Knights of Columbus Council 12408 News Letters

December 2008

Grand Knights Message:

Brothers,

This year has been very difficult for many of us. The downturn in the economy has caused the loss of untold numbers of jobs. As the Christmas Season draws nearer, we need to reflect on what is truly important in our lives. For many people, Advent and Christmas have become a time of commercialism and consumerism. We must resist the temptation to fall back on material things to lift us up, and reflect on those blessings God has given to us.

Advent gives us an opportunity to anticipate and prepare for the coming or Christ our savior, and to reflect on what the Church teaches us about the coming of Jesus. Christians believe that the season of Advent serves a dual reminder of the original waiting that was done by the Hebrews for the birth of their Messiah as well as the waiting that Christians today endure as they await the second coming of Jesus.

Christmas is the time when we celebrate the birth of Christ the King, savior of the world. The word "Christmas" is a contraction of two words "Christ's mass". Without Christ there is no Christmas.

Christmas gives us an additional opportunity to share with others the blessings that have been bestowed upon us. Opportunities such as donating Sweatshirt to the kids at Holy Cross Children’s Services, and serving the poor and homeless of Detroit Christmas dinner.

Look around, there is someone who is in greater need than we are, no matter what is happening in our lives. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Merry Christmas!
Mark L. Palmer
Grand Knight

Keep Christ in Christmas!!!

Council Recognitions:

November
Knight of the Month: Tony Recchia
Family of the Month: Joe Chase

Happy Birthday!!
December Birthdays:

Carl Gildner	12/01
Thomas Brabant	12/02
Joel Karboske	12/02
Juan Carvajal	12/03
Ken Pulver	12/04
John Morse	12/07
Philip Ching	12/13
Frank Mills	12/18
Chris Buono	12/24
Rev. Krzystof Nowak	12/31

Meeting Reminder
If you have not been to a meeting in a while, here’s an opportunity to have a say so in the operations of the council. Our meetings are held the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. A listing of meetings for the following months follows:

December	9	No 2^nd Meeting
January	13	27
February	10	24

Meetings are held in the Conference Center located in the Plaza with YaYa’s Chicken, on Woodward Ave. Just North of the Church. Park in the Northwood Church Parking lot and enter through the rear of the building. It is mandatory that you present a current membership card to enter the meetings.

Council Christmas Party
Our Council Christmas party is scheduled for December 9th beginning at 7:00pm. Please contact Matt Kennedy at 248-435-4939 if you would like to bring something to share. Santa will be arriving around 7:45 and he could use help with a gift for your child or grandchild costing $15.00 or less.

Friday Fish Dinner
Knights of Columbus Councils 12408 and 4188 team up on Friday December 12, 2008.

Knights of Columbus Hall
870 N. Main Street, Clawson MI, 48017
(248) 588-3547

Baked Cod, Fried Cod, Crab Cakes, Baked Potatoes, French Fries, Coleslaw, Vegetable, Roll, Coffee Tea or Pop, Dessert

Dinner is served from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM

Please make an effort to attend the Fish Fry’s. Bring your family, or just get a carry out order. Our council receives half of the profit from these events, so every dinner we sell goes to help our bottom line.

State Raffle
By now you should have received your packet of tickets containing this years State Raffle. The list of prizes this year is well worth the small investment of a ticket. You will notice that the format for the tickets this year is different than years past. By providing the tickets on perforated sheets, as opposed to booklets, the Michigan State Council was able to achieve a substantial savings. Another change you will notice, each ticket is bar-coded. In that barcode is the council number, removing the need for people to write it on the ticket. The barcode ensures that an accurate count of the number of tickets sold by each council. Just as in years past, each council will be reimbursed $1.00 for each $5.00 dollar ticket sold. Additionally, the seller of the Grand Prize ticket will win $1,000.00. If you did not receive your tickets, or if you need more tickets, I do have a few extra sheets of 8.

Vocations Recognition Dinner
Friday January 16, 2009 we will once again be holding the annual District Vocations Recognition Dinner at the Fr. John M. Lynch Council 4188 Hall in Clawson. Mark Palmer will be coordinating our councils involvement. Additional details will be made available as we get closer to the date.

Sweatshirt For Kids
Our Councils participation in the annual “Sweatshirts For Kids” project began in November and runs through December 12th. Sweatshirts must be new and have a college or pro sports logo on it. Sizes needed are Large and up. Barrels are out in the Church lobbies on weekends. You may also drop off your sweatshirts to the Rectory during the week. We will be delivering the sweatshirts to Bro. Francis on Saturday December 13, leaving the Church Parking lot around 9:00 AM.

Dues
Statements will be coming out soon for dues for 2009. The Culture of Life Fund has been set up by the Supreme Council to promote building a Culture of Life. Each council in the order is being assessed a $3.00 per member charge to fund this effort. You will see an optional item on your dues statement to reflect this, we must pay this assessment if the member wished to contribute or not. As a reminder, Dues are $30.00, $10.00 of that goes to the Michigan State Council, $2.00 goes to the Supreme Council, and $3.00 goes to Boysville (Holy Cross Children’s Services), and with the Culture of Life Fund, that leaves us with $12.00 per member as our operating capital. You have an opportunity to donate $3.00 to the Boysville Fund, even if you do not donate the council is still required to pay the per member fee. Another Optional Donation is $12.00 for the McGivney Chair for Life Ethics at Sacred Heart Seminary. And the Final Optional Charity is $5.00 for Take 5, the fund that the State Council uses to support charities they designate. As you can see, we can quickly run into a financial difficulty if we continue to cover those members who have not paid there dues. It is imperative that you return your statements with your payment to the Financial Secretary on time and as soon as possible. Please remember, that you need to be current in your 3^rd Degree Dues to be an active member in the 4^th Degree. If you are unable to pay your dues, contact us, we can work with you so that your membership does not lapse.

CHRISTMAS at All Saints Soup Kitchen
2008

The Knights of Columbus are once again serving the poor & homeless of S.W. Detroit on Christmas day. This is such a wonderful way to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ! Knights and their families (kids 10 & up) are welcome to be a part of this awesome charity service which will include not only the serving of a hot lunch, but entertainment by way of hearty Christmas choir.

Where : All Saints Church, Detroit (Fort St. & Springwells)
When: 10:30 - 1:30pm (lunch is served 11-12:30)
Who : You!

If you are interested in helping at All Saints this Christmas, please contact Joe Chase at josephrchase@sbcglobal.net or 248-589-2448.

Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Merry Christmas !!!!!!!!!!

2^nd Annual Michigan Knights
Bus Trip Attending
36^th Annual March on Washington

Departs: Council 788 in Lansing: 2:00 p.m., January 21, 2009
Departs: St. Mary Church in Chelsea: 3:30 p.m., January 21, 2009
Arrive: Basilica, Washington D.C.: 7:00 a.m. Mass, Jan 22, 2009
Meet: March staging area: 11:30 a.m., Jan 22, 2009
After March: Depart for Hampton Inn, Old Towne Alexandria, Va
Cost for Hampton Inn: $159 per room plus tax for up to 4 people
Reservations: Call Hampton Inn directly at 1-703-329-1400

Place on your credit card, Rooms under Knights of Columbus
(contact is Sue Thorn)

Cost of Bus: $105.00 per person
Make check for bus payable to:

Michigan State Knights of Columbus

Mail to: Paul and Sue Thorn
768 Lockmoore Ct.
Rochester Hills, Mi 48307

Phone Inquiries: 248-852-1758

The cost of the trip of $105 per person is round trip. The bus returns to Chelsea and Lansing at 8 a.m. on Friday, January 23. Expected arrival back in Lansing would be about 8 p.m. that evening. We are spending the evening of January 22 at the Hampton Inn. Information on this was in the most recent Michigan Columbian, but I have attached the information below. The bus is scheduled to depart Lansing at 2 p.m. on January 21, with a stop to pick up additional passengers in Chelsea.

Please contact us if you need additional information.

Paul Thorn, State Respect Life Director.

News submissions are invited from all our Brothers, Officers, Directors and

Committee Chairs to be included in our newsletter.

Address all information to:

Mark L. Palmer, 1774 Keats Avenue, Madison Heights, MI 48071

(248) 588-3469 (248) 282-5179 FAX Email: mark_l_palmer@hotmail.com

Volunteer! ! ! Get Involved! ! ! Make a Difference! ! !

Contact our officers, directors and committee chairs to help out

Grand Knight	Mark L. Palmer	248.588.3469
Deputy GK	Bill Edgar	248.880.3402
Chancellor	Tony Recchia	248.398.3196
Fin. Sec.	Joe Guarino	248.399.4384
Recorder	Chester Ostrowski	248.288.6685
Youth Director (Squires)	Joe Chase	248.589.2448
Degree Team	Tom Moll	248.549.4136
Insurance	Joe Jackman	248.514.6264
4th Degree/Color Corp	Ed Ching	248.414.5811
Life Issues	Sam Mannino	248.545.2410
	Jerry Bosley	248.541.4491

Advertising / Circulation

Brian H. Malover

Malover Ink, Inc.

330 E. Maple Rd., Suite I

Troy, MI 48083-2706

(248) 616-0990 Fax (248) 616-0303

Email: maloverink@aol.com

Council Meetings

Our meetings are held in the Church Conference Center.

North of the church in the commercial strip center, across Northwood Blvd. Near Ya-Ya’s Chicken.

Park in the Northwood parking lot and enter thru the rear of the building.

Meetings are the 2^nd & 4^th Tuesday of the month

At 7:30p

Our Little Flower

Published by

Knights of Columbus

National Shrine of the Little Flower

Council No. 12408

A Parish based Council

2100 West Twelve Mile Rd.

Royal Oak, MI 48073

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When you visit www.kofc.org, our official website, spend some time on the insurance portion of the site. This will help keep you well versed on this fraternal benefit offered to all members.

Vivat Jesus

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