all get caught up in hustle and bustle of it all. Please take a few minutes to remember that this season is really about the birth of Jesus Christ and that he was born in order to save us. My wife Sandy found the following excerpt about the twelve days of Christmas and what they really mean. If you would like to see the whole story of this song go to "http://www.cin.org/twelvday.html."
"The song's gifts are hidden meanings to the teachings of the faith. The "true love" mentioned in the song doesn't refer to an earthly suitor, it refers to God Himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person. The partridge in a pear tree is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In the song, Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge which feigns injury to decoy predators from her helpless nestlings, much in memory of the expression of Christ's sadness over the fate of Jerusalem: "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! How often would I have sheltered thee under my wings, as a hen does her chicks, but thou wouldst not have it so..."The other symbols mean the following:
2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese A-laying = the six days of creation
7 Swans A-swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking = the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping = the ten commandments
11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed."
Please keep in your prayers Duane Arett; he is having a pace maker implanted.
During the October meeting, we distributed the 03-04 calendar of events and the membership list. If you do not have one, please contact me and I will get them to you. I also distributed the volunteer hour tally sheets at the November meeting. Please contact me if you need one. I will collect these at the December meeting.
Thank you to all of the ladies for providing hors d' oeuvres at the November Memorial Mass and meeting. This year was especially difficult with the recent losses of Jane Nieland and Larry Silverdahl. They will both be missed very much.
I would like to remind everyone of the Seniors Christmas Party on 12/5/03. Lorraine would like the turkey donations between 11/28 and 12/2. The ladies are asked to each bring a hot dish and salad for the meal. We will serve dinner at 6:30 with entertainment to follow at 7:30. I look forward to seeing everyone there. This is always an event I look forward to.
A reminder that the ladies are meeting a week early in December, on December 10th. We will meet at 6:30 at my home. If you need directions, please call me. I ask that you bring a dish for the pot luck and wrapping paper and other items for wrapping the presents for the adopted families. We will also have a $5 gift exchange.
Since the ladies don't meet in January, please remember to contact Jan Dols or Anita Loerzel to sign up for a shift at the coat check at the Concertina Party.
My family and I would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season.
Sandy Resler
President
Brother Knights, you have access to one of the largest insurance companies in North America. This access is exclusive to members. Near the first of 2004, the Knights of Columbus estimate that there will be 50 BILLION ($50,000,000,000) dollars of life insurance in force.
We have the TOP ratings from Standard and Poor's and A.M. Best. (www.ambest.com and www.standardandpoor.com).
When I call for an appointment I do not want to just "sell insurance". I am required by Supreme to visit with our members to make sure the benefits of membership are clear and to complete a short fraternal survey that will explore how I can assist in answering any apparent needs.
Our products are life insurance (term and whole life), IRA's, annuities, as well as Long Term Care. I will not sell you any product unless you need it. Also, more powerful than that is, it's your money and you have to agree to spend it.
I just ask for a friendly, fraternal visit so that my required visit by Supreme helps to fulfill our charter of "to serve and provide financial aid and assistance to members and their families".
Like most, I specifically enjoy the celebration of Christ's birth and take this time to offer you my prayers and wishes for a joyous and prosperous holiday season. Granted, Christmas is a busy season. I also appreciate the tree and other decorations and look forward to seeing yours.
Wes Oglesbee
Benefits Representative (Field Agent)
The December 3rd Officers meeting will be in the Annex. The December 17th general membership meeting will also be in the Annex with a light lunch after the meeting.
We are getting good crowds after the masses for our breakfasts. We are also getting a good turnout from our helpers. We do need a little more help after the 11:00 am mass, especially in cleaning up.
Carrots, Eggs or Coffee
One day a young woman sat at the table with her mother. She was complaining about how things were not going right in her life and how hard life was. The stress, the work and the pressure left her feeling empty. Her mother, as she listened, calmly took out three pots. In one pot she put some carrots, in another she put some eggs and in the third she put some coffee beans. She put water in each pot and set them to boil. Once each item had boiled, the mother took them each off the stove. After emptying the water from the carrot, and the egg, and bringing over the pan where the coffee beans had mixed with the water to become coffee, she brought them over to her daughter and asked what she saw in each. First they looked at the carrots, which had turned soft and mushy in the water. Next they picked up an egg and cracked the outer shell to find the inside hard. Finally, yum, they smelled the aroma of the coffee that the coffee beans had made. "Which one are you?" the mother asked. "I don't understand", said the daughter. "Well", said the mother, "when hard times come, some people are like these carrots. They crumple and fold, they get all mushy and can't deal with adversity. Other people are like the eggs. The hard outer shell protects them from initial pain, but the soft inner part becomes hardened as they are put to the test. Lastly, look at the coffee beans, they work with the adversity dealt them and become something through the process. They work through and with the pain of the process to become delicious coffee. So, which one are you?" Remember in life, it is often our attitude toward a situation that counts the most, not the situation itself. What will you be the next time you are faced with a difficult situation - carrots, eggs or coffee?
Our council and the ladies auxiliary would like to congratulate Ashley Resler for completing her Girl Scout Silver award project. The project was to make tied fleece blankets and donate them to the Princeton Crisis Nursery. Ashley had a goal of 25 to 50 blankets. She completed this project with a total of 27. The Ladies Auxiliary donated Fifty dollars for Ashley to buy the materials for this project.
Ashley Resler and her 27 blankets she made for her project.
Presenting the blankets to Crisis Nursery in Princeton.