All posts by Fred Struck

Hello, My name is Fred Struck. I live in Sacramento California. I am a member of St. George Melkite-Greek Catholic Church where I am know as Reader Fred. I have been the Reader at St. George's since 1988. I am also a Past Grand Knight in the Knights of Columbus Sacramento Council 953.

Only having “through work” insurance doesn’t work

Do you know anyone whose life has been drastically changed by the recent recession and economic downturn?  With unemployment numbers rising, (From the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in the United States is currently 9.7%), it’s very likely that someone in your immediate or extended family or group of friends is facing financial uncertainty now. With this uncertainty, there is a real possibility that you (or your spouse) could lose your job or change employers.

Too many people have often relied on group term life insurance as their only safety net. Often, this insurance is an employee benefit provided at low or no cost. The existence of this coverage might convince someone that a personally owned life insurance policy is not necessary. Only having “through work” insurance doesn’t work. This way of thinking should be a thing of the past for many reasons. Most forms of group life insurance are limited in amount, which may be tied to salary or some other benchmark. These numbers are often capped, and this cap may be dangerously low for your family’s actual needs. In fact, without a detailed needs analysis, any employer-provided coverage may be completely unrelated to needs at death.

In addition, the amount of group insurance offered is almost always reduced, sometimes dramatically, when you retire. With the possibility of these changes on the horizon, you could one day find yourself without coverage, and if your health has changed (which it has and will as you age), you might also find yourself unable to secure individual protection.

While group life insurance can help, it does not replace the need for individually owned life insurance.  I’ll be happy to meet with you and provide a no-cost needs analysis, so you’ll know exactly where you stand.

To contact me with regards to any of your insurance needs, please call my office at (916) 482-9044 or e-mail me at stephen.cooper@kofc.org

By Knights …  For Knights ….
Stephen Cooper
CA Lics #0H90754

Building Association News

Congratulations to the Building Association Board members who were elected at the June Council Meeting.

President    David Carboni            Vice President      William (Bill) Renard
Treasurer    PGK Rudy Nagel        Recorder      Frank Philipps
Member    PGK Al Piccardo        Member      Keith Schiele
Member    Dale Walton

The next Building Association meeting will take place on  (Tues.) Aug. 7th at 11:00 AM at the Hall. All members of Council 953 are members of the Building Association and are welcome to attend.

Loaves and Fishes

Beginning August 22 Council 953 will be serving meals at Loaves and Fishes on the 4th Wednesday of every month from 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM. This will require 3 or 4 Knights to help out. If you are able to help please contact Grand Knight Ricardo Saldana by phone at 712-7355 or by email at gk(at)kofc953(dot)org.

August is the Month Of Mary in the Eastern Church

I’m a member of the Eastern Catholic Church as are several other members of our Council. As Church Director I would like to take the opportunity to tell you about some of the customs and practices of the Eastern Catholic Church.

Following the day of Pentecost, the Theotokos (Mother of God) remained in the city of Jerusalem, comforting the infant Christian community. She was living in the house of the beloved Apostle John, later the Evangelist. At the time of her death (tradition states she was in her early fifties) many of the Apostles were scattered throughout the world preaching the Gospel. All but Thomas were miraculously brought to the Virgin aloft on clouds.

As they stood around her bedside, she commended her spirit to the Lord and Jesus descended from Heaven, taking up her soul in His arms. The Apostles sang the funeral hymns in her honor and carried her body to a tomb in Cedron near Gethsemane. The Apostle Thomas arrived on the third day and wished to see the Virgin for the last time. They discovered an empty tomb filled with flowers. Church tradition relates that the Theotokos was resurrected bodily and taken to heaven, the same reward that awaits all the righteous on the Last Day.

For us as Eastern Catholics, August is the month of Mary. We celebrated on August 15th the falling asleep of Mary which we called the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos. This is the greatest feast of the Theotokos. The feast is preceded by 14 days of fasting. On weekdays before the feast, the service of Paraklesis (service of supplication) is celebrated. This is a service to the Theotokos in which we asked her to intercede for us.

The service of Paraklesis will be chanted on August 3, 8 and 13 at 6:30 PM. We celebrate the service of Great Vespers on Tuesday August 14th at 6:30 PM and the Divine Liturgy on Wednesday August 15th at 6:30 PM. It is tradition for us to bless flowers on the feast. All are welcome to join us at St. George Melkite-Greek Catholic Church as we honer the Theotokos. We are located at 1620 Bell St. in Sacramento just south of Arden Way.

Fred Struck,
Deputy Grand Knight, Council 953

A Remembrance for Tom Lapos

Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel in Thornton.Tom Lapos, a long-time member of Sacramento Council 953 passed February 13, 2012. He left a lasting impression on those he knew in life, and on a small Catholic chapel in Thornton, California. Tom painstakingly made, and his wife Becky painted, a large stained glass window depicting Our Lady of Sorrows for the Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel in Thornton. The window is located high up on the front of the church facing to the west. It is said that the window can be seen from Interstate-5 northbound traffic at night when the window is illuminated. The chapel is a delight to see, although it is not always open. The next time you are driving along I-5 about 28 miles south of Sacramento, take exit 493 (W. Walnut Grove Rd.) and go east 0.4 mile to Thornton. It is worth a quick side trip to see the chapel and the window that one of our beloved Brother Knights created. And, as you look at the window, say a nice thank you to Tom and Becky.

Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel in Thornton. The window is located high up on the front of the church facing to the west.Peace be with you Becky.

Dale Edwards, PGK

Knights of the Month July 2012

Knights of the Month July 2012
PGK Rudy Nagel and Bill Renard receive Knight of the Month certificates from Deputy Grand Knight Fred Struck

It is with great pleasure that Council 953 announces
Co-Knights of the Month for July 2012, PGK Rudy Nagel and Bill Renard. On behalf of their enormous efforts with repaving and striping the hall parking lot. Both worked tirelessly on their hands and knees to complete the job. Both also serve on the Hall Board and spend countless hours keeping our hall in good repair.

Many thanks for a job well done.