Meeting 8th November 2010

[Alastair]

This Monday evening we had 20 Knights and Dames that attended the Priory meeting. This was the first meeting since the International Convention where as the host Priory we were very busy indeed.

Now was the time to decide the way forward for the St James Priory and so many matters were discussed.

We have created committees for...

Fund Raising
This committee will identify fund raising activities and where identified will work to bring them to fruition and hopefully make us lots of money for our charitable works. It was thought possible that we could raise $100,000 during this year.

Events
This committee will identify events that the Priory can hold as social events where we can also introduce prospective members to the Priory.

Communications
This committee will be responsible for the bi-monthly newsletter and the Priory web site.

Clean Water
This being one of our charitable activities this committee will investigate possible projects, cost them and then see they are taken forward when funds are available.

Holy Land
This being another of our charitable activities where we wish to carry out a project in the Holy Land that will support Christian activities in the area. This committee will research the opportunities, identify the best one commensurate to the funds we are able to raise.

Shoes and Spectacles
This is the one activity we have been already successful at and this committee will look into ways of doing even better and ensure appropriate steps are taken to take this forward.

Finance Committee
To look after our books, issue charitable receipts and ensure we are solvent.

We also discussed the membership and the need to be completely accurate as to who was still a member and who had fallen by the way. In other words our record keeping was not of the best and this had to be resolved. We thus also have a Membership committee.

Other discussions included membership fees, whether to add a new Acolytes status for new potential members leading towards becoming a Postulate and then eventually a Knight or Dame.

Our Chancellor graciously resigned from his position as he said he was aware that due to Business and Personal matters he was aware he had not done enough to deserve the position. He did express his hope that he might merit this position at a later date as he can get more involved.

It was also intimated at the meeting that over 20 people had expressed a genuine desire to join our order. It was also pointed out that it had taken one Knight two years to find a way to contact the order so that he might be considered for membership. This clearly illustrated the need to make contact with us much easier.

We also discussed raising the sum sent to the Grand Prior of Canada as we found that the Windsor Priory had taken on a supporting role which we felt should be shared by all the Priories in Canada.

At the end of the evening our Prior made available several bottles of champagne as a thank you to all for the work done to make the International Convent a great success.

I might add that this is an informal account of the meeting from my own recollection and should not be confused with any official account that may be forthcoming.

Alastair

[LuRose Williams]

Alastair it would be nice to know standing rules of joining the Community. I belonged to the Third order of St Dominic while living in Kansas. I truly enjoyed the retreats and different occasions the Sisters held...A sense of belonging to something...

Thanks...

Lu..

[Alastair]

Hi Lu... I believe you have to be a Christian and a citizen of good repute. Joining the order is actually by invitation but you can certainly email the local priory to make an inquiry. Mind you to date most Templar sites are not very good at responding to email enquirers. That is something we are trying to address.

Alastair

[LuRose Williams]

Thanks Allie...

[Alastair]

I will say that when it comes to charity work of the Priory I have reflected on what our main aims are. I note that the Windsor Priory works on 40% local, 40% National (Canada) and 20% International.

I feel that our Clean Water work is not what we should be doing and instead I'd like to focus more efforts in Canada. For example I noted in the news tonight that Food Banks in Canada were used by over 1 million people and many of them are running out of food. There are other TV adverts on Canadian TV which say that over 1 million Canadians can't afford both rent and food. I think there might be a role for us here or indeed in other areas within Canada.

When it comes to the charity project in the Holy Land we are looking at infrastructure projects but even here I'd like to look at other options for us. Christians are certainly under pressure and so I think there is scope for other work there.

I think it would be good to have a discussion on all this.