Shepherd Program

Council #9482 Fast Start Membership Program involves getting the Shepherd program reenergized. Our goal for membership is not solely about hitting a number but focused on helping our Brother Catholic Gentleman in growing and getting involved in our Parish and Community. This program is designed to keep our new brothers interested, engaged, and involved in our activities.

Becoming a Shepherd

Do you remember what it felt like the first time you came to a Knights of Columbus meeting? For most people it was like the experience of a fish out of water in that here you are in a room of men that know and love one another. Here you are standing there, the outsider. Sure brothers would come and introduce themselves and the Membership Director would make it a point to point you out and you would be introduced to the council as a whole but maybe still feeling like an outsider.

What the Shepherding Program is designed to do is to help new members feel welcome in our council, meet their fellow brothers, develop interest and become involved with our activities, all of which generates enthusiasm and improves retention.

You, as a current member, have agreed to shepherd a new brother. This process should take place until the new memberbecomes available for the Shining Armor Award which includes:

Being involved in at least three council service programs.
Attend at least three council business meetings.
Receive their Second and Third degrees.
Meet with their council’s insurance representative.
Recruit at least one new member.

To accomplish the duties of becoming a Shepherd, you should:

Call your new brother and make sure they are aware of the upcoming meetings and events. Invite them personally.
Make sure that they can get transportation to the meeting if necessary.
Remember St. Andrew the Apostle is a very large campus especially for some members of the parish that are just familiar with where the church is. Take a few extra moments before the meeting to make sure that your newbrother makes it to the right place.
Teach them how to present their membership card to theguards.
Take time to introduce the new member to other brothers at any meeting or event.
Sit together and help them understand the flow of proceedings.
Coach and encourage each new member to become involved by attending and helping at a pancake breakfast, blood drive, Stadium fundraiser and/or any other events.
Fill out your monthly progress updates online at http://kofc9482.org/shepherd-update.

Each member is going to have their own interests and it’s yourtask to try to help the new member find how his passions and skills can best be utilized. Be available and supportive of the milestone in your brother’s journey to full knighthood by talking to them about becoming a 3rd degree, and if at all possible sponsor their taking of their second and third degree. Typically this would probably not occur before the candidate has been in the council for 3-4 months, but this is up to the member.

Just remember that this program is designed to keep our new brothers interested, engaged, and involved in our activities as soon as possible. By your actions as their shepherd, it will go miles towards increasing their retention and generating fresh ideas for the council not to mention improving the relationship this new brother has with their brothers in the Knights of Columbus.

Congratulations on becoming a Shepherd for Council 9482. It is an honor to mentor a new member of the Knights of Columbus and watch them transform into a better Father, Husband, Brother and more committed Catholic Gentleman.