We understand that Templars is new to everyone, especially you and your team of confrères. That's why we created the Confrère's Guide - 🚀 Chapter Launch Event. This document will be your lifeline for your Chapter Launch Event. We have spelled out everything that you - as the Lead Confrère - need to say during the meeting. Print a copy in preparation for the meeting.
As for the Brother Templars, they will need a copy of the 🚀 Chapter Launch Agenda. The Chapter Launch Event's purpose is twofold:
1) Share the purpose and identity of Templars, as you invite them to sign up.
2) Model a chapter meeting and its leadership, engaging them from the start.
You will spend time familiarizing the young men with the foundational elements of the Templars Order: the Honor Code, the Work of the Order, and the Chapter's Leadership. Remember, however, the chapter is theirs, and they should intuitively understand this in the way you prompt their involvement. The portion of the meeting devoted to the Work of the Order will be instrumental in engaging the young men.
You and your confrères will need the following:
1. 🚀 Chapter Launch Agenda - You will notice that the 🚀 Chapter Launch Agenda is a perfect match for the Confrère's Guide. The only difference is the notes and commentary provided for your benefit within the Confrère's Guide.
2. Meeting Minutes - A confrère should take meeting minutes during the 🚀 Chapter Launch Event. The Lead Confrère should not be the confrère taking minutes, as he will be sufficiently occupied. Make use of the Minutes Template on the platform's Meetings tab. The eventual Draper will record meeting minutes in the future, but today, the confrère will model the process. After the meeting, the confrère will click the "Save to Archive" button to complete the minutes template. Use the Meeting Tab to share the completed Meeting Minutes with the pastor, confrères, parents, and Brother Templars with digital communication approval. (GoTemplars does not allow you to send digital communication to Brother Templars without digital communication approval, so there is no action required on your part.)
3. Confrère's Guide - 🚀 Chapter Launch Agenda - This document outlines everything that the lead confrère will say to guide the first chapter meeting. Just print it out, and you're ready to roll!
The 2nd Chapter Meeting is when the baton is passed from the confrères - who have been spearheading the chapter's efforts thus far - to the Brother Templars. But before we get to that point, we do have a few things to take care of:
1. Confrère's Guide - 2nd Chapter Meeting Agenda - Just like the Chapter Launch Event, we've provided a guide for leading the 2nd Chapter Meeting. Once again, the lead confrère will model the chapter leadership that the newly-elected Master will assume at the next chapter meeting.
2. 2nd Chapter Meeting Agenda - As with the Chapter Launc event, the 2nd Chapter Meeting agenda and Confrère's Guide match each other perfectly. You can follow your Confrère's Guide knowing that the chapter brothers are progressing down the same agenda. Be sure to print copies for each brother, the chaplain, and your fellow confrères.
3. Chapter Officer Nomination Resource - During the Officer Nomination process, you will direct the chapter brothers to write down nominees for each office. Print this resource so that the brothers have a place to write their nominations.
During the 2nd Chapter Meeting, you will introduce the chapter brothers - officer in particular - to GoTemplars, as the platform they will use to manage operations. You will see this in your Confrère's Guide, but be sure to invite officers into the GoTemplars platform using the tool in the section below entitled "3. Officer Elections." Encouraging the use of GoTemplars.org early will pay dividends down the line.
At last, the moment you've all been waiting for: the election of chapter officers.
The officer elections process is outlined in paragraphs 97-106 of the Rule of the Order. Chapter brothers may also benefit from reviewing the responsibilities of each office (paras 61-77).
Once officers are elected, invite them to join the Templars Platform. This will provide a central hub for officers to keep track of documents.
Note: Deleting an officer from this table will only remove their access to gotemplars.org. It will not remove them from your chapter. To remove someone from your chapter entirely, use the Chapter Roster.
| First Name | Last Name | Role | Last Login |
|---|
Congratulations! Your chapter is finally serving at the altar.
As you form a norm for how your chapter will server at the altar, you can make use of the Altar Serving Plan checklist to communicate the norms with the chapter.
