Knights of Columbus 7880

Worthy Grand Knight

As we embark on a new fraternal year, I know that you’re all anxious to leave your mark and  lead your council to an outstanding year of support for your parish and community, of service to your members and their families, and of membership growth.

The best way to accomplish those goals is to get started right away, and I’m happy to inform  you that the Supreme Council is anxious to help you do exactly that. We will be hosting two virtual Exemplifications of Charity, Unity & Fraternity tomorrow night at 7pm and 10pm Eastern Time, and on every Thursday in July at the same times.

July is typically a slow intake month in many areas, but this year can be different. Prospects  don’t have to leave where they are to join the Knights of Columbus. If a prospect is at the lake or the beach with his family, he doesn’t need to leave. If a prospect is hesitant to leave home due to rising rates of COVID, he doesn’t have to. All he needs to join is a WiFi connection and 

Robert J. Ennis
Director of Membership Growth 
CC: State Deputies
State Membership Directors
Council Membership Directors

MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES

• Call all members and parishioners, especially those you haven’t seen or heard from in a while. Ask how they’re doing. Ask if there is anything the council can do to help them through these difficult days. And ask them if they know anyone who might want to help the council advance it’s mission of service to the parish and community.
• Publicize the good works of the council and the Order. The more men know about who we are and what we do, the more receptive they’ll be to an invitation to join.
• Make sure your parish web site and/or eBulletin has information about the Order’s Into the Breach and other faith formation materials. Especially in areas where Masses are still cancelled or severely curtailed, these materials will fill a very real spiritual

  void.

• Have a conversation with your pastor. What does he need? Servers for virtual Masses? People to clean and disinfect the Church, getting it ready for Masses to resume? Be the organization he can count on…and remind him that with more members, you’d be able to provide even greater service.
• Conduct food drives. One of the first things the Supreme Council did at the onset of the pandemic was provide direct support to food banks. But the Supreme Council can’t make an impact in every community. Your councils can! And you can be visible while you do it.
• Host a blood drive. The need for blood is great, but the pandemic has caused the cancellation of many drives. Host a drive in your Church Hall or council meeting place, and publicize it throughout your parish and community. Make sure those members who volunteer at the drive or who donate are wearing their KofC gear.
• Most importantly, focus on what you can do, not on what you cannot. We all know that we’re limited in what we can do. But that doesn’t mean that we’re powerless. If you believe – as I know you do – that new members are needed now more than ever – I know you’ll figure out how to find those new members.
• Councils should forward this downloadable PDF invitation to all eligible prospects for admission and advancement (click here).
•  Instruct the candidates to register for the exemplification of their choice by clicking on its associated link within the PDF invitation and filling out the online form. Note that they will need your council number to complete the registration.
• Contact the candidates to guide them through the registration if needed.
• Candidates then participate in the scheduled ceremony.
• After the ceremony, councils must process the candidates by submitting form 100s the traditional way or electronically in Officers Online.

* Note that candidates for admission must be approved by your council. See the temporary rules for electronic voting (click here).