e-Membership Announcement

Worthy District Deputies and Worthy Grand Knights,

I have some very exciting news to share with you. The Arizona jurisdiction has been selected as one of the few states chosen to roll out Online Membership, a new way to bring Catholic men to the Knights of Columbus. This has been in the works for some time, with Immediate Past State Deputy Larry Becker first being updated at the State Deputy Mid-Year Meeting in November 2015. Because of his involvement from the start, his proven record of membership recruitment and leading Arizona to our first Circle of Honor award in several years, I have asked him to lead our efforts on this initiative.

Online Membership will not replace your need to find and bring every eligible Catholic man into our Order. It is a stepping stone we can use to bring to us men we might not otherwise reach. You will still be involved to bring them into your local Councils and engage them to become active Knights as we build the Domestic Church in support of our Parishes.

Online Membership is now live in Connecticut and Arizona. Councils and members may now invite eligible men to join the Order online by sending them to www.kofc.org/joinus

This is a pilot program, and is currently only available in a limited number of jurisdictions. The goal of this initiative is to introduce men to our Order in a way that will strengthen and benefit all councils and members, and to recruit young men who will be the future of our Order. The goal of this pilot is to learn. Your communication and input are key, so please contact your state officers with any questions or comments.

This initiative is a result of our Order-wide listening sessions and membership surveys, as well as ongoing input from our state deputies. We firmly believe that there are many Catholic men    out there who can benefit from membership in the Knights of Columbus, and we intend to bring that opportunity to them. This pilot presents a tremendous opportunity for the continued growth of our fraternity.

Online Membership gives us:

·         A Faster Way to Join – One of the most common objections to joining the Knights of Columbus is “I don’t have time.” Through Online Membership, a join process that can take as many as two months now takes five minutes.

·         An Amplified Message – The Online Membership initiative is backed by a substantial, digital and data driven marketing campaign that will find and work to convert prospective members. We are investing in advertising membership in the pilot jurisdictions.

·         A Stronger Brand –This initiative does not change requirements for membership, but it does provide a new membership initiative that is tailored to younger men and busier men who may not yet be ready for council-based membership. This low-pressure, low- commitment experience enables us to bring more men into the fold. Council-based membership is still the goal, as is progression through the degrees – but this will provide a new option for the beginning of a Knight’s journey.

Attached is a list of Frequently Asked Questions to provide more background on this pilot program. There will be an upcoming webinar to further explain the Online Membership pilot. Details will be released shortly.

We are also working to provide Officers with access to www.knights.net –a new, online membership portal. In the interim, do not sign up as eMembers. This is a tool for non-members to join, not for existing members.

We are excited to begin this initiative, and to begin it with you. Thank you for your partnership and for your leadership in your councils and districts. We look forward to welcoming more Catholic men into our brotherhood and helping them to experience the transformative power of membership in the Knights of Columbus.

Vivat Jesus!

Sean E. Halpain State Deputy

Arizona Knights of Columbus

 FAQ

1.      What is the Online Membership initiative?

The Online Membership initiative is an online program through which eligible Catholic men can join the Knights of Columbus.

The Online Membership initiative is designed to meet to do two things. First, the Online Membership initiative allows eligible Catholic men to join the Knights of Columbus online, through a streamlined, optimized process. Second, the initiative provides these members with a newly created and predominately digital Online Membership experience, which will help them to grow as Knights and as Catholic men, and will revolve around the four main themes of faith, charity, advocacy, and insurance.

2.      How does someone join through the Online Membership initiative?

Men interested in joining the Knights of Columbus through the Online Membership initiative will fill out an online application. As part of that application, they will attest to their membership eligibility (practical Catholic men, over the age of 18), will fill out basic demographic information, and will pay dues. The entire process will take a matter of minutes.

3.      What will these members do?

Once they have completed their registration, men who join the Order online will be given access to a web- based Online Membership portal and will begin receiving regular electronic communication from the Supreme Council. While they will receive a number of other benefits, the digital experience will form the core of their Knights of Columbus experience.

Content distributed to the member through the portal and direct communication will revolve around the four themes of: Lead with Faith, Protect Your Family, Serve Others and Defend Your Values.

Through these four themes, these men will not only grow as individuals, but will become acclimated with the good work and rich history of the Knights of Columbus, thereby strengthening their affinity with the Knights of Columbus brand, and setting the stage for lifelong, active membership. They will also receive regular news updates from the Supreme Council, as well as news and event information from their State Council.

4.      Do these members belong to councils?

eMembers do not belong to local councils. Instead, they belong to state divisions. Each jurisdiction will have one state division, which houses all of that jurisdiction’s eMembers

5.      How do these eMembers differ from members of local councils?

Though they have not yet taken the first degree, eMembers are members of the Knights of Columbus. As members, they have the right to purchase insurance on themselves, their spouses, and their minor children. As members, they receive Columbia magazine. As members, they receive the free accidental death benefit (age restrictions apply). As members, they are eligible for participation in the family fraternal benefit.

6.      Can Online Members join local councils?

Yes. eMembers can become members of local councils by transferring and taking the First Degree. When a member finds a local council he likes, he may deepen his involvement in the Knights of Columbus by converting his membership from his State Division into that local council to take his degrees. Since these members will not have taken the first degree, that ceremonial will be part of their transition.

7.      How will councils know about these potential new members?

During the application process, applicants will need to provide the name of the parish they attend. There is a field to indicate if they would like to join a local council, and the opportunity to indicate their preferred council number if they have one. Both of these tools will generate reports and emails to facilitate the transition towards local council membership.

8.      How would a council admit an eMember into their council?

A transition would be initiated by the local council’s Financial Secretary. The receiving council would complete a Form 100 for “Transfer” after the First Degree and submit to the Supreme Council. After transitioning to a local council, the member would retain his online access to the Knights of Columbus membership experience, but cease paying his membership dues online, and instead begin to pay his local council’s membership dues. The receiving council would receive the member’s dues adjustment for the fraternal year.

9.      How will state division members be assigned an Agency?

Since state division do not belong to local councils they will be assigned for visibility purposes through the postal code assignment system.

10.  What will these members hear about the insurance program?

The Online Membership experience revolves around four themes: Lead with Faith, Protect Your Family, Serve Others and Defend Your Values.

The “Protect Your Family” theme showcases the Catholic difference of the Order’s insurance program, informing eMembers of our business, our Catholic practices, our product lines, and our agents. While regularly encouraging the eMembers to find and reach out to their field agent, the Online Membership initiative also provides members with financial literacy such as “Life Insurance 101,” and other professional resources that help to establish the Knights of Columbus as a trusted friend and advisor.

11.  How will we know that prospective eMembers are eligible for membership?

When a prospective member begins the Online Membership application process, the first step is for them to declare that they are: (1) a baptized Catholic male, (2) 18 years of age or older, and (3) a practical Catholic.

Once they check those three boxes, and a fourth box which indicates that they agree to abide by the laws and rules of the Knights of Columbus, they click “proceed to join” and proceed to the next page. They cannot continue if any of the four boxes have not been checked.

Additionally, before they hit the “proceed to join” button, they are presented with the following message: "Failure to answer truthfully to any of these declarations, or failure to remain a practical Catholic in union with the Holy See, renders void your membership in the Knights of Columbus."

Prospects are also required to submit parish information during the application process.

Last edited: October 16, 2017