Hold a First Degree Within One Week of the Church Recruitment Drive
Promptly advancing candidates for membership through the exemplification of the First Degree is absolutely essential to successfully building and maintaining membership. Here are some suggestions when organizing your degree:
- If your council has a First Degree team, invite other councils in the area that do not have a team to bring their candidates to your First Degree. If your council does not sponsor a First Degree team, use the First Degree Video Production, available via Officers Online, to welcome candidates in a timely fashion or at a time that is convenient for the candidate.
- Schedule the degree within one week of your Church Recruitment Drive and publicize the degree at council meetings, in council bulletins, advertisements and mailings.
- Contact candidates a day or two in advance to confirm attendance. Advise them on recommended attire.
- If possible, arrange for the proposer or a member of the recruitment committee to pick up and escort a candidate to the First Degree.
- Have enough Candidate Kits (#531) — rosary, Knights of Columbus lapel pin, and These Men They Call Knights (#937) booklet — on hand for the First Degree Ceremonial.
- Advise new members of the next Second Degree exemplification date(s), location and time.
- Recognize new members and their proposers at the conclusion of the degree.
- Order and present New Member Certificates (#268) or current campaign degree certificates to degree recipients.
- Print the names of new members in the next scheduled council bulletin.