James Cardinal Hickey Assembly 2974
November 2008

Upcoming meetings
The James Cardinal Hickey Assembly 2974 meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7 PM in the St. Brigid Elementary School Grade Seven classroom, formerly the Music Room, 130 W. Larkin St., Midland. Remaining meeting dates for 2008 are: Oct 28, Nov 25 and Dec 23. Please put these on your calendar

Dues are due
Billing for 2009 dues will be available at the October meeting. Save our assembly postage and pick up your bill then. Dues are $18, Chalice fund is $2 and HCCS Religious Ed program is $5 - total of $25 for regular members and $7 for Honorary Life members.

Not yet a member of the 4^th Degree?
Congratulations to Jack Sabourin from the San-ford council who joined the 4^th degree at the exemplification in Hancock on September 20.

The next Fourth Degree Exemplification will be in the Spring somewhere in the Gaylord Diocese. Lets start talking with our Third Degree Brother Knights and encourage them to take their Fourth Degree and become a member of our Patriotic Order. Only 17% of all Knights have taken all four degrees.

Color Corps Needs a Few Good Men
Any Fourth Degree Sir Knight interested in joining the Color Corps? We are in need of more new members. What if we had no one to serve as an honor guard at a Sir Knight's wake service or to participate when a council requests us? It is a very rewarding experience serving your Brother Knights and has a camaraderie that you can't get elsewhere.

A note on Casino Trips
The last trip for this year was on Wednesday, October 15 and was 1 seat away from a sell-out (1 person canceled due to illness) and we netted about $800. Great job, Shirley and Fred! There is no next trip scheduled, but Fred would like to book one before he leaves next month for Alabama - preferably for May.

Fred and Shirley need more support from our assembly members for these trips to continue to be a success. Please take the fliers that Fred provides and get them into the local area church bulletins and posted on local billboards. Let us do everything that we can do to help support and promote these bus trips as the proceeds go directly into our assembly treasury.

Memorial Mass
Our Assembly will join with the Midland County councils that we serve to hold a memorial Mass for all of our members who have passed on to their eternal rewards since July 1 of 2007. It will be at St. Brigid Church at 7 PM. Please attend. Color Corps members are asked to wear regalia.

Good of the Order
SK Robert Siegel passed away on September 16. Bob was an Honorary Life member of both his council and our assembly. May he rest in peace. Please pray for Cheryl Collins, wife of SK Kevin Collins and daughter of FN Matt Janson who had back surgery on August 20. Also for Fran Lyon, wife of SK Fred Lyon and for SK Irv Potts who had surgery on September 15.

Schedule of Event
The following events are open for all assembly members.
Color Corps members please wear regalia on dates, marked with an asterisk.

Oct	28	JCH Assembly Meeting 7 PM
Nov	18*	Memorial Mass 7 PM
Nov	25	JCH Assembly Meeting 7 PM

Exemplification Pictures
Would Don Fortier, Ty Traxler, Scott Roth, Frank Gerace and Gregg Zank attend the next meeting so FN Matt Janson can give you your pictures from the degree?

Fundraiser Ideas
Please provide any other fundraiser ideas you may have to Tim Berg (989-450-2582 or 989-662-6804) or Matt Janson (989­631-6956). We are always looking for new ideas and would be happy to look into or explore any opportunities. Some members would like to see us drop the casino trips, but we need something to take its place.

Last Meeting Notes. A couple of ideas were offered at the September meeting which could make us stand out in our community. The Santa Parade is looking for marchers and floats - could we create a float? Also, we want to hold a joint memorial service in November with our councils and recognize those Knights and Sir Knights that have recently departed.

From the Provincial Meeting:
FN Matt Janson, FC Chuck Batcke and PFN Frank Cieszlak attended the annual Hennepin (Michigan and Ohio districts) meeting on September 27.
A memorial Mass for each assembly's departed members began the Saturday session, and SKs Meier, Berg and Cauchy were remembered from our assembly.
Each one of us attended a different training session in the morning.
New by-laws are being printed and distributed. Among the changes coming will be an Honorary classification for those members reaching 65 years of age with 25 years (like the 3^rd degree). Also, 4^th degree membership will be open to all 3^rd degree knights with 6 months since they have joined.
Among the action taken by the six district masters was the decision that the Color Corps will not wear any pins on their tuxedos when in full regalia.
Also, when reciting the pledge, do not add the words "born and unborn" at the end.

Meetings
4^th Tuesdays 7PM St. Brigid School 130 W Larkin St Midland MI