Despite a snow storm that forced us to postpone our Knights of St. Andrew Burns Supper to six days later, we still had a great turnout. Enjoy the photos...
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Calendar
February 2019 Feb 04 Valley Trustees 6:15 p.m. / Executive Committee 7:00 p.m. Feb 11 Lodge of Perfection Confer 4° “Master Traveler” 7:30 p.m. Refreshments to follow Feb 17 (Sunday) LoP 14° Rehearsal 4:00 p.m. Feb 18 Sweetheart Program at MMC With the Ladies Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m. March 2019 Mar 04 Executive Committee 7:00 p.m. Mar 11 Confer 14° Live 7:30 p.m. Refreshments to Follow Mar 16 (Saturday) Confer 15° & 18° Register 9:00 a.m. Open 9:30 a.m. CPJ Confer 15° “Knight of the East” Live 10:00 a.m. Lunch 11:30 a.m. CRC Confer 18° “Knight of the Rose Croix of H.R.D.M.” 1:00 p.m. Mar 25 32° Rehearsal 7:30 p.m. Consistory Well as we move into February there is not much going on with the Consistory. There has been a schedule change for the Live 4th Degree on February 11th at 7:30pm. We also have our Sweetheart dinner and program on February 18 th so please plan to attend. As we go into our spring program time there is still time to bring in new members. Right now, we have a Class of 11 new members and can always use more. We have been losing more members expiring in the past few years than we have made new members. What can we do to get more members to attend and attract new members? In the past few years we have scheduled new Degrees to change things up. Just let me know what you would like to see. We are currently working on our 2019 – 2020 Officer list. If you are interested in becoming a Valley Officer, please let one of the Presiding Officers or the Secretary know. There are both elected and appoint positions available. Come on out and get involved with your Valley. Our July 20, 2019 Family Picnic is coming together. We are having monthly meetings to get things all set. We will have games for the children and adults. This is going to be a lot of fun so see the ad we have in the Word and more will be posted. We are making this event affordable for all that attend so not to break the bank. It is also open to all Masonic Families not just Scottish Rite members. Please plan to attend and invite your other Brothers. We are also planning more Family events so watch for them in the future. I hope to see you in Lodge D.B. Garry L. Visconti, 32° MSA Commander in Chief Chapter Dear Brethren, I hope you all have had a blessed Holiday and a Happy New Year 2019! I look forward to seeing all who can attend the Sweetheart Program February 18th and the conferral of the 18th degree on March 16th. Also I wish to thank my line officers Hank Havener, Gary Hamburg and past Most Wise Masters Lawrence Egnaczyk and Rick Powell for all their help in preparing the Rose Croix activities. May this new year bring you health and prosperity. Sincerely & Fraternally, Caleb Haines, 32° Most Wise Master Council Greetings Princes, We will be doing the 15th Degree along with the 18th Degree on Saturday March 16th. Preparations are being made to have this a meaningful day, and for those who have already seen this Degree it has been a while since we last put it on in our Valley. We hope to see you Saturday morning for fellowship and sharing of light. It is important that our new class of brothers in Scottish Rite see brothers who have passed this way before, yet still find it important and meaningful to participate in our Degrees. Putting on a Degree entails a number of brothers coming together for a common purpose. The Cast Director kicks off the work on each Degree, getting all the parts filled and sharing the dates of the Degree rehearsals and conferral date. The individual brothers who have been selected as having a part in the Degree then get to work on learning lines and becoming familiar with their own parts as well as those they interact with. Even those who have done these parts before need to brush up on the parts, and in some cases relearn the part due to changes that were accepted in the Degrees. Rehearsal periods are done under the direction of the Degree Director, who should have spent time going over the full degree, understanding the key points of the degree and how it might be best staged to convey those messages and lessons. Our Seneschal will spend time at the rehearsal and prior to the Degree conferral to have all the props, costumes, and scene layout ready to go. Frequently, during rehearsals of degrees we have not done for a while, many questions are asked about how various parts should enter the room, where they should stand to best present themselves for the class while not ignoring the rest of the audience. Entrances and exits are always a key consideration that ties to the whole production, and changes are sometimes made to make transitions from one scene to the next go smoother. The other important aspect I have seen with putting on these degrees, for whichever part or role the cast or directors or those who are acting as stage management, is there grows tighter bonds between the brothers as we work toward the common goal of presenting a meaningful and well run degree for EVERY participant. Do you have a desire to be a part of the Degree Team? As you read above, there are many parts that need to be filled, and not all of them require you to be “on stage”. New perspective can bring out aspects of our Degrees which might not have been noticed before. Each new crew or cast member brings their own unique self to the whole, and it is what helps make our live Degrees an important part of our work. Additionally, many brothers have been doing many of these same parts and roles for a while, and might enjoy knowing they leave the work in good hands of new brothers who will fill those roles. Most degrees have walk on parts with no lines, or just a line or two. It is an easy way to ease your way into doing a more active role in these Degrees. Fraternally, James A. Nelson, 32º Sovereign Prince Lodge No news received… Fraternally, Ken Sterling, 32° Thrice Potent Master Welcome to My World Notes from the Children’s Dyslexia Center CNY Have you booked your spot at our GALA? Our GALA fundraiser which will take place on Saturday, March 9th at Hart’s Hill in Whitesboro. Our theme this year is Unmasking Dyslexia. We will hold a Masquerade dinner with our DJ and a magician. Patron Level tickets are $50 each or $90 per couple. Being a Table Patron for $250 will get you 2 dinner tickets and signage at your table. Partners in Reading Level ($1000) will get you 2 dinner tickets, a Silver Leaf and signage at your table. Sponsor a Scholar Level ($2500) will get you 4 dinner tickets, a Gold Leaf and signage at your table. Sponsor a Child for $5000 and you will get you 8 dinner tickets, a Gold Leaf and signage at your table. FYI, $25 of each dinner ticket is tax deductible. We are also taking donations of baskets for the Family Sponsored Basket Raffle as well as other prizes for raffles. Please consider donating if you can’t attend. For more information, please call us. As always, we invite you to visit Monday through Thursday, from 1 to 6PM. We have children from 3-6 every day. Just give us a call. Linda L. Martin, Director Email- lmartin@cnyclc.org Phone- (315) 736-0574 Mail- Children’s Dyslexia Center- CNY PO Box 638 Oriskany, NY 13424 2019 – 2020 Scholarship Applications Available Applications to apply for 2019 – 2020 Academic Year Supreme Council, AASR Leon M. Abbott Scholarships and New York State Council of Deliberation Scholarship Aid are now available for pick up at the Central City Bodies, A.A.S.R. Valley of Syracuse Scottish Rite Office (315) 452-7976, mailed to you from the Valley Office, or online. Go to the Valley of Syracuse Web site www.syr-aasr.org for the links to obtain the information on line. Application titled “Application for Scottish Rite Scholarship Aid Leon M. Abbott and/or NYS Council of Deliberation” To all applicants: The deadline date to submit your completed applications to the Valley of Syracuse is Monday April 1, 2019. That means in the office by close of business Monday April 1, 2019. Applications received after 4:00 p.m. Monday April 1, 2019 will not be considered. New Applications must be used. There is one combined Application for 2019- 2020. The Combined Application must be used. Graduating High School Seniors may apply again this year. The members of our Youth Groups; Triangle, Rainbow, and DeMolay; are eligible to apply for financial assistance. Students who complete the program at the Children’s Dyslexia Centers in New York State may also apply. Nine applicants from the Valley of Syracuse received financial assistance from this program for the 2018-2019 scholastic year. Congratulations and best wishes to them. Please contact the Valley Office at (315) 452-7976 if you have any questions or require assistance and information. 2019 Member’s Dues Payment is Due Your Valley office has worked diligently over the past several weeks to review each Supreme Council issued Member’s Dues Payment invoice to make certain each invoice requesting payment of your Member’s Annual Dues is correct. We thank each member who has paid their 2019 Member’s Dues for the very timely and positive response we have received. The Valley has received approximately 40.4% of the 2019 Member’s Annual Dues payments owed to date. Please contact the Valley Office if you have any questions regarding your 2019 Member’s Dues invoice. Also, I am reminding everyone that you have a permanent Supreme Council issued Member’s Card and do not receive a new Member’s Dues card each year. If you have lost or misplaced your Member’s Card please call the office to obtain a new and current one. Jim Swan Valley Secretary (315) 452-7976  Due to concerns over the extreme weather predicted to begin late tomorrow afternoon, a decision has been made to postpone the Burns Supper scheduled for Saturday, January 19th at Coleman's Irish Pub.
After polling as many as I could get ahold of, we have rescheduled it for next Friday evening on January 25th with a 6:00 PM start time. Apologies to any who can not make this date but it was the one date that the majority agreed upon. Every attempt will be made to find someone to take your spot so you can get a full refund. If you had a reservation, you need to RESPOND to the email sent to you - let Rick Powell know that you have seen the rescheduled date & time AND let him know if you can make it on the 25th (even if you previously stated that you could not - please confirm that is still the case). This has been a difficult decision as I know it is a major disruption of everyone's plans but your safety to & from the Burns Supper is something that weighs on my mind and I want everyone to have a good time and be safe. Rescheduled Date: Friday, January 25, 2019 Start Time: 6:00 PM Calendar
January 2019 Jan 07 Executive Committee 7:00 p.m. Jan 14 Spring Membership Night w/ Ladies & Guests Night Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m. Jan 19 Knights of St. Andrew Burns Supper 5:00 p.m. @ Coleman’s Restaurant Jan 21 LoP 4° Rehearsal 7:00 p.m. Jan 28 Knights of St. Andrew Rededication & Consistory Viewing of 29° 7:30 p.m. Refreshments to Follow February 2019 Feb 04 Valley Trustees 6:15 p.m. / Executive Committee 7:00 p.m. Feb 11 Lodge of Perfection Confer 4° “Master Traveler” 7:30 p.m. Refreshments to follow Feb 17 (Sunday) LoP 14° Rehearsal 4:00 p.m. Feb 18 Sweetheart Program at MMC With the Ladies Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m. Consistory Well here we are starting off a New Year and I hope that everyone has a memorable and prosperous 2019. Just a few items that we have going on in January. January 7th will be the Executive committee at 7:00pm and all are welcome to attend but only members can vote. January 14th we will have our Spring Membership Night with our ladies. This will be the time to bring in some prospective members to see what our Bodies can offer them. It will be a scallop potatoes and ham dinner with some good entertainment. 6:00 pm social, 6:30pm dinner and 7:30pm program. January 28th we will have a Knights of St Andrews meeting at 7:30pm. This group is open to all Scottish Rite members from the 4th Degree up. I have been asked to also open the Consistory to show the video of the 29th Degree which is a Knights of St Andrews Degree. This will also help anyone who needs this Degree in their Passports. Come on out for a great time of fellowship. As this Masonic year winds down, we are also starting to look for Officers for all our Bodies. If you would like to be considered for moving up and join a line, please contact me or the office soon. I look forward to seeing you in Lodge. D.B. Garry L. Visconti, 32° MSA Commander in Chief Chapter Dear Brethren, I hope you all are in good health and high spirits as November has ended and we enter further into the winter and holiday season. I ask all to remember, as we enjoy our meals, discussion and meetings filled with camaraderie, healthy dialogue, Scottish Rite news and fellowship those whom are less fortunate, impoverished, sick and those who serve and assist the poor no matter whom they are. In this reflection, I am increasingly grateful and in admiration of all of you going above and beyond. By the time you are reading this we will have had a wonderful holiday meal cooked by our Eastern Stars and entertainment provided by Brother Jim Nelson MSA. Thank you, Brother Nelson, for making the holiday event such a special time with your music and for the ceaseless industry of our Commanding officers and Secretary who make the Valley such an enjoyable experience for both members and officers, for without your guidance none of this would be possible. In conclusion, I wish you all happy holidays, new year and hope that you stay safe and warm. In the words of Charles Dicken's beloved Tiny Tim, “G-d bless us, everyone.” Peace! Sincerely & Fraternally, Caleb Haines, 32° Most Wise Master Council Greetings Princes, I hope this very young New Year is finding you all well, and that your various Holiday celebrations brought you joy shared with family and friends. The Council Princes of Jerusalem are deep in our preparations for the 15th Degree which will be held on March 23rd – a Saturday, along with the 18th Degree. Please put it on your calendars and join us and our newest Scottish Rite brothers for this Saturday morning get together. Start time is 9:30. In thinking of this new year, this opportunity to renew our bonds of brotherhood in Scottish Rite and our Fraternity, I am reminded of the wise words of Brotherhood from various people. “You cannot contribute anything to the ideal condition of mind and heart known as Brotherhood, however much you preach, posture, or agree, unless you live it” Faith Baldwin, “Brotherhood is the very price and condition of man’s survival” Carlos P. Romulo, “All men were made by the Great Spirit Chief. They are all brothers” Chief Joseph, “The more man knows of man, the better for the common brotherhood among men” Charles Dickens, “The universal brotherhood of man is our most precious possession” Mark Twain. We see in these quotes that brotherhood, our ties that bind us in our work, is needed in this world. It recognizes that we are indeed, all brothers, and as such, through living it, recognizing that it is as precious as our gift of life, we can affect a change for the good among our fraternal ties. Through our fraternal ties and principles, we then expand our hearts to those in our communities, our homes, and thus we create a better world for everyone. If you make only one resolution this new year, may it be to extend your brotherly hand to others in our fraternity, cementing our bonds and spreading brotherly love. I wish you all peace and harmony through this next trip around the sun, and thank you for being my brothers in this great fraternity. Fraternally, James A. Nelson, 32º Sovereign Prince Lodge Welcome back brethren! As the snow has undoubtedly set in, I would like to remind everyone of the importance of winter weather safety. If you are shoveling snow, ensure that you are well hydrated and take adequate breaks to get inside and get warm as needed. Also, if you use space heaters, ensure they are away from anything that is flammable to help prevent fires, and if you use generators or kerosene heaters, ensure they are use in a very well ventilated space. I hope everyone had a blessed and safe holiday and new year. I would like to congratulate Brother Terry Byard for being awarded the Dedicated Service Award, or Blue Hat, in the Valley of Syracuse. Brother Byard is one of the biggest reasons the Lodge of Perfection has run as smoothly as it has. He has been my right hand man for two years now and I couldn’t have succeeded without him. So please, if you see Brother Byard in your travels, congratulate him. January means more snow and cold weather. It is also a relatively slow month for the Lodge of Perfection. So slow in fact, we don’t really have very much going on. The Valley of Syracuse is having a Spring Membership Kickoff on January 14, 2019 and a Knights of St. Andrew meeting on January 28, 2019. And that’s pretty much it. I will be unavailable to make any meetings in January and February because of work, but I am leaving the Lodge in the hands of Brother Terry Byard. He has my full support and utmost respect for the job that he has done as my Deputy. The lodge is in great hands. Thank you for the continued support and all the challenges and fellowship that comes along with it! Hope to see you all soon! Fraternally, Ken Sterling, 32° Thrice Potent Master Welcome to My World Notes from the Children’s Dyslexia Center CNY Happy New Year to All! It seems that time marches on no matter what has been happening. The idea that 2019 is looming seems incredulous as we try to do as much for the Children at the Center as possible in the two hours we see them each week. This is the time of year that many of our parents are wondering what is happening with their child at school and at the Center. It seemed incredulous that we started this year with several bouts of flu and even a school closing. Winter is fully upon us and we are forging ahead. The process at the Center is challenging for our children, our tutors and the families. It seems there are never enough hours to deal with all the needs of 23 children, 11 tutors and multiple family members. We continue to meet the requirements of Lexington and IMSLEC to maintain our certification as well as fielding multiple inquiries about our services (the latest from the NYC area) and processing applications. You are helping to support and provide an invaluable service for families and educators in our State. Our latest form of outreach was to contact School Board representatives in the Central New York area to make sure they are aware of our program and the educational opportunities we can provide to their teachers. It will be interesting to see where this goes. I have more exciting news about Glenn. As I told you last, his tutor noted that Glenn is taking ownership of almost 1/3 of the alphabet and can sound out some one syllable words on his own. His mother told me last week that he is making great strides in school with the help of the accommodations he now receives and that he is a much happier young man. They are extremely grateful for all that you have offered Glenn through this program. Another thing that we have very busy with is preparing for the GALA fundraiser which will take place on Saturday, March 9 th at Hart’s Hill in Whitesboro. Our theme this year is Unmasking Dyslexia. We will hold a Masquerade dinner with our DJ and a magician. We will have more information available for you next month, but you can feel free to call the Center if you wish. As always, we invite you to visit Monday through Thursday, from 1 to 6PM. We have children from 3-6 every day. Just give us a call. Linda L. Martin, Director Email- lmartin@cnyclc.org Phone- (315) 736-0574 Mail- Children’s Dyslexia Center- CNY PO Box 638 Oriskany, NY 13424 2019 – 2020 Scholarship Applications Available Applications to apply for 2019 – 2020 Academic Year Supreme Council, AASR Leon M. Abbott Scholarships and New York State Council of Deliberation Scholarship Aid are now available for pick up at the Central City Bodies, A.A.S.R. Valley of Syracuse Scottish Rite Office (315) 452-7976, mailed to you from the Valley Office, or online. Go to the Valley of Syracuse Web site www.syr-aasr.org for the links to obtain the information on line. Application titled “Application for Scottish Rite Scholarship Aid Leon M. Abbott and/or NYS Council of Deliberation” To all applicants: The deadline date to submit your completed applications to the Valley of Syracuse is Monday April 1, 2019. That means in the office by close of business Monday April 1, 2019. Applications received after 4:00 p.m. Monday April 1, 2019 will not be considered. New Applications must be used. There is one combined Application for 2019- 2020. The Combined Application must be used. Graduating High School Seniors may apply again this year. The members of our Youth Groups; Triangle, Rainbow, and DeMolay; are eligible to apply for financial assistance. Students who complete the program at the Children’s Dyslexia Centers in New York State may also apply. Nine applicants from the Valley of Syracuse received financial assistance from this program for the 2018-2019 scholastic year. Congratulations and best wishes to them. Please contact the Valley Office at (315) 452-7976 if you have any questions or require assistance and information. Schedule Updates Please take note of several date changes in the schedule of events for months of January and February 2019. Lodge of Perfection has scheduled a special 4° “Master Traveler” live cast degree conferral on member of the 2018-2019 G. Michael Morris Class Monday February 11, 2019. As an event included in the January 28, 2019 Knights of St. Andrew meeting the Consistory will present the 29° “Knight of St. Andrew” video degree. Reception of new KOSA members is also scheduled. The Valley office will send mailed and e-mail notices with details of the schedule changes. Please contact the Valley office if you have any questions. 315-452-7976 or email at adminny017@twcny.rr.com Knights of St. Andrew Rededication 1/28/2019 The Knights of St. Andrew is a service club within the Valley of Syracuse. Its mission is to assist the Presiding Officers of the four Central City Bodies in the events and degrees of the Valley…and to have fun. If you are a member of the Scottish Rite, this is a chance for you to get involved in a casual way. Only 32° Masons may be active members. MSAs or 33° Brothers may join as Emeritus members. We fall under the direct supervision of the Executive Committee so we will be at the forefront of what is happening around the Valley. We feel everybody needs to be involved in something to whatever extent is appropriate for their needs and abilities. The Knights train 32° Masons in the structure and philosophy of the Syracuse Scottish Rite bodies. We especially want to enlist the new member soon after receiving the Scottish Rite degrees. We will quickly expose him to as many opportunities in conjunction with his interests and where he wants to concentrate his efforts. We will help new members get a better “feel” for what the Scottish Rite is all about. We meet several times during the year and around Reunion time with stated meetings as called. Some of the meetings will be formal, but others may be called to handle some important item of business in a timely fashion. Initiation Ceremonies will be open to the public because we want the candidate's family to observe and take part in his initiation. On Monday, January 28th, 2019, the Syracuse Chapter will be rededicated and membership will again be open to all Scottish Rite Brethren. Regular membership will be available to all members of the Valley and Emeritus membership will be available to MSAs & 33rds. Members prior to 2019 may rejoin with the Initiation Fee waived. In addition to service to the Valley, new benefits of membership will include early notices for Chapter sponsored events such as the Burns Supper as well as a discounted cost for those events. Please join us on Monday, January 28th, 2019 for our Rededication. Applications will be accepted then or in advance by sending to the Valley of Syracuse Office. Additionally, for all Scottish Riters, the Consistory will open on this evening for the viewing of the 29° video, Knight of St. Andrew, so bring your passports! Calendar
December 2018 Dec 03 Executive Committee 7:00 p.m. Dec 10 Holiday Celebration at MMC With the Ladies Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m. Dec 26 Holiday Luncheon (Wednesday) 11:30 a.m. til ?? Casual Twin Trees III Restaurant (Order from the Menu) January 2019 Jan. 07 Executive Committee 7:00 p.m. Jan. 14 Spring Membership Night w/ Ladies & Guests Night Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19 Knights of St. Andrew Burns Supper 5:00 p.m. @ Coleman’s Restaurant Jan. 28 Knights of St. Andrew Reboot Meeting 7:30 p.m. Refreshments to Follow Consistory Well the time is going fast. It seems that we just started the Masonic year and now we are 4 months into it. December does not hold much for the Consistory as there are many Christmas festivities going on for everyone and they families, so we kept it short. We have the Executive Committee meeting on December 3rd at 7pm. Don’t forget the Christmas Celebration Dinner December 10th . December 26th is the Holiday Luncheon with our ladies at Twin Trees III Restaurant at 11:30 am. Order off the Menu and this is a casual event. Come out and enjoy a great social event with good food and fellowship for all. I have set the picnic committee which will be Ill James Swan, DB Garry Visconti, DB Lawrence Egnaczyk, DB Earl Tuttle, DB James Nelson, SP Kenneth Sterling and SP Caleb Haines along with their wives. We have started the planning process and will meet monthly to ensure that we have a great picnic on July 20, 2019. If you have any ideas that you would like to see for the kids or adults, please let us know. This will be a catered event to ensure that all members have a good time. This is just a start to Family Life Programs as we can expand from this to other family activities I would like to wish that everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Years. I look forward to seeing you all in Lodge next year. D.B. Garry L. Visconti, 32° MSA Commander in Chief Chapter Dear Brethren, Internationally recognized author Rudolph Steiner once stated, “The heights of the spirit can only be climbed by passing through the portals of humility.” Similarly, although less cited than the symbolic pelican of this degree, the eagle in the 18˚ per DeHoyos’s Scottish Rite Ritual Monitor and Guide, “is an emblem of a wise man, because his wings bear him above the clouds, into the purer atmosphere and nearer to the source of Light, and within that Light his eyes are not dazzled.” Steiner elaborates, “You can only acquire right knowledge when you have learnt to esteem it.” In other words, valuing what you learn means putting knowledge into action and arriving to a place of consistency and not complacency or delusion of grandeur (dazzle) in its practice and defense. Indeed, the milestones and degrees achieve in Masonry are only reminders of standards we have set for ourselves as we evolve into the future. Personally, when I contemplate wisdom, I recall hearing lessons of the three Magi as a youth. Later I discovered that these were the same Magi whose earliest depiction shows them wearing Phrygian caps; a symbol of freedom and pursuit of liberty whose ancient use much like the Pileus was not only symbolic of manumission and civic duty, but whose message carried through to America in our use of Colombia as a national symbol of freedom prior to the Statue of Liberty. When conflated, I am reminded to protect our rights to freedom of religion and of those who find a heightened sense of their personal faith in the Rose Croix degrees. To our Knights of the Rose Croix, know that the faith spoken of therein is to teach a faith in ourselves, our fellow man, and G-d who is infinitely merciful and loving. Know that we are to have Hope in the triumph of Masonry, which shall help make all men one family and in the hereafter. And Charity, which relieves the distressed; Charity for the faults and injustices of our Brethren, and those who differ from us in opinion and charity in its highest and noblest sense of affection and love. In conclusion, I hope all of you are seeking positive growth and transformation in your own lives and are healthy in the Holiday season while you gather with friends and family. I look forward to seeing you all at our Holiday Celebration December 10th, 2018 with your ladies for Social at 6:00 p.m., dinner 6:30, and program at 7:30 p.m. Sincerely & Fraternally, Caleb Haines, 32° Most Wise Master Council Greetings Princes, I want to wish a joyous and blessed Holiday season to all our brethren and their families. For those Brothers who can, consider inviting a Brother over to you home if they have no one to spend the celebrations with, sharing your time with a lonely Brother might be the most thoughtful gift you can give. This year, we will be doing the 15th Degree, one which we have not done for a while. Through this month we will be recruiting our cast, and so we can get the parts out early to assist in memorization. We will be holding two rehearsals for this Degree prior to it’s conferral on Saturday, March 23rd . I have been spending some time lately with a couple of my hobbies, drawing and painting and playing music. There are a lot of things which go into art, be it creating music or doing work with a visual medium, but one thing which can bring the level of art to a higher state is the use of contrast. A drawing made of the same tonal values tends to be flat, and somewhat uninteresting, even if it is well rendered. The same with music, if you play every note at the same volume and in the same register, the music can blend into the background. Adding contrast, creating different levels of tone, makes all the tones used stand out more. We do the same things in our degrees. We typically have contrasting characters, characters who show good sides or bad sides to their thoughts and beliefs, and it is the dark contrasting with the light which helps to allow the light to shine all the brighter. We find in most relationships, that there are such contrasts as well. Friendships, marriages, being parents, all have times of strain or difficulties. While we don’t necessarily welcome these strained times, the joy of these can be found in reconciling the differences, and because of those more difficult times, the better days shine through in radiance. So I wish you all the proper contrasts within your lives that the full glory of the brightest days can enlighten your world to its best levels. I also wish that these holiday celebrations are such that they are only of the most brilliant and best type of light. Fraternally, James A. Nelson, 32º Sovereign Prince Lodge Welcome back brethren! As the cold winds of winter quickly approach, I want to first say I hope you all have had a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving that you were able to spend with those that matter the most in your lives. For some, that means family, for others that means friends, for others, it means merely giving back to the communities that we so faithfully try to serve in our everyday lives. I would like to say thank you to all those brothers that were able to make it to the Veterans Affairs here in Syracuse to help give back to those veterans that have sacrificed their blood, sweat, and tears to make this country the greatest one on the face of the earth. Whether you were able to make it out in person, or just donate some time and possibly DVDs to the VA, I want to say Thank You from the bottom of my heart. December means we will likely have snow and cold weather. It is also a relatively slow month for the Lodge of Perfection. So slow in fact, we don’t really have very much going on. The Valley of Syracuse is having a Holiday Celebration on December 10 th and a Holiday Luncheon on December 26 th . And that’s pretty much it. I will be unavailable to make any meetings in January and February because of work, but I am leaving the Lodge in the graceful hand of Brother Terry Byard. He has my full support and utmost respect for the job that he has done as my Deputy. The lodge is in great hands. Lastly, I would like to wish you all a very blessed Holiday season, and the happies of New Years! Thank you for the continued support and all the challenges and fellowship that comes along with it! Hope to see you all soon! Fraternally, Ken Sterling, 32° Thrice Potent Master Welcome to My World Notes from the Children’s Dyslexia Center CNY Happy Holidays! Can you believe that it is that time of year already? First item of news is the Walk-a-Thon; it was a great day and a great fund-raiser. We had many families and young people attending and walking. The Rainbow Girls have chosen our Center as their project this year and several of the girls came to walk and raise funds directly. It was fun to see everyone here. We raised a wonderful amount of money through our ads, the walk sponsors, the chicken BBQ and our bake sale. If you missed it this year, we hope you will be able to join us next year. All the children and tutors are off to a great start (despite one round of a nasty flu that has gone around). Having a minimum of 12 children and 6 tutors (and all of the family members who accompany the children) at the Center each day keeps Gineal and I very busy. We have had many calls for information, received several new applications and I have had meetings with all of the parents. Fall is always busy as we settle in but this year seems even busier. I was fortunate to attend the International Dyslexia Conference in Connecticut the end of October. Because it is within driving distance our Board graciously allowed our two supervisors to attend with me. The three of us were able to attend a total of 24 sessions over the three days and we obtained a great deal of information and reinforcement material that we can now share with the other tutors at the Center. I have exciting news about Glenn. You will remember that he came to us as a 4th grader with almost no basic reading skills and minimal knowledge of the alphabet. His tutor told me this week that Glenn is taking ownership of almost 1/3 of the alphabet and can sound out some one syllable words on his own. What a wonderful accomplishment for this extremely bright young man whose brain fights him in all his efforts to put sounds and letters together. I will gladly be bringing you more news of his accomplishments throughout the year. As always, we invite you to visit Monday through Thursday, from 1 to 6PM. We have children from 3-6 every day. Just give us a call. A reminder: The GALA fundraiser which will take place on Saturday, March 9th at Hart’s Hill in Whitesboro. We are eternally grateful for all of your support and continued interest in our program. Linda L. Martin, Director Email- lmartin@cnyclc.org Phone- (315) 736-0574 Mail- Children’s Dyslexia Center- CNY PO Box 638 Oriskany, NY 13424 Lodge Ambassadors Greetings my Brothers, The Central City Bodies A.A.S.R.Valley of Syracuse is extending an offer to present programs to your Blue Lodges for your Brother Bring a Friend events. If we can assist in helping to build your membership please let us know. We have Lodge Ambassadors that are willing to present programs that may be of interest to your members and their Ladies. We also have several programs that non-Scottish Riters are able to attend. You can contact me or the Valley Secretary at 315-452-7976. Fraternally, Lodge Ambassador Initiative Chairman D.B. Lawrence W. Egnaczyk,32`MSA; lwegnaczyk@verizon.net (H) Ph. # 315-637-4143 (C) Ph. # 315-632-1043 MSA Recipients Announced On behalf of the officers and Members of the Valley of Syracuse I am pleased to announce three (3) S.P.R.S. Scottish Rite 32⁰ Masons, members of the Valley of Syracuse were recognized and honored by the Council Of Deliberation A.A.S.R, New York September 29, 2018 when elected to receive the New York State Council of Deliberation Meritorious Service award and the accompanying “Red Hat” at its 2018 Annual Convocation. Distinguished Brothers Carl F. Fahrenkrug, 32⁰ MSA, James A. Nelson, 32⁰ MSA, and William H. Toth, II, 32⁰ MSA received their symbolic Red Hats during the Valley of Syracuse Annual Awards and Recognition Ceremony Monday evening October 22, 2018 at the Masonic Memorial Center in North Syracuse. They will be honored at the 2019 Council of Deliberation September 28, 2019 when they are presented their Meritorious Service Award Jewel and Plaque. Please congratulate these three very deserving Scottish Rite Masons for election to receive this recognition when you next see them. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! The festive Holiday Season is upon us once again. The traditional greetings of “Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!” have given way to the now socially acceptable greeting “Happy Holidays!”. Whatever your preference, the Officers of Central City Bodies, and the staff at the Valley of Syracuse Scottish Rite Office extends their sincere Holiday Greetings to all who take the time to scan and read our Scottish Rite page each issue. To the leaders in the four Bodies of Scottish Rite in the Valley of Syracuse this year thank you for the support and assistance provided to your office staff. To all of our fellow Scottish Riters wherever you may be this Holiday Season; our prayers and thoughts are with you. May your travels all be safe. Please make certain to remember our Valley Members on Active Duty in the Military in your thoughts and prayers. On behalf of D.B. Garry L. Visconti, 32º MSA Commander-In-Chief, Central City Consistory, S.P.R.S. Caleb W. Haines, 32º, Most Wise Master, Central City Chapter Rose Croix, D. B. James A. Nelson, 32º MSA, Sovereign Prince, Central City Council Princes of Jerusalem, S.P.R.S. Kenneth D. Sterling, 32º, Thrice Potent Master, Central City Lodge of Perfection and your office staff; Mrs. Sharon Fox, Mrs. Sharon Swan, and Ill.·. James D. Swan, Jr., 33º, Valley of Syracuse Secretary, Happy Holidays! 2019 – 2020 Scholarship Applications Available Applications to apply for 2019 – 2020 Academic Year Supreme Council, AASR Leon M. Abbott Scholarships and New York State Council of Deliberation Scholarship Aid are now available for pick up at the Central City Bodies, A.A.S.R. Valley of Syracuse Scottish Rite Office (315) 452-7976, mailed to you from the Valley Office, or online. Go to the Valley of Syracuse Web site www.syr-aasr.org for the links to obtain the information on line. Application titled “Application for Scottish Rite Scholarship Aid Leon M. Abbott and/or NYS Council of Deliberation” To all applicants: The deadline date to submit your completed applications to the Valley of Syracuse is Monday April 1, 2019. That means in the office by close of business Monday April 1, 2019. Applications received after 4:00 p.m. Monday April 1, 2019 will not be considered. New Applications must be used. There is one combined Application for 2019- 2020. The Combined Application must be used. Graduating High School Seniors may apply again this year. The members of our Youth Groups; Triangle, Rainbow, and DeMolay; are eligible to apply for financial assistance. Students who complete the program at the Children’s Dyslexia Centers in New York State may also apply. Nine applicants from the Valley of Syracuse received financial assistance from this program for the 2018-2019 scholastic year. Congratulations and best wishes to them. Please contact the Valley Office at (315) 452-7976 if you have any questions or require assistance and information. 2019 Member’s Dues Notices You will have received by the date you read this article, or you will receive in the very near future the Annual Member’s Dues notice to pay your 2019 Central City Bodies, A.A.S.R., Valley of Syracuse Member’s Dues. Please contact the Valley office if you have any questions or believe that the invoice you received is incorrect. As a reminder to all, Supreme Council stopped issuing a new Member’s Dues Card annually replacing it with a plastic permanent Member’s Card several years ago. Please remember to keep your permanent card with you. If you have lost or misplaced your permanent Member’s Card, please contact the office to obtain a new one. Contact phone number for the Valley of Syracuse Office: 315-452-7976 E-Mail: Jim Swan: ny017@twcny.rr.com Sharon Fox: adminny@twcny.rr.com Please contact us whenever assistance or information is needed. Knights of St. Andrew Reboot The Knights of St. Andrew are reorganizing and invite all members of the Valley of Syracuse to join in our reboot. Jewels will soon be available for all paid members to wear at Valley functions and will be available to order at our January 28th meeting. New benefits of membership will include early notices for Chapter sponsored events such as the Burns Supper as well as a discounted cost for those events. Regular membership is available to all members in the Valley and Emeritus membership is available to MSAs & 33rds. Come to our meeting on January 28th for more details or email Rick Powell rjpowell @ syr-aasr.org One application to apply for a 2019-2020 LEON M. ABBOTT SCOTTISH RITE SCHOLARSHIP or a 2019-2020 NYS COUNCIL OF DELIBERATION SCHOLARSHIP AID is to be submitted in 2019. The application form entitled “Application for Scottish Rite Scholarship Aid Leon M. Abbott and/or NYS Council of Deliberation” is the only application to be used APPLICATIONS FROM PRIOR YEARS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED All applications submitted through the Valley of Syracuse must be in the Valley of Syracuse office no later than March 28, 2019. Applications received in the office after March 28, 2019 will not receive consideration. Note: These directions MUST be followed without exception. Failure to follow these instructions will result in the rejection of your application. Leon M. Abbott Scholarship In 1922, a college scholarship program was inaugurated with an initial appropriation from Supreme Council funds. In 1932, Leon M. Abbott bequeathed additional funds to establish an Education and Charity Fund. The first Abbott scholarship was awarded in 1951. NYS Council of Deliberation Scholarship The New York State Council of Deliberation Scholarships are open to any NY Scottish Rite Mason, his child or grandchild and any member of the NYS Masonic Youth Groups. Eligibility criteria are listed as follows:
All applications must be received in the Valley of Syracuse office no later than MARCH 28, 2019 to be considered. Please make certain that the correct application is used for the appropriate situation. It is our wish to continue to support students in New York State who are children and grandchildren of Scottish Rite Masons. Remember that all applications and supporting documentation must be submitted and signed by the valley scholarship committee chairman. Incomplete or unsigned forms will be returned to the valley. Supporting documentation must include two (2) copies of the following: a. at least one confidential letter of recommendation; b. the most current college transcript; c. for high school students, grades must be included d. the most current copy of the FAFSA form; e. Students must have a minimum G.P.A. of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale to qualify. Click on the file link below for Current 2019-2020 application: 
Calendar
November 2018 Nov. 05 Trustees 6:15 p.m. / Executive Committee 7:00 p.m. Nov. 12 Veteran’s Recognition Night Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19 Consistory Confer 27° 7:30 p.m. “Knight of Jerusalem” (Live) Refreshments following meeting Nov. 22 Happy Thanksgiving! December 2018 Dec 03 Executive Committee 7:00 p.m. Dec 10 Holiday Celebration at MMC With the Ladies Social 6:00 p.m. / Dinner 6:30 p.m. / Program 7:30 p.m. Dec 26 Holiday Luncheon (Wednesday) 11:30 a.m. til ?? Casual Twin Trees III Restaurant (Order from the Menu) Consistory As we head into November all the leaves have changed colors and are falling off the trees. As we look to Thanksgiving, we are taught to be thankful for all we have in life. For me, I am thankful to be associated with all the Brothers of Scottish Rite. So, enjoy this month with your families as we only have a couple dates set. The Trustees will meet on November 5th at 6:15 pm & all Body Heads and Trustees need to attend. Executive Committee will meet November 5th at 7:00 pm, all committee members need to attend. November 12th we will have our Veterans Program. Social at 6:00 pm, dinner at 6:30 pm and at 7:30 pm the Ill Sandy Samson will be performing the Ring Around the World. Please come out to support our Veterans. November 19th we will confer the 27th Degree. We will open at 7:30 pm and will have a live cast perform the degree. In the October Executive Committee, we decide to bring back the summer family picnics. It will be held on July 20, 2019 noon to 5 pm. This will be held at the Cicero American Legion and will be a catered event so bring out your entire family. There will be games and activities for the kids and the young at heart. This should be a great event, and everyone will have a great time. Stay tune for more information to come out. I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving and do not eat too much. D.B. Garry L. Visconti, 32° MSA Commander in Chief Chapter Dear Brethren, As September ends on a high note with the success of the NYS Council of Deliberation 2018 I am reinvigorated for October and look forward to seeing all who can attend the Valley. Why? The COD (a meeting of Scottish Rite Valleys of the entire State of New York) showed the continued positive progress, attitude and relationship of our youth organizations, Grand Lodge and Scottish Rite as emphasized by Grandmaster Sardone. Verily, keeping a positive mental attitude in regards to the future of our noble craft is a key to our future success as echoed by the wisdom of our Grandmaster and leaders who are asking tough questions, finding solutions and working overtime to ensure a bright future. To make this effort work, we need not only the Valley’s help, but also the receptivity of our Blue Lodges. Accordingly, as a new interface between Scottish Rite and blue lodges is being fostered it is encouraged for blue lodges to schedule a visit by a Scottish Rite Ambassador at a time where programming is needed. To do so, please reach out to the Scottish Rite Valley in your district to share the further light and fellowship the Scottish Rite NMJ has to offer. Thankfully, it is now more than ever a truly great time to become a Scottish Rite Mason with the advent of the Hauts Grade Academy éducation, a fresh new member kit, and incentives creating a dynamic and cohesive Scottish Rite experience. In conclusion, as October unfolds, I hope to see you for the 4th degree on the 8th, that we have a successful and profitable walk for the Children’s Dyslexia Center, a successful Awards and Recognition dinner on the 22nd and that our fall season greets you well. Peace be with you. Sincerely & Fraternally, Caleb Haines, 32° Most Wise Master Council Greetings Princes, I hope this communication finds you all well. I recently attended a Boy Scout Order of the Arrow training weekend. The focus on this course was regarding declining numbers of membership, and three key areas which most impact potential growth. One big takeaway from the training session was that changes are needed in what OA Lodges were doing or the decline in membership would continue and eventually the organization would come to an end. Many organizations face this same issue, even this of ours. We do many things right, we stand for making good men better, so membership isn’t declining because of what we teach, how we act, or what we stand for. As you might have noticed, we are making changes to how we do some things. We have the extensive learning course Hauts Grade to give us an opportunity to delve deeper into the Degrees for more meaning and understanding of what we are being given. We have the Ambassador program to bring our message to the Lodges, encourage members who have not been active to come out again and be part of our fellowship and teaching. We have the “Not just a man, A Mason” ad program. Through many initiatives we are changing how we are looking to engage members and gain new members so our Fraternity and Scottish Rite can thrive. We brothers know the value of our Fraternity, we know the value of what we do. We need to share this with others who are not part of our Fraternal order, and bring others to light. The world needs more good men who are willing to work to make our communities better, and Masonic teachings can do just that. One thing we have done in the past in our Valley is to offer a program called December’s Rose, a program open to the public which shows a bit of what Masonry is about. There is another such program which is about Abraham Lincoln. Currently we are not doing either presentation. Both need brothers who will take parts in these dramatic and moving programs. I have wanted to put together the Lincoln program for a while now. I need some help to bring this about, I am looking for a few brothers who would like to take a part in this program. You can contact me or the Scottish Rite office to offer your help by taking a role. Once we have the cast we can offer this program to lodges. This is a small change, an opportunity to reach out in a different way. This being a public program it can even be open to anyone in the community to come see it. I encourage each member of our Fraternity to do their part. Make a change in how we extend ourselves to the community, and how we reach out to gain new brothers into this wonderful organization that makes meaningful changes with ourselves. Let’s find new ways to share the light, so that we can grow and our little corners of the world can be made better. Sincerely and Fraternally, James A. Nelson, 32º Sovereign Prince Lodge No News Received Fraternally, Ken Sterling, 32° Thrice Potent Master Welcome to My World Notes from the Children’s Dyslexia Center CNY We’re Back! When you read this, we will have had our Annual Walk-a-Thon and Chicken BBQ fundraiser at the Center. It is a sure sign that we are back in full force. I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to see many of you at the COD dinner where our ‘very own’ Emerson and her father, Dan spoke about their experiences at the Center. (Aren’t our kids just the best?) We were so thrilled to meet our Rainbow Girl representative as they work hard to promote and raise monies for our Dyslexia Center. We were also honored by all the donations presented to our Board Chair to help keep our efforts going. This year we have the highest enrollment ever. 25 children are attending the Center. This is only able to happen because several are home-schooled children and can arrive earlier in the afternoon along with dedicated tutors who come in early as well. We have 15 returning children and 10 first year children. We have 3 Initial Level Trainees, 2 Advanced Level Trainees and 6 other returning certified tutors. One of those is a Trainer and Supervisor Trainee. As you can well imagine, we are, as always, a very busy place. We invite you to visit whenever you can. We are here on school days, Monday through Thursday, from 1 to 6PM. We have children from 4-6 on Monday and Wednesday and from 3-6 on Tuesday and Thursday. Just give us a call. With the Walk-a-Thon behind us we are beginning to plan our GALA fundraiser which will take place on Saturday, March 9th at Hart’s Hill in Whitesboro. If you have attended a GALA before, you know it will be great fun, with great food and great friends. Thank You for giving me the opportunity to do what I love and work with wonderful people to help our children! Linda L. Martin, Director Email- lmartin@cnyclc.org Phone- (315) 736-0574 Mail- Children’s Dyslexia Center- CNY PO Box 638 Oriskany, NY 13424 Happy Thanksgiving Family Celebrations are important to all of us. Thanksgiving is a festive time for Families to gather together to give thanks and blessings for the bounty we all enjoy. Many college students are home for their first break from studies. Parents and Grandparents gather around the “Harvest Table” with their families for the traditional Thanksgiving Feast. The Valley Office Staff, on behalf of all Officers and Members of Central City Bodies A.A.S.R., Valley of Syracuse wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. May peace and goodwill be the toast of this special Day. Please take care when you travel to be with your families and have a safe Holiday. Happy Thanksgiving to all, From Sharon Fox Sharon Swan Jim Swan 2019 Burns Supper The Knights of St. Andrew will hold its Annual Burns Supper 5:00 PM on Saturday January 19, 2019 at Coleman's Irish Pub in Syracuse. A Burns Supper is a celebration of the life and poetry of the poet Robert Burns, Freemason, author of many Scots poems and to the Scots, what Shakespeare is to the English. The suppers are normally held on or near the poet's birthday, January 25th. Much fun is had by all. See the Haggis piped in and addressed. See & hear a presentation on the poetry of Burns and music. Cost will be $40 per person. Reservations can be sent to Richard Powell, 4717 Broad Road, Syracuse, NY 13215. Deadline for reservations will be January 1st. Book early!!! The space at Coleman's is very limited and last year’s event sold out. We, unfortunately, had to turn folks away. Email questions to rjpowell@syr-aasr.org Clothes in the Closet Notice Several articles of clothing left in the coat closets in the Masonic Center in North Syracuse over the past several months are taking up space needed for coat and winter boots storage during events and meetings in the building. Any items not claimed prior to December 1, 2018 will be removed and donated to local clothing Drives. |
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